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I make these garlic parmesan breadsticks from my quick, easy dough recipe, which requires ZERO yeast or rising time. In 30 minutes, you can have a basket of soft homemade breadsticks on the table! They’re great dipped in my homemade garlic butter sauce!
If you’re looking for more homemade bread recipes, you need to try my easy focaccia, too! It’s pillowy soft and chewy, just like these breadsticks.
Every time I spot a breadstick, it takes me back to my high school years, working part-time at JCPenney and lunching at the Olive Garden across the street thrice a week. Was my entire paycheck spent on the soup-and-salad combo? Maybe. Do I regret it? Not at all. I did it for the breadsticks!
Recently, since it was Sunday and carbs don’t count on weekends (right?), I made a batch of these easy homemade garlic breadsticks. Soft, fluffy, and garlicky, I served them with garlic butter sauce for dipping and we gobbled up a whole basket while the game was on. My husband says these taste even better than the Olive Garden, so I’ll take it!
Why You’ll Love These Garlic Breadsticks
- Fluffy and chewy. These breadsticks have the best texture. Not too soft, just the right amount of chewy. Meanwhile, a sprinkle of garlic salt gives them a little sparkle and crunch, and the parmesan cheese melts in the oven.
- Flavorful. They’re also loaded with flavor thanks to some easy seasonings. A little garlic powder here, some fresh parmesan there, plus salt and pepper, of course. It doesn’t take much but the cheesy garlic flavor is so good!
- Quick to make. I make my garlic breadsticks with the easiest yeast-free dough recipe. There’s no rising time, so these breadsticks are in the oven and baked in 30 minutes or less.
Easy Breadstick Dough
Check out the following notes on the ingredients you’ll need to make a quick and simple homemade bread dough. Scroll to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with amounts.
- Dry ingredients – This is actually my yeast-free pizza dough recipe, reimagined for breadsticks. So, you’ll need your usual baking basics like flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Oil – I recommend a neutral-flavored oil, like canola oil or avocado oil. You can also use olive oil if you prefer.
- Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated parmesan has the best flavor and texture. You can also use fresh pecorino or grana padano cheese.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted butter, melted before you start.
- Seasoning – I sprinkle my breadsticks with a simple combination of garlic powder and salt for added flavor.
How to Make Garlic Breadsticks
I love that this recipe comes together so quickly. It’s as perfect for lazy weekends as it is for busy weeknights since these breadsticks are ready in about 30 minutes with just a few steps. Follow along below, and check out the printable recipe card for the full recipe details.
- Mix the dry ingredients. First, you’ll whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add water and oil. Meanwhile, in a measuring cup, mix the oil with water. Gradually pour this into the flour mixture, gently stirring to bring the dough together.
- Knead. Turn the out onto a floured workspace (I sprinkle a little parmesan cheese in with the flour for good measure). You’ll want to knead the dough with your hands for about 5 minutes.
- Shape the dough. Get out a rolling pin and press the dough out into a rectangle. Sprinkle over additional parmesan and crack some pepper over top. Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into long strips and place these onto a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Bake. Pop your breadsticks into a 400ºF oven to bake for 12-14 minutes. As soon as they’re out of the oven, brush the tops with melted butter and top the breadsticks with garlic salt.
- Serve. Keep your breadsticks warm while you prepare your choice of dipping sauce and then serve with your favorite mains. See below for ideas!
Tips & Variations
- Rolling out the dough will be tough. This is a strong and sturdy dough, so it can be a bit of a challenge rolling it out at first. Keep at it, though. Press down firmly and continue to roll, and your rectangle will take shape.
- Keep the breadsticks warm. I’ve found that the best way to do this is to wrap the baked breadsticks in a clean dishcloth or tent them lightly with foil while they rest on the counter. I don’t recommend placing the breadsticks into the oven to keep them warm, as they might become hard and dry.
- Use different seasonings. Instead of or in addition to the parmesan and garlic salt used in this recipe, you can top your breadsticks with dried herbs like oregano or basil, Italian seasoning, or onion salt.
The Best Breadstick Dipping Sauce (Ever!)
