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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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…

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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

FAQs

How do I make my 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 you write out a recipe? ›

  1. How to Write a Recipe.
  2. Introduction.
  3. Parts of a Recipe Title.
  4. Servings.
  5. Prep Time and Total Time.
  6. Equipment List.
  7. Ingredients List.
  8. Be Specific with Ingredients.

What is a recipe in cooking? ›

A recipe is simply defined as a set of instructions with a list of ingredients used to prepare a particular food, dish or drink. People use recipes to replicate foods they enjoy that they otherwise do not know how to make. Chefs use recipes to make sure a dish tastes the same each time it is ordered.

How do I list ingredients in a recipe? ›

List Your Ingredients in the Right Order
  1. Separate your ingredient list from the method.
  2. Every ingredient appears in the same order as it does in the recipe execution.
  3. Each ingredient gets its own line.
  4. Give accurate measurement for every ingredient with the right units.
Feb 11, 2021

How do you make a restaurant recipe? ›

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 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.

What makes a good recipe? ›

Look for recipes that have the following:
  1. Ingredient measurements in multiple formats (weight, volume, size).
  2. Context clues for timing of each relevant piece of cooking instruction.
  3. Explanations on why certain steps are important to the recipe process.
May 26, 2020

What are the 5 elements in a standard recipe? ›

  1. Yield. The yield tells the number and size of servings the recipe will make.
  2. List of Ingredients & Amounts.
  3. Step By Step Directions for Mixing & Handling.
  4. Equipment (Container Size & Type)
  5. Temperature & Time.

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

How to make tasty food at home? ›

10 Simple Tips to Make Food Taste Better
  1. Don't Prepare Garlic and Onions in Advance. ...
  2. Don't Seed Tomatoes. ...
  3. Keep Fats Tasting Fresh. ...
  4. Strike Only When the Pan Is Hot. ...
  5. Never Discard the Fond. ...
  6. Season with Sugar, Too. ...
  7. Bloom Spices and Dried Herbs in Fat. ...
  8. Brown Breads, Pies, and Pastries.

What is a standard recipe? ›

A standardized recipe is a set of written instructions with given quantities, individual cost of food products, and portions for individual menu items that a staff member would follow to prepare a dish. Generally, a standardized recipes contain the following information: The dish name. Total yield (number of servings).

What is needed in a recipe? ›

A recipe really only needs either ingredients or directions ( the preparation method) to be considered complete. At a minimum most recipes have a title, ingredients list, and preparation method. If you need a more robust look at recipe writing we highly recommend The Recipe Writer's Handbook.

How to make a recipe your own? ›

Start by learning the basics: different cooking methods, flavour pairings, seasonality. Make a list of your all-time favourite recipes and take them as inspiration. How did that particular chef create the dish you love? Think about the flavour pairing and then make something of your own based on it.

What is the correct format for a recipe? ›

The order of the ingredients list and the list of instructions should match. Be specific, give all necessary amounts, and describe the condition of the ingredients listed; for example, melted butter, frozen butter, etc. Keep the ingredients for a recipe's main steps separate.

Is there an app to write recipes? ›

Recipe Keeper is the easy to use, all-in-one recipe organizer, shopping list and meal planner available across all of your devices. Enter your recipes with as much or as little information as you like. Copy and paste recipes from your existing documents or apps. Categorize your recipes by course and category.

Is it legal to copyright a recipe? ›

In the United States, recipes themselves cannot be copyrighted, but the way they are expressed (such as in a cookbook) can be protected under copyright law.

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