15 Olive Garden Recipes You Can Recreate at Home

Long before restaurant copycat recipes took over social media, Olive Garden was doing something surprisingly helpful: publishing recipes of its own. The chain, which opened its first restaurant in Orlando in 1982, once maintained a sizable online recipe collection covering everything from soups and appetizers to pasta, sauces, sides, and desserts.

Many of those old recipes survive in archived collections, including dishes connected to Olive Garden's former culinary partnerships in Tuscany. One important caveat: these are recipes Olive Garden shared for home cooks years ago, not necessarily the formulas used in its restaurants today. In a few cases, the menu item itself has changed since then. Still, if you have ever wanted to bring a little Olive Garden into your own kitchen, this is a pretty good place to start.

This is not your standard bowl of French onion soup. Olive Garden's archived version combines three different onions with chicken stock and broken angel hair pasta. For four servings, you need 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 pound baby pearl onions, 1 medium red onion, 1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion, 6 cups chicken stock, salt, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 pound angel hair pasta, 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, and 4 teaspoons grated Romano cheese.

Cook the onions slowly in the olive oil for about 20 minutes until golden. Add the stock, salt, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for about an hour. Break the angel hair into roughly 2-inch pieces, add it with the parsley, and cook just until the pasta is al dente. Romano on top finishes the job.

This one is a little more rustic. Start with 1 pound dried Italian lentils, 1 small minced yellow onion, 1 medium minced carrot, 1 minced celery rib, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 sprig fresh rosemary, a pinch of chopped fresh thyme, 4 cups chicken stock, sea salt, 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, 1 tablespoon capers, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and black pepper.

The archived recipe confusingly lists both 1/4 cup olive oil and 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, which are the same amount, while the actual method only calls for oil once. I would use 1/4 cup total. Soak the lentils for two hours, drain them, then soften the vegetables and garlic in the oil. Add the lentils and herbs, cook another two minutes, pour in the stock, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. The old recipe even recommends letting the finished soup rest for two hours, or overnight, before reheating and garnishing with tomatoes, capers, pepper, and parsley.

Olive Garden's archived tomato soup recipe goes considerably richer than the typical canned version. It calls for 4 tablespoons butter, 1 small diced red onion, 2 cups dry white wine, 3 cups canned diced tomatoes, 2 cups heavy cream, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus salt and black pepper.

Melt the butter and soften the onion for about five minutes. Add the wine and reduce it by roughly three-quarters, then add the tomatoes and cream and simmer until the mixture has reduced by about half. Puree until smooth, stir in 2 tablespoons of the basil, season to taste, and use the remaining basil as garnish. The archived recipe oddly equated 3 cups of tomatoes with a 12-ounce can, which cannot be right, so the stated 3-cup measurement is the one to follow.

This is the version most people picture when somebody says bruschetta. For four servings, the archived Olive Garden recipe uses 4 diced Roma tomatoes, 2 chopped garlic cloves, another garlic clove cut in half, 10 chopped fresh basil leaves, 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, 8 slices of crusty Italian bread, and additional olive oil for the bread.

Combine the tomatoes with the chopped garlic, salt, pepper, half the basil, and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Lightly coat the bread with more olive oil and grill both sides. Rub the warm toast with the cut garlic clove, spoon on the tomato mixture, add the remaining basil, and serve it immediately while the bread still has some crunch.

Olive Garden also published a much different bruschetta built around creamy white beans. The recipe calls for half of a 15-ounce can of drained cannellini beans, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, half a loaf of Italian bread, 1 garlic clove, 1 small diced plum tomato, and 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Blend the beans, lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, and sour cream until smooth, then slowly blend in the tablespoon of olive oil. Chill the mixture for about an hour. Grill slices of the Italian bread with a little additional olive oil, rub them with the cut garlic clove, then serve the chilled bean spread alongside the toast with tomato and parsley on top.

Yes, Olive Garden also had a clam version. You need 8 slices Italian bread, 1 garlic clove cut in half, 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 cup drained chopped clam meat, about two 6-ounce cans, 4 large ripe tomatoes cut into thick slices, kosher salt, black pepper, and 12 fresh arugula or basil leaves.

Grill both sides of the bread, then rub each piece with garlic. Top each slice with tomato and about a tablespoon of clam meat, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and finish with thin strips of arugula or basil. This is definitely the wildcard of the three bruschetta recipes, but at least nobody can accuse it of being boring.

This is one of the more involved recipes in the old collection. The filling uses 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 1/2 cup chopped smoked Gouda, 1/4 cup shredded Fontina, 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped green onion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Divide that filling among four 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been butterflied.

The Siena sauce calls for 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives, 1/2 cup chopped green olives with pimiento, 1/4 cup rinsed capers, 1/2 cup red wine, 1 cup diced tomatoes, a 29-ounce can tomato puree, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 red bell peppers, 1 tablespoon sugar, fresh basil, and 1 pound cooked pasta.

