Copycat Carrabba's Bread with Dipping Sauce {secret recipe} (2024)

If you love the Italian country loaf and dipping sauce from Carrabbas then you’ll love this easy copycat recipe.

I used to live in walking distance of a Carrabbas. It was pretty amazing. I would walk over with friends for happy hour all the time. I LOVED their food (and still love their food, we just no longer live near one) I was always on a mission to recreate their dishes at home. Now that I’m no longer close to a Carrabbas, I love to make this copycat Carrabba’s bread with dipping sauce at home.

Despite the variety of ingredients for this bread, it is still best served with a flavorful olive oil dipping sauce. I usually throw this bread in my bread maker but if you don’t have one you can still make this bread at home and I will include instructions for both ways below.

Ingredients needed

For the bread, you will need:

• Dry active yeast: One packet or about 2 ¼ teaspoons if you’re measuring yeast out.
• Water: You’ll need warm water.
• Sugar: You’ll need a little bit of white sugar for this bread.
• Olive oil: You’ll need high quality, extra virgin olive oil.
• All purpose flour: The base of the bread.
• Italian seasoning blend, garlic powder, dried basil, dried rosemary, and salt: Yes, the bread at Carrabbas is very plain but it does have a little seasoning in it.

For the dipping sauce, you will need:

• Salt: Use sea salt, if possible
• Fresh cracked pepper
• Crushed red pepper
• Italian seasoning blend
• Garlic powder
• Dried rosemary
• Dried basil
• Onion powder
• High quality extra virgin olive oil

How to make this recipe

By hand

• To make this bread by hand, start by adding the water and yeast then slowly adding all the ingredients together and mix well.
• Knead the dough and then let it rise for approximately one hour in a warm place.
• Knead the dough again and then place it into a greased loaf pan.
• Bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees.

With a bread machine

If you have a bread maker then simply combine all the ingredients in order listed and let your bread maker work its magic. It should be set to a medium loaf.

For the dipping sauce

Add all of the spices to a large serving bowl and then add olive oil until the spices are distributed to your personal taste.

How to store leftovers

Wrap and store any leftover bread at room temperature. Since it doesn’t have any preservatives I recommend eating within 1-2 days of making.

For the olive oil dip, store it an airtight container (I used a small glass Pyrex container) and keep at room temperature. Be aware that the flavors will get stronger the longer it sits.

Other copycat recipes:

• Copycat Maggiano’s Alfredo
• Copycat Cheddar’s Dijon Chicken
• Copycat Outback Alice Springs Chicken
• Copycat Bob Evans Pot Roast
• Copycat Carrabba’s Dessert Rosa