20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (2024)

Staying in but still want to enjoy your favorite restaurant’s food? Try making your own at home with these copycat recipes from some of America’s most beloved restaurants!

Everything from iconic side dishes like Cracker Barrel Fried Apples and Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potatoes, to main dishes such as CPK’s BBQ Chicken Pizza and IHOP pancakes. And, of course, we didn’t forget famous copycat desserts like Cheesecake Factory’s Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake.

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (1)

1. Cracker Barrel Fried Apples

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (2)

Nothing brings back memories of Sunday dinner like these copycat Cracker Barrel fried apples! These slow cooked sugar and cinnamon glazed apples are best paired with a salty main dish, like ham.

Get The Recipe

2. Cheesecake Factory Honey Wheat Bread

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (3)

If you’ve ever been to the Cheesecake Factory you know how delicious their honey wheat bread is, so you’ll be super excited to try this at-home version. The best part? It freezes well so you can make a big batch and always have some on hand.

Get The Recipe

3. Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (4)

Buying a Honey Baked Ham can be quite expensive. Save money by making your own at home with this copycat Instant Pot version. It serves up to 10 people and comes out to just $2.26 per serving!

Get The Recipe

4. Chipotle Corn Salsa

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (5)

Homemade chipotle corn salsa makes the perfect Netflix and chill snack with tortilla chips, or a delicious complement to homemade burritos or nachos. Don’t like heat? Swap out the jalapeños for sweet red bell peppers.

Get The Recipe

5. Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (6)

This copycat version of Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad tastes just like the real thing, but with a fraction of the calories. There are instructions for making it ahead in case you want to prep it for lunch the next day.

Get The Recipe

6. Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (7)

Cheddar Bay Biscuits are easily the best thing on Red Lobster’s menu. This easy homemade version brings all the cheesy flavor you’re used to and can be put together in just one bowl.

Get Recipe

7. Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potato Casserole

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (8)

Crispy sweet pecan topping with creamy sweet potatoes underneath, even a person who doesn’t like veggies will be diving into this dish. It’s one of the most popular side dishes at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse for a reason!

Get The Recipe

8. CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (9)

The BBQ Chicken Pizza is arguably the most iconic pizza from California Pizza Kitchen and now you can make it at home! Crispy crust, BBQ sauce, cheese, chicken breast, red onions, and cilantro make it a pizza to remember.

Get The Recipe

9. Olive Garden Breadsticks

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (10)

If you love buttery, garlic breadsticks, then you will swoon for this Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks recipe. Simple to make & tastes just like your favorite Italian restaurant.

Get The Recipe

10. Melting Pot Strawberry & Spinach Salad

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (11)

Candied walnuts, strawberries, spinach, and feta make this dish so flavorful it could turn anyone into a salad-lover! The lemon poppyseed dressing really brings it all together.

Get The Recipe

11. Cracker Barrel Chicken & Dumplings

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (12)

This copycat recipe for Cracker Barrel’s chicken and dumplings is practically the definition of home-cooked comfort food! Just like Grandma used to make…

Get The Recipe

12. IHOP Pancakes

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (13)

These IHOP Pancakes are super soft and fluffy, and amazingly delicious! Make your own at home with this recipe so you don’t have to go out for weekend brunch. You can even make a double batch and freeze half for later.

Get The Recipe

13. Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (14)

This decadent Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake Copycat Recipe is simply amazing! The perfect dessert to “wow” your guests for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Birthdays, and dinner parties.

Get The Recipe

14. Benihana Ginger Sauce

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (15)

This copycat recipe tastes just like the Benihana’s ginger dipping sauce that everyone loves! It pairs well with hibachi steak, chicken, shrimp, veggies, and rice so you’ll always want to keep some in the fridge.

Get The Recipe

15. Famous Dave’s BBQ Ribs

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (16)

Learn how to make sweet & smokey restaurant quality bbq ribs at home with this easy recipe. They’re always a big hit at family dinners and backyard BBQs!

Get The Recipe

16. Ruby Tuesday’s Pasta Salad

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (17)

Obsessed with Ruby Tuesday’s salad bar? Now you can make their pasta salad recipe from it in the comfort of your own home! Using pre-diced ham makes it an ultra-quick side dish to prep.

