The 3 Toppings That Make Olive Garden Breadsticks Taste So Good

Olive Garden's Italian-inspired Americanized cuisine is famed for plates piled high with pasta, a refreshingly crisp salad, soups that warm from the inside out, and, of course, a seemingly endless supply of breadsticks. If you've ever wondered what makes Olive Garden's breadsticks so good, it comes down to three simple ingredients that finish off the bread before it gets to your table. This surprisingly simple trio of toppings includes liquid margarine, salt, and garlic powder.

These beloved breadsticks ranked third in Tasting Table's roundup of chain restaurant breadsticks based on their taste, texture, and general universal appeal. On Reddit, one user asked, "What exactly do you brush on the breadsticks?" The top response featured an image of a tub of soy-based liquid margarine with the message, "This and garlic salt." Another user elaborated that the mixture of toppings is applied to the breadsticks fresh out of the oven.

Elsewhere on Reddit, users have sought copycat recipes to replicate the look, feel, and taste of Olive Garden breadsticks. Notably, the popular breadsticks are not frozen; however, employees and keen observers have pointed out that change-ups between bread suppliers over the years might make a dupe difficult to achieve. Many posit that the closest you can get is to buy the Bake-At-Home breadsticks from Olive Garden and add the toppings yourself.

Whether you decide to grab a convenient offering of Bake-At-Home breadsticks from Olive Garden or prefer a more DIY approach, timing is truly everything. Take an easy garlic and herb breadsticks recipe, for example. Although unlike Olive Garden's breadsticks, these have herbs baked into the dough, the most important commonality is the step where you brush the rolls with butter and sprinkle salt on them as soon as you've removed them from the oven, taking care to serve them warm.

Much like Olive Garden's generous toppings of liquid margarine, garlic powder, and salt, it would seem that, to get as close to the chain's version, the heavier the toppings, the better. Of course, you can always take inspiration from Olive Garden without trying to replicate the breadsticks exactly. Use ghee or try a homemade garlic compound butter for added flavor. From there, you can experiment with adding additional complementary toppings to upgrade to this classic trio.

Chop or mince fresh garlic for an even more pungent topping to your freshly baked breadsticks. Alternatively, turn up the heat with crushed chili flakes and a hearty sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Serve your breadsticks alongside a large salad dressed with Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing for more familiar flavors. While the toppings are what make Olive Garden's breadsticks so good, your own imagination and culinary creativity can easily expand upon them.