Olive Garden Nutrition Menu: Calories, Protein & Carbs (2026)
Quick answer
The Olive Garden nutrition menu is a 25-page guide, updated in August 2026, that lists calories, fat, sodium, carbs and protein for every U.S. item. Dinner entrées run from 480 calories for the gluten-sensitive 6 oz. sirloin to 1,980 for Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo. Chicken Alfredo has 1,480 calories and a bowl of Minestrone 110.
Key facts
| Nutrition guide | PDF at olivegarden.com/nutrition, version US_083126 (August 2026) |
|---|---|
| Lightest dinners | 6 oz. sirloin (gluten-sensitive) 480 cal; Shrimp Scampi 490 cal |
| Heaviest dinner | Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo, 1,980 cal |
| Soups (8 oz.) | 110 to 230 calories; 15 to 22 g carbs |
| Breadstick | 140 calories with garlic topping |
| Most protein per calorie | Grilled Chicken Margherita, 65 g in 650 cal |
How many calories are in Olive Garden's most popular dishes?
Most Olive Garden dinner entrées carry 900 to 1,600 calories, and the pasta-and-cream dishes sit at the top. Chicken Alfredo has 1,480 calories with grilled chicken and 1,710 with Crispy Chicken Fritta. Tour of Italy has 1,550, Lasagna Classico 940 and Chicken Parmigiana 1,020. The heaviest plate is Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo at 1,980 calories, with 3,720 mg of sodium.
The pasta isn't the main driver; the sauce is. A dinner serving of plain fettuccine has 350 calories, while the alfredo sauce on it adds 870. Marinara adds 150 and meat sauce 300, which is why Spaghetti with Marinara stays at 490 calories. Sodium is high almost everywhere: Tour of Italy and Chicken Parmigiana each pass 3,200 mg. The table below lists the main numbers for popular plates, and our Olive Garden alfredo prices page breaks down every alfredo dish.
| Dish | Calories | Fat (g) | Sodium (mg) | Carbs (g) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Alfredo (grilled chicken) | 1,480 | 95 | 2,290 | 79 | 79 |
| Fettuccine Alfredo | 1,220 | 89 | 1,210 | 78 | 27 |
| Tour of Italy | 1,550 | 97 | 3,220 | 99 | 72 |
| Chicken Parmigiana | 1,020 | 51 | 3,300 | 80 | 64 |
| Lasagna Classico | 940 | 55 | 2,260 | 61 | 54 |
| Five Cheese Ziti al Forno | 1,170 | 69 | 2,440 | 98 | 46 |
| Stuffed Chicken Marsala | 1,170 | 58 | 3,020 | 94 | 70 |
| Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo | 1,980 | 131 | 3,720 | 95 | 112 |
| Spaghetti with Marinara | 490 | 12 | 1,290 | 83 | 15 |
| Shrimp Scampi | 490 | 18 | 1,120 | 52 | 29 |
| Herb-Grilled Salmon | 610 | 45 | 1,360 | 9 | 45 |
| Grilled Chicken Margherita | 650 | 39 | 2,120 | 15 | 65 |
| 6 oz. Sirloin with broccoli (gluten-sensitive) | 480 | 30 | 1,680 | 9 | 46 |
How many calories are in Olive Garden soup, salad and breadsticks?
A typical first round of Olive Garden soup, salad and two breadsticks has about 540 to 660 calories, depending on the soup. That figure uses Olive Garden's serving sizes: an 8-ounce bowl of soup, one 5-ounce serving of salad with the signature Italian dressing (150 calories) and two breadsticks with garlic topping (140 each).
The salad is the part people undercount. Olive Garden says a party of one or two is served about 10 ounces of salad, so half the bowl is one serving. Eat the whole bowl and the salad alone is about 300 calories. Every refill adds the same again, so a long lunch with two bowls of soup, the full salad and three breadsticks can pass 1,100 calories.
