25 Delicious Olive Garden Copycat Recipes to Make at Home

Olive Garden, renowned for its mouth-watering pasta dishes, soups, and signature breadsticks, has become a beloved institution in the United States.

With something for everyone on the menu, it’s no wonder that fans of the restaurant are eager to recreate their favorite meals at home.

However, frequent dining out can be expensive, leaving enthusiasts searching for alternative solutions. Luckily, we’ve got you covered!

Peach Iced Tea

While we may not be discussing cuisine per se, the popularity of Olive Garden’s imitation iced tea warrants its inclusion on this list. As the most sought-after drink at the restaurant, mastering the art of making it at home is a must for any enthusiast. One of the greatest aspects of cooking at home is the ability to craft each component from scratch, and this sweet treat is no exception.

In fact, preparing a simple flavored syrup using sugar, water, and your choice of fruit can be a game-changer. By doing so, you’ll unlock endless possibilities for experimentation and customization, elevating your iced tea game to new heights.

Copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing Recipe

While Italian dressing mix may contain a multitude of ingredients, its complexity can be replicated at home with ease. In fact, making your own Italian seasoning blend is a straightforward process. However, it’s worth noting that the store-bought variety often contains a surprising amount of added sugar – specifically, half a teaspoon per serving. If you’re not a fan of the tangy flavor this produces, feel free to adjust the sweetness level by adding more sugar or honey to taste.

Copycat Olive Garden Jumbo Stuffed Shells

When ordering the Olive Garden’s signature dish, it’s not uncommon to be taken aback by its size. In fact, a small handful can easily suffice as a filling supper! The dish typically consists of a generous portion served on a bed of rich and creamy alfredo sauce, topped with a hearty helping of seasoned bread crumbs. While some may appreciate the delightful contrast between the alfredo and marinara sauces, it’s equally enjoyable without them – allowing the flavors of the pasta to shine through.

Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

Minestrone is more than just a tasty soup – it’s often a go-to comfort food when someone in the household isn’t feeling their best. Mastering this recipe can be a lifesaver on those days when you’re seeking something warm and nourishing to help ease your symptoms. At its core, Minestrone relies on onions, carrots, celery, and zucchini for its foundation, but feel free to mix things up by adding corn, squash, or sweet potato if they’re available.

Don’t forget to rinse those beans before adding them to the pot, as excess salt can quickly throw off the balance of flavors. A rich beef stock and a splash of red wine will also add depth to your broth.

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

The addition of pillowy gnocchi elevates this chicken soup to new heights of luxury. Gnocchi is a crowd-pleaser, and when fried in brown butter infused with the aroma of rosemary, it’s a game-changer. But feel free to mix things up by substituting the gnocchi with traditional spaghetti or potato bites if that’s more your style. Whatever you choose, this hearty soup is sure to become a family favorite.

Olive Garden Chicken Scampi

One of the standout dishes on this list, this meal is visually stunning with its vibrant colors. The understated approach to flavor allows the natural taste of the pasta to shine through, while the wine, cheese, and cream work together in harmony. While the pepper combination is a winning formula, those seeking a slightly sweeter take can easily enhance the dish by adding shredded carrots and cherry tomatoes.

Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli

While Olive Garden’s breaded ravioli may be listed as an appetizer, it can easily be transformed into a satisfying main course by making a few adjustments. For a similar experience at home, you’ll need prepared ravioli and breadcrumbs. Be prepared for a messy cooking process, but the end result will be well worth the effort. A large dish of crispy ravioli filled with creamy, cheesy goodness awaits. Enjoy it with marinara sauce or alfredo sauce to elevate the flavor even further.

Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Copycat Recipe

Indulging in succulent shrimp is a culinary experience like no other. Their versatility makes them a perfect match for a wide range of dishes, from classic spaghetti to comforting grits, as their tender flesh absorbs flavors effortlessly. However, the key to cooking shrimp lies not only in its compatibility with various ingredients but also in the brief cooking time it requires. When cooked to perfection, the vibrant pink hue serves as a visual indicator that they’re ready to be devoured.

But beware, for overcooking can result in an unpleasantly rubbery texture. Timing is everything when it comes to bringing out the best in these delectable crustaceans.

Eggplant Parmigiana

Savor the flavors of Italy with our Eggplant Parmigiana recipe, a vegetarian delight that will leave you craving more. The crispy coating and tangy marinara sauce are just the beginning – this dish is also incredibly easy to prepare and cooks to perfection in under an hour, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a satisfying weekend meal.

Olive Garden Spinach Artichoke Dip

The art of crafting a superior spinach and artichoke dip is not a trivial matter. While many recipes are indeed tasty, few can claim to be truly exceptional. This particular recipe, however, has earned its place among the cream of the crop. The key to its unparalleled flavor lies in the carefully selected blend of cheeses: a harmonious union of cream cheese, Romano, Asiago, mozzarella, and Parmesan.

To ensure a silky smooth consistency, it’s essential to remove excess moisture from the spinach before incorporating it into the dip.

Olive Garden Bruschetta Recipe

Bruschetta, often mistakenly paired with chip-dipping salsa, is actually a simple yet flavorful combination of toasted crusty bread and fresh tomato salsa. The key to this Italian-inspired appetizer lies in the quality of its ingredients: use only chopped fresh tomatoes and authentic Italian spices to create the perfect blend. For an added layer of depth, consider spreading garlic on your toast before topping it with the tomato mixture.

