Updated October 22, 2026: Flagged an unclear spinach-lasagna noodle quantity in the source recipe and left that quantity unspecified. Added ingredient checkboxes, a print view, and publisher-reported yields and times where available from the October 21 source records. Full directions remain on the credited publishers’ websites.
Source recipe collection. Follow each credited publisher for the full directions; these selections are not a Replicate Kitchen test report.
An Olive Garden-inspired dinner works better when you choose a few parts of the meal rather than try to reproduce the whole menu. Breadsticks, soup, and salad can be dinner on their own. A pan of lasagna calls for a different plan, with a simple salad alongside it and fewer things competing for the oven.
These six Olive Garden copycat recipes give you both options. Each source link takes you to the developer’s free recipe, with the complete directions and recipe notes. The notes here help you decide what to make together. They are a researched starting point, not a claim that Replicate Kitchen has tested these versions against the restaurant.
Start by choosing the main event: soup, lasagna, or a meat sauce. Then add one bread and one salad. That is enough to make the meal feel intentional without turning a regular dinner into six simultaneous cooking projects.
1Breadsticks
Recipe by Food Network Kitchen at Food Network
- Publisher total time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Active time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 16 breadsticks
Publisher details recorded October 21, 2026. Follow the source recipe for timing notes and current details.
A yeast-dough version with a garlic-butter finish.
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water (from the method)
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon fine salt
For The Topping
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of dried oregano
Choose this as the baking project for soup night. Put the bread on your meal plan first, then work the rest of dinner around its rising and baking schedule.
Directions are available on the Food Network website. Follow the link below for the complete recipe and cooking instructions.
2Zuppa Toscana
Recipe by Food Network Kitchen at Food Network
- Publisher total time
- 1 hr 10 min
- Active time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 12 cups
Publisher details recorded October 21, 2026. Follow the source recipe for timing notes and current details.
A hearty soup with several textures in one bowl.
Ingredients
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 4 to 5 large russet potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds), unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large white onion, diced
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 6 cups curly kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
This can be the main meal rather than a starter before another substantial dish. Add bread and a salad if you want variety without a second main course.
Directions are available on the Food Network website. Follow the link below for the complete recipe and cooking instructions.
3Garden salad
Recipe by Food Network Kitchen at Food Network
- Publisher total time
- 15 min
- Active time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
Publisher details recorded October 21, 2026. Follow the source recipe for timing notes and current details.
A salad recipe that includes its own dressing.
Ingredients
For The Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Miracle Whip
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
For The Salad
- 1 10-ounce bag American salad blend
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 small pickled peppers, such as pepperoncini
- 1 small vine-ripened tomato, quartered
- 2 tablespoons sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup large croutons
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Use this when the whole salad is your target. Read its dressing list before also making the separate dressing below, or you may buy ingredients for two versions without intending to.
Directions are available on the Food Network website. Follow the link below for the complete recipe and cooking instructions.
4Italian salad dressing
Recipe by Stephanie Manley at CopyKat Recipes
A separate creamy Italian-style dressing from Stephanie Manley.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt or 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pinch sugar (optional, if needed after tasting)
Pick this when the dressing is what you want to compare, or when you already have a salad you like. Keep the first batch separate from your own additions so you have a clear reference.
Directions are available on the CopyKat Recipes website. Follow the link below for the complete recipe and cooking instructions.
5Five-cheese lasagna
Recipe by Stephanie Manley at CopyKat Recipes
A meatless five-cheese lasagna with a cream-sauce component.
Ingredients
Cream Sauce
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
Cheese Sauce Filling
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes oil packed and minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 3½ cups ricotta cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup Romano cheese grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Lasagna Layers
- Spinach lasagna noodles (confirm the quantity on the source recipe)
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- ¼ cup fontina cheese
- 48 ounces marinara sauce
- Parmesan cheese grated for garnish
Choose this for a cheese-focused pasta dinner. It is a different dish from Lasagna Classico, so keep this version’s ingredients and pan instructions together rather than treating the two as interchangeable.
Source note, checked October 22, 2026: The publisher’s ingredient card gives an unclear noodle quantity, while its method describes layered sheets. We have left that amount unspecified rather than guessing. Review the full source recipe before shopping or cooking.
Directions are available on the CopyKat Recipes website. Follow the link below for the complete recipe and cooking instructions.
6Olive Garden-inspired Bolognese
Recipe by Stephanie Manley at CopyKat Recipes
A ground-meat Bolognese interpretation, not an official restaurant release.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 6 ounces Italian sausage removed from skin
- 1 cup red wine (Merlot or Pinot Noir recommended)
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dry)
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage
Choose the sauce as your main cooking project and keep the rest of the plate simple. Do not assume that another developer’s Bolognese has the same meat, seasoning, or timing.
Directions are available on the CopyKat Recipes website. Follow the link below for the complete recipe and cooking instructions.
Build one dinner from the list
For a soup-and-salad night, choose the Zuppa Toscana, breadsticks, and garden salad. Read both the salad and separate dressing recipes before shopping: the garden salad recipe already includes a dressing. You do not need to make two unless you want a comparison.
For a pasta dinner, choose either the five-cheese lasagna or the Bolognese. The lasagna is a cheese-filled version, not a free substitute with identical ingredients to Lasagna Classico. The Bolognese is a developer’s interpretation, not a restaurant-issued secret formula.
If you want to compare your result with a restaurant order, write down the details you care about before cooking: salt, garlic, sweetness, texture, and portion size. Change one thing on the next attempt, and keep the developer’s original recipe as your reference.
Recipe access and attribution checked October 21, 2026. Sources may revise their recipes or access policies.
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