Chewy, fluffy, warm right from the oven, these Olive Garden bread sticks are impossibly irresistible! Buttery with a garlic salt topping, they are perfectly golden on the outside, and so soft on the inside!
Making these breadsticks is so much easier than you think - no fancy ingredients or complicated steps. So good for a cozy meal, snacking, or entertaining, these garlic breadsticks are a sure-shot crowd-pleaser!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
✨ Soft, chewy, fluffy, and garlicky, these copycat Olive Garden breadsticks taste just like the ones in the restaurant, maybe even better! I'm telling you it's so hard to stop at one!
✨ Made with simple pantry ingredients, these breadsticks are straightforward to make. There are no complicated steps, and the dough is really easy to handle.
✨ Not only are they perfect with pasta, salad, or soup, but they also taste so great on their own! We love to munch on these warm garlic breadsticks!
✨ You can easily double the batch and freeze some whenever the craving strikes!
Recipe Ingredients
Flour: I used all-purpose flour to make these garlic breadsticks. You can easily replace it with bread flour for a chewier bread.
Butter: I used salted butter, but you can also use unsalted butter.
Yeast: You can use active dry yeast or instant yeast. Please make sure your yeast is fresh.
Salt: Regular table salt works well here for flavoring the breadsticks.
Sugar: For activating the yeast and overall balancing the flavors.
Garlic powder: This is mixed with salt to make garlic salt, which is sprinkled on top of the warm breadsticks to give them their lovely garlicky flavor!
Please see the recipe card below for full information about the ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Olive Garden Bread Sticks
Step 1: Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside until frothy and foamy.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, melted butter, and the yeast mixture. Knead for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky to the touch.
Step 3: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl.
Step 4: Cover and let it proof for 1- 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
Step 5: Gently deflate the dough and cut it into 12 equal-sized pieces.
Step 6: Roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch log. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray.
Step 7: Cover and allow the bread sticks to proof for 1-1.5 hours or until puffy and doubled in size.
Step 8: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Bake the breadsticks for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 9: Immediately brush the bread sticks with melted butter. Mix the salt and garlic powder, then sprinkle the mixture on top of the copycat Olive Garden breadsticks. Serve warm and enjoy!
Top Tips
- Make sure your yeast is fresh and active. The best way to check that is by dissolving 1/2 teaspoon of yeast in half a cup of warm water. Leave for 5-10 minutes. If the mixture gets frothy and bubbly, your yeast is good to use in the recipe.
- Please use warm water. The best temperature is 40°C / 100-105°F. Hot water will kill the yeast, and cold water slows down the yeast.
- Please use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients for the best, consistent results.
How To Serve
These buttery breadsticks are best served warm. They go so well with marinara sauce, or try them with my easy tomato sauce or cashew roasted red pepper sauce.
Serve them alongside salads like this Italian tortellini salad or avocado egg salad.
They are perfect with cozy soups like creamy roasted pumpkin soup, green pea soup, or sweet potato soup!
Enjoy them with pastas like this homemade vegan gnocchi and pumpkin mac and cheese.
How To Store
These breadsticks stay well in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.
Reheat the garlic bread sticks in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for 4-5 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
All-purpose flour works very well to make these Olive Garden breadsticks. However, for a chewier texture, you can use bread flour as well.
Yes, you can! Allow the dough to proof, then shape into logs. Place these on a baking tray, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Allow them to proof the second time before baking at room temperature, until doubled in size.
📖 Recipe
Olive Garden Bread Sticks
Ingredients
- 1.5 tsp Dry active yeast
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 1 cup Warm water
- 3 tbsp Melted butter I used salted butter
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
Topping
- 1 tbsp Melted butter
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until the mixture is frothy and bubbly.1.5 tsp Dry active yeast, 2 tbsp Sugar, 1 cup (240 g) Warm water
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, butter, and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and knead the dough for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky to the touch.3 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Salt, 3 tbsp Melted butter
- You may need to add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and place in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours or until it doubles in volume.
- Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to your work surface.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch log. Place all the dough logs on a parchment-lined baking tray. Make sure there is about 1-inch space between them. Cover and let breadsticks proof for 1- 1.5 hours or until puffy and doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
- Take the breadsticks out of the oven and immediately brush them with melted butter. Mix the salt and garlic powder in a small bowl and sprinkle this mixture on the breadsticks. 1 tbsp Melted butter, 1 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- Serve warm. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Make sure your yeast is fresh and active. The best way to check that is by dissolving 1/2 teaspoon of yeast in half a cup of warm water. Leave for 5-10 minutes. If the mixture gets frothy and bubbly, your yeast is good to use in the recipe.
- Please use warm water. The best temperature is 40 °C / 100-105°F. Hot water will kill the yeast, and cold water slows down the yeast.
- Please use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients for the best, consistent results.
- This recipe has been adapted from Cooking Classy.
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