To lighten it, pick Minestrone (110 calories) or Pasta e Fagioli (150), ask for dressing on the side, or have the plain breadstick without topping (130). For prices and how refills work, see our Olive Garden soup and salad guide.
| Item | Calories | Carbs (g) | Protein (g) | Sodium (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minestrone | 110 | 17 | 5 | 810 |
| Pasta e Fagioli | 150 | 16 | 8 | 710 |
| Zuppa Toscana | 220 | 15 | 7 | 790 |
| Chicken & Gnocchi | 230 | 22 | 11 | 1,290 |
| House salad with signature Italian dressing | 150 | 13 | 3 | 770 |
| House salad, no dressing | 70 | 11 | 2 | 250 |
| Breadstick with garlic topping | 140 | 25 | 4 | 460 |
| Breadstick, plain | 130 | 25 | 4 | 280 |
Which Olive Garden soup has the most protein and the fewest carbs?
Chicken & Gnocchi has the most protein of Olive Garden's four soups, 11 grams per bowl, but also the most carbs, 22 grams, and the most sodium, 1,290 mg. Zuppa Toscana has the fewest carbs at 15 grams, with Pasta e Fagioli at 16 and Minestrone at 17. Pasta e Fagioli is the middle ground, with 8 grams of protein and 150 calories. A To Go soup is 16 ounces, so double every number for takeout.
What are the lowest-calorie and highest-protein meals at Olive Garden?
The lowest-calorie dinner entrées at Olive Garden are the gluten-sensitive 6 oz. sirloin with broccoli (480 calories), Shrimp Scampi (490), Spaghetti with Marinara (490), Herb-Grilled Salmon (610) and Grilled Chicken Margherita (650). On weekdays before 3 p.m., the lunch-size Spaghetti with Marinara drops to 370 and lunch Shrimp Scampi to 460.
For protein, Grilled Chicken Margherita is the standout, with 65 grams for 650 calories and only 15 grams of carbs. The gluten-sensitive Grilled Chicken Parmigiana has 75 grams in 810 calories, the 6 oz. sirloin with broccoli 46 grams in 480, and Herb-Grilled Salmon 45 grams in 610, with just 9 grams of carbs. Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo has the most protein on the menu at 112 grams, but it comes with 1,980 calories.
A few habits help at any table: choose a grilled plate, start with Minestrone instead of a fried appetizer, keep dressing on the side, and pack half of any pasta to go. The full Olive Garden menu shows calories beside each item.
Does Olive Garden have vegetarian options?
Yes. Olive Garden's Vegetarian and Vegan menu lists vegetarian entrées such as Fettuccine Alfredo, Spicy Alfredo Fettuccine, Eggplant Parmigiana and Cheese Ravioli with marinara, plus vegan Spaghetti with Marinara. Minestrone soup and the garlic breadsticks are vegan too, and every Create Your Own Pasta noodle except the egg-based gluten-free rotini is vegan when paired with marinara. On the kids menu, the cheese pizza, mac and cheese and cheese ravioli are vegetarian.
Two details matter. First, Olive Garden's signature Italian dressing is not on the vegetarian list; the guide suggests the salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and no croutons. Second, fried items share a fryer with meat and seafood, and the company says it can't promise any dish is free of animal products, so tell your server if you are strict.
Does Olive Garden have anything gluten-free?
Olive Garden has a Gluten Sensitive menu of dishes made without gluten-containing ingredients, and one item that meets the FDA's gluten-free definition: its rotini pasta, made mainly from brown rice flour. The rotini is cooked and held separately and goes straight into the saute pan, according to the company.
The Gluten Sensitive list includes Zuppa Toscana, the house salad without croutons, a grilled Chicken Parmigiana, Herb-Grilled Salmon, a 6 oz. sirloin with broccoli, and rotini with marinara or meat sauce, plus kids rotini plates. Olive Garden does not call these dishes gluten-free, because its kitchens handle wheat and the fryer is shared. Olive Garden's allergen guide suggests asking to speak with a restaurant manager if you have questions before you order.
How many calories are in Olive Garden kids meals?