I double down on the garlic and serve my breadsticks with a deliciously simple garlic butter sauce for dipping. This is the BEST breadstick dipping sauce and you only need 3 ingredients to make it. All you do is melt a stick of butter in a saucepan, skim off the foam, and then whisk in a little garlic powder and salt. Pour that out into a bowl and serve!
For a version made with fresh garlic and herbs, I also have an equally easy homemade garlic butter sauce recipe that you can use.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re not all about the garlic like I am, you can pair your breadsticks with more bread dips like marinara sauce (always a classic), parsley pesto, or creamy ranch dressing. I’ll even dunk mine in Macedonian ajvar because, well, that stuff goes with everything.
These cheesy homemade breadsticks make the best side dish on pasta night, next to creamy shrimp fettuccine or chicken pasta primavera. They’re also a great stand-in for bread rolls whenever I make chili on game day, and they’re great for dunking into bowls of seafood corn chowder.
How to Store Leftovers
- Fridge. These garlic breadsticks are best kept in the fridge due to the parmesan cheese. Store them in an airtight container and let them come to room temperature again when you serve them.
- Reheat. I sometimes like to warm my breadsticks in the oven a little, just make sure to wrap them with foil so that they don’t dry out.
- Freeze. Baked garlic breadsticks freeze well. Stash them in a freezer bag or container and keep them frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw the breadsticks in the fridge before serving.
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Garlic Breadsticks
Ingredients
For the Breadsticks
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading the dough
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
For the Garlic Dipping Sauce
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined and set aside.
- Add wet ingredients. Combine water and oil in a separate bowl or cup; stir to combine. Slowly add the water mixture to the flour mixture.
- Form the dough. Using a wooden spoon, or your hands, gently stir and mix until the dough forms a ball. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Add more water if it's too dry, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it's too sticky, add more flour.
- Knead. Lightly flour your work area and sprinkle 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese over it. Transfer the dough to your floured work area and knead for 5 minutes.
- Shape the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle. The long end should be rolled out to about 12 inches.
- Add toppings. Top the dough with the remaining grated parmesan cheese and fresh ground pepper. Press down on the toppings so they adhere to the dough.
- Cut and bake. Using a pizza cutter, cut out 1-inch wide breadsticks. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
- Finish with garlic salt. In the meantime, combine salt and garlic powder in a small bowl. Remove the breadsticks from the oven. Immediately brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle them with the salt and garlic powder mixture. Set aside the breadsticks and keep them warm while working on the dipping sauce.
- Make the dipping sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan. When completely melted, remove from heat and, using a spoon, remove the foamy layer on top; discard foam. Whisk in garlic powder and salt.
- Serve. Transfer the garlic dipping sauce to a serving bowl and serve with the prepared breadsticks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
These saved the day! I needed bread to go with spaghetti and I needed it fast. These fit the bill. Delicious!!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
They were really Dense. I think I messed up tasted like flour
What am I doing wrong???? I tried this recipe 3 times. The dough is too sticky, the “puff” I hoped for was not there & & the bottom was burned & hard.
I’m so disappointed.
I’m very sorry this didn’t work out for you. I don’t know what could have gone wrong since I am not there to see it, but you can try to add more flour if the dough feels too sticky. Also, don’t bake them as long – start checking at the 10 minute mark for doneness. Your oven temperature may run higher than mine, or your oven may bake faster than mine, which is why recipes always suggest to pull out your baked goods when golden brown on top. I pull these out at around the 13 minute mark, but yours may need a minute less. I hope this helps.
Did you use fresh grated Parmesan or the dried stuff?
I love that these are no yeast. I questioned the use of water vs milk but it works here. The texture is great. I would reduce to salt in the butter rub to 1/4 tsp (way too salty for my taste).
These came out sooooooo good. Did these this evening with sweet potato lasagna. I used spelt flour instead of all purpose and added a little more water to the dough. Amazing!!! Thank you.
Love that you made these from scratch! I bet they are better than Olive Garden’s.
These breadsticks are my carb dream!
Yes to bread. Yes to cheese. Heck yeah to butter sauce!
Could these be even more tempting? And no yeast? This is a keeper!
No yeast?! These are my kind of breadsticks! I’ve got pasta planned for my boys later – definitely making these to go with it!