Get The Recipe

17. Chili’s Salsa

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (18)

This is the closest tasting copycat recipe for Chili’s salsa you can find. It’s super easy to make and has the perfect consistency and flavor! Warning – it’s highly addictive!

Get The Recipe

18. Olive Garden Baked Tortellini Alfredo

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (19)

Olive Garden came out with several oven-baked pastas and this copycat tortellini Alfredo version is spot on! It even uses the OG Olive Garden Alfredo recipe as a base. Perfect for any time you’re craving cheese and carbs.

Get The Recipe

19. Applebee’s 4 Cheese Mac & Cheese with Honey Pepper Chicken

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (20)

Ultra creamy and savory homemade 4 cheese mac and cheese is topped with incredibly crunchy buttermilk fried chicken tenders, glazed with a lip-smacking honey pepper sauce. The ultimate comfort food!

Get The Recipe

20. Outback Loaded Aussie Cheese Fries

20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (21)One of Outback’s most popular appetizers is their Loaded Aussie Cheese Fries. This recipe makes cooking a homemade version super easy by using frozen french fries.

Get The Recipe

More Recipe Roundups

  • 30 Chicken Dinners You Can Make In 30 Minutes
  • Summer Recipes For The Grill
20 Restaurant Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home (2024)

FAQs

How to cook restaurant quality food at home? ›

HOW TO MAKE RESTAURANT-QUALITY FOOD AT HOME
  1. Add chef-level fragrance to home-made food with quality oil and salt.
  2. Buy the best knives you can afford to chop like a chef at home.
  3. Use fresh herbs to add flavour to any dish.
  4. Revive old spices by frying them quickly.
  5. Organize Your Kitchen.
  6. It's okay to experiment.
Oct 1, 2020

How to develop recipes for a restaurant? ›

Tips to keep in mind when writing recipes:
  1. List ingredients in chronological order. ...
  2. Separate ingredients for major steps in a recipe. ...
  3. List steps in order, keeping instructions short and to the point. ...
  4. Give specifics about doneness. ...
  5. Include storage suggestions. ...
  6. Offer extra methods or substitutions (when tested).
Nov 19, 2020

How to make your own recipe? ›

Tips for recipe writing
  1. Write ingredients in the order in which they'll be used! ...
  2. Write the directions in an order that makes sense. ...
  3. If your recipe has multiple "recipes" within it, separate the ingredients and step for each. ...
  4. Offer additional methods or substitutions. ...
  5. Share when to know a recipe is ready.
May 4, 2022

How do I list ingredients in a recipe? ›

List all ingredients in order of use, as described in step-by-step instructions. List the most important ingredients first, if it can be consistent with order of use. Spell out everything: tablespoons, ounces, etc.

How do you cook like a 5 star restaurant? ›

TIPS TO COOK LIKE A MICHELIN STARRED CHEF
  1. 1 Mise en place. This French culinary phrase refers to carefully preparing all your ingredients before starting to cook. ...
  2. 2 Nothing goes to waste. ...
  3. 3 Know your seasonings. ...
  4. 4 Invest in proper kitchenware. ...
  5. 5 Taste everything.
Jun 2, 2020

How to create a unique recipe? ›

Here's what I find useful:
  1. Try cooking techniques you've never tried before. Make them up if you have to!
  2. Try ingredients or genres of food you've never tried before. ...
  3. Eat at restaurants that inspire you. ...
  4. Try recreating recipes from chefs that inspire you. ...
  5. Cook with a friend.
Feb 18, 2021

How do chefs create their own recipes? ›

Every chef has their own creative process and preferred method for documenting their ideas — ideas which eventually morph into recipes. This can range from notebooks, scrap paper and post-it notes, to note apps like Evernote and Apple Note, Google Docs and countless other ways.