Most Olive Garden kids meals land between 300 and 660 calories before the side and drink. Chicken fingers have 300 calories, mac and cheese 360, the cheese pizza 400 and fettuccine with alfredo about 660. Pasta with tomato sauce is the lightest pasta pick, about 250 calories for spaghetti. Sides range from 40 calories for grapes to 290 for fries, and 1% milk adds 100. The table below adds them up.
| Kids item | Calories | Side options (calories) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Fingers | 300 | Grapes 40, broccoli 150, spaghetti with tomato sauce 180, fries 290 |
| Macaroni & Cheese | 360 | Same choices |
| Cheese Pizza (pepperoni +60) | 400 | Same choices |
| Cheese Ravioli | 340 | Same choices |
| Spaghetti with tomato sauce | 250 | Same choices |
| Fettuccine with alfredo sauce | 660 | Same choices |
Frequently asked questions
Is Olive Garden's Italian dressing gluten-free?
Olive Garden says its signature Italian dressing has no gluten-containing ingredients, but gluten is present in the facility where it is made, so the company does not call it gluten-free. If you avoid gluten, tell your server so the croutons are left off the house salad. The dressing has 80 calories per fluid ounce.
Does Olive Garden list calories for its $6 Take Home entrées?
No. Olive Garden's August 2026 nutrition guide has no separate entries for $6 Take Home entrées, which come as chilled Fettuccine Alfredo, Five Cheese Ziti al Forno or Spaghetti with Meat Sauce. The dinner versions have 1,220, 1,170 and 640 calories, but Olive Garden doesn't say if Take Home portions match.
How much sodium is in Olive Garden food?
A lot, in most entrées. In Olive Garden's August 2026 guide, Chicken Parmigiana has 3,300 mg of sodium, Tour of Italy 3,220 mg and Chicken Alfredo 2,290 mg. Even a bowl of Chicken & Gnocchi soup has 1,290 mg. Fettuccine Alfredo, at 1,210 mg, is lower than most pasta plates.
Does Olive Garden use MSG?
Olive Garden says its recipes do not use added MSG, and that based on supplier information, none is added to its ingredients. The company notes that foods such as tomatoes, cheese, milk and mushrooms naturally contain glutamate, so dishes with those ingredients will have some naturally occurring glutamate.
What can you eat at Olive Garden without garlic or onion?
Olive Garden lists only a few garlic-free and onion-free options: any Create Your Own pasta with olive oil or parmesan butter sauce and sauteed shrimp, salmon or sirloin grilled with salt and pepper only, steamed broccoli, and kids mac and cheese. Every pasta sauce contains both. Chicken & Gnocchi soup is on the garlic-free list but not the onion-free one.
Are Olive Garden lunch portions lower in calories?
Yes. Olive Garden's nutrition guide lists lunch Lasagna Classico at 500 calories versus 940 at dinner, and lunch Chicken Parmigiana at 630 versus 1,020. Lighter Portions served after 3 p.m. match the lunch numbers. Our Olive Garden lunch menu compares every lunch plate with its dinner version.
More about Olive Garden
Prices, calories and hours for every item are on our Olive Garden menu page.
Sources
Prices are typical U.S. prices and vary by location. Last checked November 2026.
- Olive Garden Nutrition Information, U.S. restaurants (PDF, version US_083126) — used for All calorie, fat, sodium, carb and protein figures, lunch vs dinner, kids components, dressing
- Olive Garden Nutrition page — used for How nutrition is calculated, soup and salad serving sizes, MSG, garlic-free and onion-free options, links to guides
- Olive Garden Gluten Sensitive Diet page — used for Brown rice rotini meets FDA gluten-free definition, separate cooking, dressing facility note, shared fryer
- Olive Garden Vegetarian and Vegan Menu (PDF) — used for Vegetarian and vegan items; dressing not listed
- Olive Garden Allergen Guide (PDF) — used for Shared fryer and cross-contact notes
- Olive Garden online menus (Gluten Sensitive and kids sections, Nov. 1, 2026) — used for Current Gluten Sensitive list, kids meal sides and drinks
- Olive Garden $6 Take Home offer — used for Take Home entrée choices