Olive Garden Breadsticks

These copycat Olive Garden breadsticks are better than the original, and so easy to make!

Okay, who else thinks the breadsticks are the best part of the meal at Olive Garden? It's not just the fact that they're bottomless... there's something totally addicting about the light and fluffy center, the salty garlic crust, the fact that they're served warm and so tender they almost melt in your mouth. Yum! My husband and I visited Olive Garden frequently when we were first married, but as time has passed and my confidence in my own cooking has grown, we've eaten there less and less. Since I already know how to make some pretty fantastic pasta dishes at home, the breadsticks are really what I've been missing most. I found this homemade version a few years ago, and I've been hooked ever since. If anything, I think they are actually better than the original!

The key to these breadsticks is the butter and garlic salt topping. If you haven't cooked with garlic salt before, it should be easy to find in the spice section near the garlic powder. It gives these breadsticks a little punch of flavor on top, and makes them taste more authentic. These breadsticks are best on the day they're made, but they're so delicious you probably won't have any leftovers!

Olive Garden Breadsticks

for the breadsticks:
1 cup and 2 tablespoons warm water
1 1/4 teaspoons yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 - 3 1/4 cups flour

for the topping:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let sit until foamy and bubbly. Add the salt, oil, and two cups of flour, and mix to combine. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to form a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead until smooth, then place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for one hour. After the dough has risen, gently punch it down and divide it into twelve equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, and place on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour, until doubled in size. During the last 10 minutes of rise time, preheat the oven to 425. Bake 12-14 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with the melted butter, then sprinkle with garlic salt. Serve warm.