Olive Garden Vegan Options A Detailed Breakdown
Lets look at each of the plant-based food options listed above to make sure they do not contain any non-vegan or controversial ingredients and discuss how you can place custom orders for the salad and vegan pasta at Olive Garden.
Keep reading to get all the information you need about eating vegan at Olive Garden.
How To Order Vegan At Other Restaurant Chains
This article is not sponsored and we are in no way affiliated with Olive Garden. At the time of this article, the foods mentioned above are vegan. Since restaurants constantly update their menus and add or take away items, please keep this in mind when ordering your food. There may be new items that are vegan and not listed or items listed here as vegan, which are no longer vegan. Take care to double-check.
Article written by Gina House and edited by Amanda Meth. Cover image from Canva.com designed by Michelle Cehn. Please note that this guide to ordering vegan at Olive Garden may contain affiliate links, and shopping through these links supports our work at World of Vegan.
Olive Garden Specials: New Items
You can always find new items on Olive Gardens Menu, whether in entrées, desserts, or drinks. This time they have a new dessert and some new Italian-inspired drinks.
Strawberry Cream Cake
Always finish with a sweet, especially if it is a Strawberry Cream Cake. Enjoy this sweet delight made of Vanilla sponge cake, layered with vanilla cream, and topped with fresh strawberries.
Italian-Inspired Cocktails
Olive Garden always finds ways to keep the Italian touch all while staying loyal to the classics. Here is the selection of the new drinks:
Enjoy your Olive Garden specials with drinks and remember to always drink responsibly.
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Helpful Hints When Ordering Vegan At Olive Garden:
- Browse Olive Gardens website before ordering. Print out their super helpful chart for all things vegan or vegetarian.
- Download the Olive Garden Nutrition Guide for Vegetarians & Vegans to double-check that youre ordering a vegan-friendly item. The products offered at Olive Garden may change and the PDFs seem to be updated regularly. You might also find their Nutritional Information Guide helpful, too.
- If ordering vegan at Olive Garden online through a delivery service, make sure you clearly specify any substitutions you would like, especially concerning eggs or cheese. If youre worried that your request may be overlooked, it wouldnt hurt to call or go there directly to order.
Where Does Olive Garden Get Their Chocolate Mints
Their Mints Are Specially-Made Andes best-selling Crème de Menthe mints feature a layer of mint in between two chocolate layers, but the restaurants variety have equal layers of chocolate and mint. Now you can feel a little special eating these candies, knowing theyre specially made for Olive Garden.
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Is Olive Garden Gluten
Improved taste and texture was a major priority when selecting this new gluten-free option and weve been told its delicious! Our gluten-free rotini is cooked and handled with separate sanitized pots and cooking utensils. Also, the water used to boil our pasta is completely isolated and uncontaminated.
Go With A Solid Protein
Last but not least is your protein source which is one of the things that we look forward to in almost every meal. Of course, you have plenty of options to choose fromchicken, seafood, meat, meatballs, sausages, and many more.
When choosing a protein source for your OG dish, we recommend sticking to ones that are not crispy, preferably grilled, as its more flavorful and considered healthier.
Fried and crispy protein sources are not recommended as those are primarily breaded and may contain too many carbs for a keto diet.
Don’t Miss: Whole Grain Gluten Free Pasta
Why Eat At Olive Garden
Olive Garden serves a range of delicious Italian meals in a casual but elegant setting. With their wide variety of tasty dishes, you can rest assured that theres something for all.
Olive Garden prices are also affordable. When you dine at OG, you can be sure both your familys guests will have a wonderful total dining experience.
To find out more about Olive Garden or find an Olive Garden location close to you, visit the website Olive Garden visiting www.olivegarden.com.
Olive Garden Specials For July 2022
If you love Italian food with an American touch, Olive Garden must be the right place for you! You can enjoy their different classics and delicious sides by yourself or with close ones.
In the few upcoming lines, we have gathered the different Olive Garden Specials that you and your wallet will surely enjoy.
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Does Olive Garden Have Vegan Options
Keeping in view that Italian cuisine is infamous for being not-so-vegan-friendly, it may come as a surprise to many that Olive Garden actually offers vegan food options.
Not only does it have plant-based food, but the restaurant also provides a distinct vegetarian and vegan menu and has even dedicated an entire page on its website to answer some common questions plant-eaters ask about their food.
Even though there are very limited vegan options at Olive Garden, it feels incredibly amazing to finally see a restaurant taking its consumers needs so seriously. Kudos to Olive Garden for setting a great example. I just hope other restaurants follow Olive Gardens lead soon.
Olive Garden Vegan Appetizers
Breadsticks
If you have been vegan for any length of time, you would know how despairingly difficult it can be to find breadsticks that do not contain milk or arent coated in butter. But Olive Garden does it and how .
