Five Copycat Restaurant Recipes We Swear By

Have you ever been at home craving a specific dish from a restaurant? Same! Thankfully, copycat recipes exist. Here are five we swear by.

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This chicken gnocchi soup recipe from Le Creme de la Crumb is as creamy and delicious as Olive Garden’s. The only difference? No waiting for a table, you get to smell the soup as it’s simmering, and you don’t have to wear pants if you don’t want to. All you need is unlimited salad and breadsticks, and you’re set for the ultimate night in.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• ½ white onion, diced
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp thyme
• 16 oz potato gnocchi
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, onions, garlic, and carrots and sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.
2. Add chicken, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then gently stir in gnocchi. Boil 3-4 minutes before reducing heat to a simmer and cooking 10 minutes.
3. Stir in half-and-half and spinach and cook another 1-2 minutes until spinach is tender. Taste, add salt and pepper if needed, and serve.

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Red Lobster serves the most deliciously tender, flaky, warm cheddar biscuits with a hint of garlic and butter. Check out this nearly identical recipe from Spend with Pennies.

Ingredients:

For the Biscuits:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup milk, more if needed
• ⅓ cup cold butter
• ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

For the Garlic Butter:

• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add butter and mix with a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly and the butter pieces are about the size of peas.
4. Stir in milk and cheddar cheese.
5. Drop dough by heaping spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined pan.
6. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. While biscuits bake, combine melted butter, parsley, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
8. Remove from oven and let cool 3 minutes.
9. Brush warm biscuits with butter mixture and serve warm.

Panera Mac and Cheese

If you’ve had Panera’s mac and cheese, you already know it might be one of the creamiest, richest plates you’ve ever had. This copycat recipe from Shugary Sweets is equally rich. Though, consider yourself warned: It’s dangerous to be able to make it at home anytime you’re craving it!

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 pound pasta cooked (cavatappi, shells, or elbows)

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside until ready to use.
2. In a large pot on medium-high heat, add butter until melted. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add milk, heavy cream, salt, dry mustard, and pepper.
3. Continue whisking until it begins to bubble. Reduce to low and add white cheddar. Stir until melted.
4. Add cooked pasta, stirring until combined. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes to thicken. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Chipotle Almost-Famous Guacamole

Wine? Check. Rom-com? Check. Chocolate? Check. All you need are chips and guac for the perfect night. With this recipe from Food Network, you’re just a few ingredients away from Chipotle’s famous guac.

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe avocados
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• Kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tbsp red onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 tsp seeded jalapeño, finely chopped

Instructions:

1. Mash together avocado, lemon juice, lime juice, and 1½ tsp salt in a mixing bowl until creamy.
2. Fold in cilantro, red onion, and jalapeño with a spoon or spatula. Adjust salt to taste.
3. The guacamole can be made up to 2 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container and smooth a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface without any air pockets. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Outback Steakhouse’s Salted Caramel Skillet Cookie

We had to include at least one dessert! And if you’re craving something sweet, this gooey, chocolatey, sea-salty caramel skillet recipe from DVO will certainly do the trick.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup flour
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp butter, room temperature
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 medium egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup white chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup English toffee, chopped
• 3 scoops vanilla ice cream
• Drizzle of salted caramel ice cream topping
• Sprinkling of coarse sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugars together in a separate bowl. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients and combine with wet ingredients. Stir in white chocolate and toffee chips (and pretzels if desired). If using a 10-inch skillet, bake 20-25 minutes or until middle is done (no longer glistening on the top). Bake time will vary with size of skillet you use, so keep an eye on it!
5. Let cool 3-5 minutes, then top with ice cream, salted caramel sauce, and sea salt to taste.

Do you have any favorite restaurant recipe dupes? Share them with us in the comments below!