Endless breadsticks and creamy pastas don’t have to stay behind at the restaurant. With the right recipes, you can bring Olive Garden’s most beloved dishes straight to your own table—no waitlist, no bill, and definitely no judgment for going back for seconds.
These homemade versions capture all the comfort and flavor you crave, with a couple of extra-special takes that just might outshine the originals. If your cravings are calling, this list answers in full.
1. Breadsticks
Nothing screams “Olive Garden experience” like those warm, buttery breadsticks that magically appear on your table. The secret? A touch of garlic butter and a sprinkle of sea salt right after baking.
My family practically arm-wrestles for the last one. The dough needs time to rise properly – rushing this step leads to dense, sad breadsticks that’ll haunt your dreams.
2. Zuppa Toscana
Holy moly, this soup changed my life! Creamy broth loaded with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, and kale creates comfort in a bowl. One spoonful and you’ll swear you’re sitting in the restaurant.
The key lies in getting the sausage nice and crispy before adding other ingredients. Don’t skimp on the red pepper flakes – that subtle heat balances the richness perfectly.
3. Five-Cheese Marinara
Cheese lovers, prepare to meet your match! This molten masterpiece combines provolone, mozzarella, parmesan, romano, and asiago into a stretchy, gooey dipping paradise. The marinara provides just enough tangy contrast to keep you coming back for more.
Remember to grate your cheeses fresh – those pre-shredded bags contain anti-caking agents that mess with the melt factor. Let the cheese mixture reach room temperature before baking for optimal stretchiness.
4. Chicken & Gnocchi Soup
Feeling under the weather? This velvety soup works better than any medicine. Pillowy potato gnocchi swimming alongside tender chicken chunks in a creamy broth – it’s basically a hug in bowl form.
The secret weapon? A dash of nutmeg that elevates the flavor profile from “pretty good” to “where has this been all my life?” Store-bought gnocchi works fine, but homemade takes this soup to stratospheric levels.
5. Alfredo Sauce
Forget everything you thought you knew about alfredo sauce. This liquid gold contains just four ingredients – butter, heavy cream, garlic, and freshly grated Parmesan – but somehow tastes like it was crafted by Italian angels.
The trick lies in patience. Low and slow heat prevents the dairy from separating, resulting in silky perfection. Never, ever use pre-grated cheese unless you enjoy grainy disappointment.
6. Lasagna Fritta
Fried lasagna? Absolutely scandalous and absolutely necessary in your life! These crispy little parcels of pasta, cheese, and meat sauce get dunked in breadcrumbs before taking a hot oil bath to golden perfection.
The key is freezing the lasagna pieces solid before frying – otherwise, you’ll end up with a cheesy explosion (learned that one the hard way). A quick alfredo drizzle and marinara puddle underneath creates the perfect dipping scenario.
7. Chicken Parmigiana
Crispy outside, juicy inside, smothered in marinara and melted cheese – this chicken parm hits every perfect note. The restaurant version costs twenty bucks, but yours will taste twice as good for half the price.
Double-dredging the chicken creates that extra-crunchy crust that stands up to the sauce. And please, for the love of all things Italian, use fresh mozzarella that you slice yourself – those plastic-wrapped singles are an insult to this dish.
8. Stuffed Mushrooms
Mushroom caps bursting with a cheesy, garlicky, herby filling that’ll make you wonder why you ever bothered with main courses. These little umami bombs vanish faster than you can say “appetizer.”
The secret ingredient? A splash of marsala wine in the filling that adds depth you can’t quite put your finger on. Always choose mushrooms with intact stems – you’ll chop those up for the filling, creating a perfect mushroom-on-mushroom flavor explosion.
9. Minestrone Soup
Vegetables never tasted so good! This hearty soup combines nine different veggies, beans, and pasta in a tomato broth that’s somehow both light and satisfying. Even confirmed carnivores will be reaching for seconds.
The game-changer is adding a parmesan rind while it simmers. This little cheese scrap infuses the entire pot with umami goodness without overwhelming the delicate veggie flavors.
10. Tiramisu
Coffee-soaked ladyfingers layered with mascarpone cream and dusted with cocoa – this dessert is what dreams are made of. One bite and you’ll forget you’re in your dining room and not a piazza in Rome.
Quality ingredients make all the difference here. Spring for real mascarpone and brew espresso rather than using instant coffee. Your taste buds will thank you with a standing ovation.
11. Chicken Scampi
Tender chicken strips sautéed with bell peppers and onions in a garlic butter sauce that’s criminally delicious. The restaurant serves it over angel hair pasta, but it’s equally magnificent over zoodles if you’re cutting carbs.
White wine brings complexity to the sauce – don’t skip it! And yes, use real butter. This isn’t the time for those sad tub spreads masquerading as the real thing.
12. Pasta E Fagioli
This hearty Italian soup-stew hybrid combines pasta, beans, and ground beef in a tomato broth that’s somehow both rustic and elegant. The name literally means “pasta and beans,” but that simple description doesn’t do justice to this complex flavor bomb.
The secret? Building layers of flavor by properly browning the meat and vegetables before adding liquids. And please, for all that’s holy, don’t rinse your beans – that starchy liquid is liquid gold for thickening the soup.
13. Shrimp Scampi
Plump shrimp swimming in a lemon-garlic butter sauce that’s so good you’ll want to bottle it as perfume. The restaurant charges a fortune for this dish, but you can make it at home for a fraction of the cost.
Two non-negotiables: use fresh garlic (not pre-minced) and don’t overcook the shrimp. Nothing ruins scampi faster than rubbery shrimp that resemble pink erasers.
14. Tuscan Garlic Chicken
Imagine this: pan-seared chicken breasts smothered in a creamy garlic sauce studded with sundried tomatoes and wilted spinach. It’s like a fancy restaurant dish that accidentally wandered into your kitchen.
The sauce is the star here – thickened with a touch of flour and enriched with heavy cream and parmesan. Don’t skimp on the spinach; those green flecks make you feel virtuous while eating what’s essentially cream with a side of cream.
15. Chocolate Lasagna
Layers of chocolate pudding, cream cheese filling, and whipped cream on an Oreo crust – this dessert breaks all the rules in the best possible way. No baking required, just patience while it sets in the fridge.
The contrast between the crunchy cookie base and the creamy layers creates a textural wonderland that’ll make your taste buds do backflips. Adding instant espresso powder to the chocolate layer creates depth that’ll have people wondering what your secret ingredient is.
16. Eggplant Parmigiana
Crispy breaded eggplant slices layered with marinara and melted cheese – it’s so satisfying you won’t miss the meat. Even eggplant skeptics become believers after one bite of this Italian classic.
The crucial step: salting your eggplant slices and letting them sweat before cooking. This draws out bitterness and excess moisture, preventing the dreaded soggy eggplant syndrome that ruins many home versions.
17. Lemon Cream Cake
Light vanilla cake sandwiching a luscious lemon cream filling – this dessert tastes like sunshine and happiness had a delicious baby. The subtle balance of sweet and tart creates an addictive flavor that’s impossible to resist.
The filling’s secret? Real lemon zest and a touch of mascarpone cheese for richness without heaviness. Don’t substitute bottled lemon juice unless you enjoy the taste of broken dreams and disappointment.