Not only can you find vegan breadsticks at Olive Garden, but they are also supremely delicious. Moreover, you do not have to hold the garlic topping because thats vegan too. Isnt it amazing? While they taste great on their own, you can also get a vegan dipping sauce on the side for an extra burst of flavor.
I wouldnt mind going to Olive Garden just for their vegan breadsticks. But, they have more plant-based food options.
House Salad
How can we talk about vegan food options at an American restaurant and not have House Salad on the list? House Salad, an old fellow of vegans, has been saving plant-eaters from starving at restaurants since forever. And it still does the job at quite a few places.
Appearing with the name of Famous House Salad on Olive Gardens menu, the salad comes standard with Italian dressing and croutons, both of which are non-vegan. Skip the croutons and get the dressing replaced with Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar to enjoy a vegan salad at Olive Garden.
While Olive Gardens vegan menu doesnt mention it, online sources stated that the salad also contains parmesan cheese. To be on the safe side, confirm it with your server at the time of ordering. Needless to say that if it does contain parmesan, youll have to skip that too.
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Olive Garden Gluten Free Menu
Olive Garden is best known for their delicious menu full of pastas, soups, salads and breadsticks. If you are gluten sensitive, it might sound outlandish to choose Olive Garden for you next dining experience but fortunately Olive Garden has many gluten free options to choose from that are not just limited to salads.
Weve analyzed the allergen menu and ingredients list and found there are up to 10 gluten free options at Olive Garden, depending on your level of gluten sensitivity.
These menu items include Italian classics like Grilled Chicken Parmigiana and a variety of Rotini Pasta dishes, as well as usual staples such as Herb-Grilled Salmon or a 6oz. Sirloin Steak. You also may want to try the more traditionally known gluten free dishes like Olive Garden’s Famous House Salad or creamy and delicious Zuppa Toscana soup.
Another useful tip when ordering gluten free at Olive Garden is to ask for “zoodles”, or spiralized zucchini, as a substitute for the more traditional noodles. This option is not offered at every location but it’s worth asking since it has the potential to expand your gluten free options even more. We suggest trying the parmesan-crusted zoodles, or even a colorful Zoodles Primavera dish that comes tossed in a light basil cream sauce and a delectable mix of fresh vegetables.
What Is Gluten Free At Olive Garden
In this article and guide, well highlight all the gluten free menu items, sides, and other gf options available at Olive Garden. Want to learn more nutrition facts about Olive Gardens foods? Check out their Nutrition and Allergens page. More specifically Olive Garden has this page for a Gluten Sensitive Diet.
This is the statement Olive Garden shares in their allergen guide:
At Olive Garden, were committed to making the dining experience for every guest, including our guests with food allergies, an exceptional one. Thats why we are proud to offer this information to help you make an informed food selection.
Here are a few key points to know when reviewing this guide:
1. The information inside details which menu items contain the most common allergens and intolerances, based on the information provided by our suppliers. We work to keep this information as up-to-date as possible, and suggest you check our allergen information each time you dine with us. Please also note that this information does not indicate which items may have been made in a facility with an allergen.
3. Note on Gluten Our menu items are freshly prepared in our kitchens, which are not free of gluten. Cross-contact with other food items that contain gluten is possible. While we aim to accommodate the dietary needs of our guests, we cannot ensure that these items meet the definition of gluten-free. Please let your server know you are avoiding gluten.
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Eating Keto At Olive Garden: Top 13 Low Carb Options To Order
Italians love their carbs.
Thats a fact and not just a myth. Statistics show that Italians eat around 90g of bread in just a day!
Lets also not forget that Italian cuisine is all about pastas and pizzas.
So what do you do if youre on keto and someone invites you to Olive Garden?
Should you run and hide? We hope not.
Instead of wasting the chance to taste authentic Italian dishes, we recommend doing your research first.
Just like many other low carb restaurants, youll realize that theres more to Olive Garden than just their delicious pastas.
Are you intrigued as to what OG can offer to keto dieters? Read this and find out!
Olive Garden Style Breadstick Faqs
Can These be Made Dairy Free?
Yes, they can, but you may need to play around with the liquid amounts. Those who have tried to modify other bread recipes to be dairy free have found success by reducing the dairy-free milk amounts by 1/4 cup or more. Dairy-free butter can be substituted for the butter in both the dough and topping.
Do I Have to Refrigerate the Dough Overnight?
It really is best to let the dough chill out in the fridge overnight. The reason is this gluten free dough shapes so much better when its cold. Without it, the dough will be quite sticky and youll feel the need to add a lot more extra flour that is unnecessary.
How Long Will These Breadsticks Keep?
Because of the tangzhong method in the dough, these breadsticks will stay soft much longer than the typical 1-2 days for gluten free breads. However, for longer storage I would suggest flash freezing them individually on a sheet tray and then storing them in a freezer ziptop bag with as much air as possible removed.
