Love eating at Olive Garden? Have a craving for their delicious breadsticks or other classic Italian dishes? Here are some of the most iconic recipes from the Olive Garden restaurants that you can make at home!

Breadsticks

If you thought you had to go to Olive Garden for their endless breadsticks, think again! With this copycat breadstick recipe, you can eat all the breadsticks you want from the comfort of your own home.

Makes 16 | Prep. time 60 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Breadsticks

• 1½ cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 packet (1 tablespoon/¾ ounce) yeast
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (and a bit extra to sprinkle on top)
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 4–5 cups bread flour (you can also use all-purpose flour, but the breadsticks will turn out denser)

Topping

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. To make the breadsticks, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl.
2. Proof for 10 minutes. Mix in the salt, softened butter, and 3 cups of bread flour.
3. Mix in the rest of the bread flour to get a soft dough.
4. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside in a warm place. Let dough rise for 1 hour.
5. Gently knead the dough and separate into 14–16 balls.
6. Roll each ball into a log of your desired length. Place on two cookie sheets and let rise for 15–30 minutes.
7. To make the topping, melt the butter and mix with the garlic powder.
8. Brush the topping mixture over the breadsticks and finish with sprinkles of sea salt.
9. Bake at 400°F for 12–14 minutes.
10. Brush the remaining garlic butter on top of the breadsticks.

 

Lasagna Classico

One of Olive Garden’s bestselling dishes, this is an iconic staple to consume with their unlimited breadsticks, soup, and salad.

Serves 8 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 1 hour

Ingredients

Meat sauce

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ pound ground beef
• 6 ounces Italian sausage, removed from their casings and crumbled
• 2 (16-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cheese mixture

• 1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• ½ cup romano cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Lasagna

• 12 cooked or no-boil lasagna noodles
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. To make the meat sauce, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef and sausage. Cook for 10 minutes or until completely cooked, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the tomatoes, basil, and oregano. Stir and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper according to preference. Chill.
4. To make the cheese mixture, mix the cheeses, parsley, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and egg in a mixing bowl.
5. Cook the lasagna according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
6. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
7. Spread some meat sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Layer three lasagna noodles on top (they may overlap slightly). Spread some of the cheese mixture on top.
8. Spread more meat sauce on top of the cheese mixture. Repeat layering noodles, cheese, and meat sauce at least twice more. Finish with cheese mixture on top.
9. Spray some foil with cooking spray. Wrap the baking dish tightly with the foil.
10. Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool. Serve.

 

Beef Filet in Balsamic Sauce

The beef filet in balsamic sauce copycat recipe is elegant enough for a romantic candlelit dinner.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 20 minutes | Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 yellow onion, medium and sliced thin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• ½ cup marsala wine
• ½ cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 (6-ounce) beef tenderloin fillets
• 1 dash parsley, finely chopped
• Rosemary sprigs (for garnish)

Directions

1. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Cook the onion with salt and pepper for 10 minutes to caramelize it.
2. Pour the wine, broth, vinegar, and rosemary into the sauté pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 10–15 minutes.
3. Marinate the beef fillets in oil, salt, and pepper. Grill to preference. Pour sauce over each fillet. Garnish with parsley and rosemary. Serve.

 

Herb-Grilled Salmon

A smoky, juicy copycat of the Olive Garden Herb-Grilled Salmon with fresh herbs and tangy lemons.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 salmon steaks
• Olive oil for brushing
• Salt and pepper to taste

Lemon herb butter

• 1 pound butter
• 1½ lemons (zest and juice but no seeds)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs like basil and thyme
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. To make the lemon herb butter, combine the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and herbs in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer to plastic wrap. Shape into a log and twist to seal. Chill in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
2. Preheat a gas grill on medium heat or start a medium fire in a charcoal grill.
3. Brush the olive oil onto the fish fillets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until fully cooked (when the salmon begins to change colors and becomes flaky).
4. Remove from the grill and top with the lemon herb butter. Serve.

 

Tiramisu

The Olive Garden pick-me-up cake for when you need that caffeine boost.

Serves 8–10 | Prep. time 30 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 egg yolks, divided
• ¼ cup whole milk
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 cups mascarpone cheese
• ½ pound cream cheese
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 20–24 ladyfinger cookies
• ¼ cup cold espresso
• ¼ cup Kahlua coffee liqueur
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder

Directions

1. Boil water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, and two egg yolks. Place in the saucepan (or you can use a double broiler). Stir frequently for 10 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine the mascarpone, cream cheese, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Mix until creamy. Add remaining egg yolk. Stir again.
4. In a small bowl, combine the espresso and Kahlua. Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the mixture, making sure it does not soak up too much liquid.
5. Place the ladyfingers side by side at the bottom of an 8×8 baking pan. Spoon half of the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers. Place more ladyfingers on top. Pour the remaining cheese mixture on top.
6. Using a strainer, dust cocoa powder on top of the last cheese mixture layer. Cover and chill for several hours. Slice and serve.

 

All these recipes and more are found in Lina Chang’s cookbook Copycat Recipes: Making Olive Garden’s Most Popular Recipes at Home. Click here or on the cover to get your copy now!

To download or print the recipes, click here.