How do you make a restaurant menu from scratch in 10 steps? ›

How to Make a Restaurant Menu
  1. Write Out all Menu Items. Before you dive into design, you have to learn to write a restaurant menu. ...
  2. Categorize Menu Items. ...
  3. Set Menu Prices. ...
  4. Create Menu Descriptions. ...
  5. Decide on a Menu Color Scheme. ...
  6. Design Your Restaurant Menu. ...
  7. Restaurant Menu Photos. ...
  8. Choose Menu Fonts, Spacing, and Composition.

Which is the best homemade food? ›

People Are Sharing The Homemade Foods That Taste A Million Times Better Than The Restaurant Versions, And I Agree With So Many
  • "Mashed potatoes. They just always taste best made from scratch in your own kitchen." ...
  • "Matzo ball soup. ...
  • "Grilled cheese. ...
  • "Tamales. ...
  • "Vegetables. ...
  • 6. " ...
  • "Chili. ...
  • "Soup.
Jan 9, 2022

What are some homemade foods to make? ›

7 Foods to Make From Scratch
  1. Stock. If you only take one thing from this article, keep a container of veggie scraps in your freezer. ...
  2. Bread. This one can be as easy or as complicated as you want, depending on what you are trying to make. ...
  3. Hummus. ...
  4. Salad Dressing. ...
  5. Pasta Sauce. ...
  6. Pickles. ...
  7. Granola, Bars & Bites.
May 17, 2020

Can you legally own a recipe? ›

Similar to ideas, facts and history, there isn't copyright protection in recipes as mere lists of ingredients. This is clearly stated by the U.S. Copyright Office.

How to write a recipe like a professional? ›

7 Steps to Pro Recipe Writing
  1. Find Inspiration. Inspiration can come from anywhere! ...
  2. Determine Your Audience. This step is all about figuring out who you are writing a recipe for. ...
  3. Identify Your Reason. ...
  4. Separate Yourself from the Dish. ...
  5. Select a Measurement Style. ...
  6. Write the Recipe. ...
  7. Test, Taste & Tweak!
Sep 21, 2023

What should you always do first to your recipe? ›

Read the recipe before you start.

“Read the recipe a few times before you make it,” she says, “and make sure it is something you are comfortable doing.” Then, lay out every ingredient you'll need before you begin to cook.

How to write a good recipe? ›

A standard recipe must contain the following data:
  1. Title.
  2. Description.
  3. Preparation and cooking time.
  4. Number of servings and serving size.
  5. List of ingredients with accurate measurements.
  6. Step-by-step directions.
  7. Accurate nutrition information.
  8. Notes and FAQ.
Feb 11, 2021

How to make food look restaurant quality? ›

The top food presentation and plating techniques
  1. Create height on the plate.
  2. Cut meat horizontally.
  3. Play with textures.
  4. Use contrasting colours.
  5. Match presentation to the restaurant theme.
  6. Choose the right plates.
  7. Serve smaller portion sizes.
  8. Use edible garnishes and decorations.

Why does restaurant food taste better than home cooking? ›

Comparatively, restaurants usually receive daily deliveries of fresh ingredients from their suppliers. Chefs order produce, meat, and other items from high-quality providers and prioritize what is in season at any given time. This results in better-tasting dishes all around.

What makes a dish restaurant quality? ›

We first discover a dish with our eyes. The dish must be harmonious and balanced; its colours, shape, presentation or originality must be eye-catching. It must arouse our curiosity and make us really want to taste it, regardless of the technique or culinary style used (classic, new-style or evolutionary).

How do you make high quality food? ›

Buy Quality Ingredients

"The simple answer is buy good ingredients, which might be what you hear constantly, but it makes a huge difference," he says. High quality, organic produce, fats, and seasonings can transform even the most basic dishes into menu-worthy meals.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Catherine Tremblay

Last Updated:

Views: 6075

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (47 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Catherine Tremblay

Birthday: 1999-09-23

Address: Suite 461 73643 Sherril Loaf, Dickinsonland, AZ 47941-2379

Phone: +2678139151039

Job: International Administration Supervisor

Hobby: Dowsing, Snowboarding, Rowing, Beekeeping, Calligraphy, Shooting, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Catherine Tremblay, I am a precious, perfect, tasty, enthusiastic, inexpensive, vast, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.