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What Are The Vegan Options At Olive Garden
Here are all the vegan options available at Olive Garden:
- Breadsticks
- House Salad on a custom order
- Minestrone Soup
- Vegan Sauces and Dressings
- Beverages
Please note that this list is prepared using the official vegan guide provided by Olive Garden. To eliminate the chances of mistakes or confusion, I cross-checked all the items with Olive Gardens allergen menu.
A Great Option For Multiple Food Allergies
My daughter is allergic to milk, egg and peanut. She loves Olive Garden. We have always had a good experience and on several occasions a manager has checked on us without our prompting to make sure she is well cared for. She loves the breadsticks and always orders pasta with olive oil and garlic with an Italian sausage. Would definitely recommend
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Zoodles With Alfredo Sauce
So few restaurants offer options to eat keto so easily! A plain order of zoodles contains 40 calories, 0.5 grams of fat, 7 grams of carbs , 2 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein.
A side order of alfredo sauce contains 440 calories, 43 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbs, and 8 grams of protein.
If you order the two together, youd get a dish with 480 calories and 10 grams of net carbs.
How to order: ask for plain zoodles with a side of alfredo sauce.
More Information About Olive Garden
Looking for additional information about Olive Garden, their foods, and nutritional/ingredients facts? Here are some resources weve found:
- Official Olive Garden Gluten Sensitive Menu:
- Official Olive Garden Allergen Guide PDF:
- Vegetarian and Vegan Options at Olive Garden:
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Enjoy Olive Gardens Gluten Free Offerings
While Olive Gardens gluten free menu is limited, I feel like for a pasta place, theyve really made the effort to be more inclusive to people with food sensitivities. I know people with Celiac Disease very much miss tasty breads and pastas, and oftentimes, its difficult to find something that even resembles what youre used to.
Kudos to Olive Garden for going the extra mile. Now if you could only get some gluten free breadsticks, I would be even happier.
Eating Gluten Free At The Olive Garden
The Olive Garden has a Gluten Sensitive menu, not a gluten-free menu. Please note the Olive Garden makes this menu available for people who have difficulty eating gluten, but infers that its not a celiac-safe menu by any measure.
The Olive Garden says on its website, The menu items we call gluten sensitive are our menu items that are made without gluten-containing ingredients. We do not claim these items are gluten free because we have not chemically analyzed them to confirm if they meet the Food and Drug Administrations definition of gluten free . While we do have processes and procedures in place to minimize cross-contact with other gluten-containing foods, these items may not be suitable for our guests who are highly sensitive to gluten. Please know that our gluten free pasta does meet FDAs formal definition of gluten free.
While the menu is not celiac-safe, the Olive Garden does have some important processes in place to minimize the risk of cross contamination with gluten-y items on its menu.
Cross contamination occurs when a gluten-free food comes in contact with gluten, either in direct contact or through shared cutting boards, cooking and prepping surfaces, and/or unclean hands, among other means.
The Olive Garden does not maintain a dedicated gluten-free fryer, so any items cooked in the fryer are off limits due to high risk of cross contamination. And of course, the breadsticks are a no-go too.
- Famous House Salad
- Zuppa Toscana
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Does Olive Garden Have Vegetarian Kids Meals
Olive Garden has a large number of tasty vegetarian kids meals to choose from.
- Kida Pasta Alfredo with Your Choice Of Pasta and Sides
- Kids Cheese Pizza and Sides
- Kids Mac and Cheese and Sides
- Kids Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Sides
- Kids Five Cheese Marinara and Sides
- Kids Cheese Ravioli and Sides
- Kids Rotini with Marinara
Gluten Free Olive Garden Style Breadsticks
No need to be jealous of gluten eaters. We can make our own Gluten Free Olive Garden Style Breadsticks and, yall, they are TO DIE FOR!!!!! Soft, garlicky, and buttery, well never have to do without them again.
I cant even remember the last time I stepped foot into an Olive Garden. I do know they have a gluten free menu, but it doesnt really impress me much. And its missing the breadsticks, so theres that.
But we dont have to worry about that anymore because, guys, these are the REAL DEAL!!!! My daughter, who goes to Olive Garden frequently, says she cant tell the difference between ours and theirs. Id say thats a stamp of approval, wouldnt you?
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Gluten Free Rotini Pasta With Marinara
While the only pasta currently offered as gluten-free is rotini, Olive Garden offers it in a variety of ways, including with a simple, fresh marinara sauce.
It comes with various spices, and it soaks into the pasta well to offer an authentic Italian bite thatll leave you feeling like you didnt have to choose a less flavorful meal because of your restrictions.
It is rich and delicious, and the parmesan cheese on top is a welcomed and tasty finishing touch.
Can You Have Pasta If You Are Gluten
Individuals who are suffering from negative symptoms should refrain from eating pasta containing wheat to avoid negative effects. Make your meal gluten-free by choosing brown rice or quinoa, which are both whole grain grains. The gluten in pasta has no effect on celiac disease or wheat allergies, so long as they are not exposed to it.
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