Bake the stuffed chicken at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes, but use a thermometer rather than relying on the old "juices run clear" test. The thickest part of the chicken and the filling should reach 165 degrees. Meanwhile, cook the sauce for roughly 30 minutes, then spoon it over the chicken and pasta.

The archived Olive Garden version uses 1 1/2 pounds medium shelled shrimp, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium diced onion, 1/2 cup white wine, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, a pinch of crushed red pepper, 4 ounces butter, 1/2 pound angel hair pasta, and salt and pepper.

Saute the onion for about two minutes, add the garlic for another minute, then add the butter, wine, red pepper, salt, and pepper and reduce the sauce by half. Add the shrimp and cook just until done, then spoon everything over the cooked pasta. One update worth knowing: Olive Garden's current restaurant version has evolved and is now described as shrimp in garlic sauce with asparagus, tomatoes, and angel hair, so this archived home recipe is not identical to what you would order today.

This vegetarian lasagna calls for a 7-ounce package of goat cheese, 1/3 cup chopped pitted black olives, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil, 1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, salt, pepper, 4 cups prepared pasta sauce, 1 pound cooked whole-wheat lasagna noodles, 2 small diced zucchini, 2 small diced summer squash, 3/4 cup diced roasted red pepper, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan.

Layer the sauce, pasta, vegetables, and seasoned goat-cheese mixture in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, finishing with pasta and sauce before adding Parmesan. The original article seriously undersold the baking time. Olive Garden's archived recipe says to cover the dish and bake it at 375 degrees for about 60 minutes, until the center reaches 165 degrees, then uncover it and bake another five minutes to brown the top. Let it stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Also, simply leaving out the goat cheese does not automatically make this recipe vegan, as the original article suggested. Parmesan is still part of the recipe, so that would need to be replaced or omitted as well.

Sometimes the simple stuff wins. Olive Garden's archived roasted potato recipe calls for 2 pounds red bliss baby potatoes, 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 8 chopped garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, and salt and pepper.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees, wash and dry the potatoes, cut them into wedges, and toss them with everything else. Spread them across a sheet pan and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, moving the potatoes around occasionally so they brown evenly. Serve them while they are still hot and crispy around the edges.

Olive Garden actually published a second version instead of simply telling cooks to toss an onion into the first recipe. This one uses 2 pounds small red potatoes, 1 large red onion cut into 1-inch pieces, 8 chopped garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary, 6 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus parsley and rosemary for garnish.

There is another meaningful difference: this recipe uses a 350-degree oven instead of 450. Quarter the potatoes, toss everything together, arrange the potatoes and onions in a single layer with the cut sides of the potatoes against the pan, and roast for about 25 to 30 minutes until fork-tender.

For four servings, this risotto uses 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion, 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice, 1/2 cup white wine, up to 5 cups warm chicken or vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon each of fresh parsley, oregano, and basil. If you are using dried herbs, the archived recipe drops each one to 1 teaspoon.

Soften the onions in the oil for about three minutes, stir in the rice for another two, then add the wine and let it evaporate. From there, add warm broth about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and waiting until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding more. Once the rice is creamy but still has a slight bite, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter, cheese, and herbs.

Olive Garden's Milanese variation starts with almost the same base: 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion, 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice, 1/2 cup white wine, up to 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and salt and pepper. The defining addition is 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads.

Cook the saffron with the onions for about three minutes before adding the rice and wine. Then gradually stir in warm broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, until the rice is creamy and al dente. Remove it from the heat and finish with the butter and Parmesan. It looks fancy, but once you understand the broth-and-stir routine, risotto is far less intimidating than its reputation suggests.

This one comes with a big asterisk because Olive Garden's Alfredo has changed over the years. The archived home recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 cup grated Romano, 6 jumbo egg yolks, plus salt and black pepper.

Heat the milk and cream just to a simmer, turn off the heat, and slowly whisk in the cheeses. In a separate bowl, slowly whisk some of the hot dairy mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Gradually return that mixture to the saucepan and cook it over very low heat while stirring until it thickens, then season to taste.

Do not mistake that for Olive Garden's current restaurant formula. The chain now describes its Alfredo as being made with butter, garlic, Parmesan, cream, milk, salt, and pepper. So this is a legitimate Olive Garden-published recipe from the old archive, but it is very much the vintage version.

We will finish with possibly the easiest recipe of the bunch. Olive Garden's archived Strawberries Romanoff uses 2 cups sour cream, 1/3 cup brown sugar, the juice of 1 orange, 1 tablespoon Triple Sec, 2 quarts washed and quartered strawberries, and fresh mint.

Mix the sour cream, brown sugar, orange juice, and Triple Sec until smooth, then gently fold in the strawberries. Spoon the coated berries into dessert dishes or glasses, garnish with mint, and chill until serving. One important correction from the original article: the Olive Garden archive calls for 2 quarts of strawberries, not 1 quart.