Olive Garden
How to Order Lighter at Olive Garden
The standard advice — "just get a salad" — collapses immediately at most casual dining chains, because the salads are often the most calorie-dense items on the menu thanks to creamy dressings, candied nuts and fried protein. Olive Garden is no exception. Here is what actually works.
Five lighter picks
- Minestrone — 110 cal, 4g protein
- Garlic Breadstick — 140 cal, 4g protein
- Garden-Fresh Salad (no dressing) — 150 cal, 4g protein
- Zuppa Toscana — 170 cal, 7g protein
- Chicken & Gnocchi Soup — 230 cal, 9g protein
Five to plan around (or split with a friend)
- Chicken & Shrimp Carbonara — 1600 cal, 3110 mg sodium
- Chicken Alfredo — 1480 cal, 1810 mg sodium
- Tour of Italy — 1450 cal, 2510 mg sodium
- Shrimp Alfredo — 1340 cal, 2030 mg sodium
- Five Cheese Ziti al Forno — 1080 cal, 2090 mg sodium
A couple of universal moves at Olive Garden
- Skip the complimentary bread/breadsticks at the table — they are easily 300+ calories before the meal arrives.
- Order any creamy or vinaigrette dressing on the side; it usually doubles a salad's calorie count.
- When in doubt, swap fries for a side of seasonal vegetables or a side salad with vinaigrette on the side.
- Box half before you start. Restaurant portions are calibrated for sharing, even when they are not labeled that way.
Browse the full Olive Garden nutrition guide on the brand page above for any item we did not call out here.