French baguettes make an excellent choice for bruschetta, as their crispy texture provides a satisfying contrast to the soft bread and tangy salsa. When serving, be sure to drain any excess liquid from the tomato mixture to prevent the bread from becoming soggy.

Olive Garden Tortellini al Forno

Savoring every bite of the cheese and prosciutto-stuffed tortellini, surrounded by parmesan cream sauce and crumbled bacon, is an experience you won’t want to rush or share with anyone. In fact, we highly recommend taking the time to cook tortellini from scratch at least once – it’s a truly enjoyable process that can even become a romantic evening in itself. Alternatively, using store-bought tortellini will still yield a decadent meal, as long as you don’t hold back on the indulgent bacon!

Copycat Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake

When you’ve savored every morsel of your meal, including multiple helpings of breadsticks, it’s unlikely that you’ll have room for dessert. That is, unless you’re indulging in my exceptional lemon cream cake! This showstopper features a humble white cake as its base, but the real pièce de résistance is the luscious lemon and mascarpone filling. Each bite is a masterclass in balance, with sweet and creamy notes perfectly complemented by subtle hints of citrus.

Fettuccine Alfredo

The quintessential Alfredo sauce boasts a rich, velvety texture and effortlessly coats fettuccine noodles with its creamy goodness. While this classic combination is already a winner on its own, it’s not uncommon to desire an added layer of complexity. To achieve this, consider augmenting the dish by incorporating sautéed mushrooms and black olives that have been infused with buttery, garlicky flavors.

This subtle yet thoughtful enhancement yields a more nuanced and satisfying culinary experience.

Chocolate Brownie Lasagna

While other desserts may pale in comparison, Olive Garden’s chocolate lasagna is a truly unique culinary experience that defies comparison. The combination of rich brownie layers smothered in a tangy sour cream cheese frosting is an unexpected yet delightful twist on traditional sweet treats. Despite its unorthodox nature, this dessert surprisingly yields a harmonious balance of flavors that will leave you wanting more.

Five Cheese Ziti al Forno

One of Olive Garden’s most satisfying offerings is its five-cheese ziti, a crowd-pleaser that’s sure to become a family favorite. If you’re hooked, why not try whipping up a batch at home? This filling dish is perfect for feeding a crowd and will keep everyone satisfied for hours to come due to its substantial nature.

To make the most of your culinary efforts, consider preparing two batches – one to enjoy immediately, and another to stash in the freezer for a future meal when you’re not in the mood to cook.

Chicken Marsala

A classic Italian dish, you can find this mouthwatering meal at many restaurants across the country. The star of the show is often tender and juicy chicken breasts smothered in a rich mushroom wine sauce that’s both savory and subtly sweet. Whether it’s served with the succulent chicken or on its own, this sauce is a game-changer. To elevate the experience further, consider pairing it with a creamy fettuccine Alfredo – a match made in heaven.

Olive Garden Breadsticks

Olive Garden’s reputation for mouth-watering meals is undeniable, but it’s their bottomless supply of freshly baked breadsticks that truly sets them apart. For some, a visit to Olive Garden is all about indulging in these addictive treats, and we don’t blame them! The good news is that you can easily recreate this magic at home with our simple recipe for copycat breadsticks.

With just under an hour’s preparation time, you’ll be enjoying a warm, freshly baked basket of breadsticks to share with family or guests.

Olive Garden’s Alfredo Sauce

Ditch the store-bought jarred sauce for good! When crafting a authentic alfredo, scratch-made is the only way to go. And don’t worry, the Olive Garden-inspired recipe that follows is surprisingly easy to follow. The key to elevating this classic dish lies in infusing the cream with aromatic herbs like thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves before combining it with your pasta.

Simply remove the stalks, let the cream cool, then toss it with your cooked noodles for a rich, velvety sauce that’s sure to impress. No need to look elsewhere; this recipe has you covered! Go ahead and give it a try!

Olive Garden Chicken Marsala

When combining chicken and mushrooms, a classic pairing takes on new dimensions with the addition of white wine. As the chicken cooks alongside the mushrooms and wine, it absorbs all the rich flavors, yielding tender, juicy bites bursting with flavor.

One-Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

The aroma of soup has never been more enticing! This hearty meal boasts an impressive trifecta of flavors: smoky bacon, savory sausage, and pungent garlic. To add some satisfying heft, chunks of potatoes are stirred in alongside a rich and creamy sauce. But what truly sets this recipe apart is the addition of nutritious kale – or its spinach substitute, for that matter. Not only does it provide a boost of vitamins, but also a delightful burst of freshness to balance out the richness.

Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta

The allure of melted cheese sizzling in a skillet is undeniable. For a visually appealing presentation, consider using ramekins for individual servings instead of a pan. This dish is surprisingly easy to prepare, requiring minimal fuss and no need to worry about preparing a roux or handling the cheese with precision. Simply combine the ingredients and let the oven do its magic.

When it emerges, you’ll be greeted by a bubbly, golden-brown crust that’s sure to draw your entire family into the kitchen, curious about the tantalizing aroma wafting from the oven.

Summary

For those who crave the flavors of Olive Garden but struggle with the financial strain of frequent dining out, these recipes offer an affordable and delicious solution.

By incorporating a few key Italian ingredients into your home cooking, you can create meals that closely rival those served at Olive Garden without breaking the bank.