With “garden” in the name, you might expect Olive Garden to be a dining establishment that serves fresh produce and healthier fare. Unfortunately, that’s not really the case. Whether it’s the endless pasta and breadsticks or the decadently rich dishes, many of Olive Garden’s entrees have found a place on roundups of the unhealthiest restaurant orders out there. But don’t let that scare you—dining at the Italian chain can still work with your health goals with the right choices.
While Olive Garden’s menu leans heavy on cheese and creamy sauces, there are smart ways to uncover better-for-you options by prioritizing protein. Protein is a macronutrient essential for keeping you full and supporting your muscle maintenance and growth. Olive Garden does offer dishes that can meet these needs with a little planning.
As a dietitian—and someone who has dined at Olive Garden more times than I can count, thanks to my dear grandfather’s love for the place—I can confidently say that high-protein options are available at this restaurant chain. Sure, it may require a few modifications or saving part of your meal for later, but with the right choices, you can enjoy a satisfying, high-protein meal at Olive Garden.
To set you up for success, I’ve rounded up my top seven high-protein menu choices at Olive Garden. Each meal offers at least 20 grams of protein to support satiety and muscle maintenance, while keeping saturated fat under 10 grams and sodium within the daily limit of 2,300 milligrams. For added fullness, I suggest pairing your meal with a fiber-rich side, like a house salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar. I’ve also included a more in-depth breakdown of the nutritional criteria and reasoning after the list of orders.
Read on for my picks, and for more healthy options, check out 12 Healthiest Dishes to Order at Olive Garden.
Best High-Protein Olive Garden Orders
Grilled Chicken Margarita (half portion) with House Salad
Nutrition (Per ½ serving, Grilled Chicken Margarita):
Calories: 325
Fat: 19.5 g (Saturated Fat: 5.5 g)
Sodium: 1,060 mg
Carbs: 7.5 g (Fiber: 2.5 g, Sugar: 2.5 g)
Protein: 32.5 g
Nutrition (Per serving, House Salad):
Calories: 70
Fat: 2 g (Saturated Fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 250 mg
Carbs: 11 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 2 g
There is no shame in saving half for later, especially when menu options, like the Grilled Chicken Margarita, pack 65 grams of protein in one serving. Technically the body can only metabolize about 0.4 to 0.55 grams per kilogram (or 0.18 to .25 grams per pound) of protein per meal, which is about 27 to 37.5 grams of protein max for someone who weighs 150-pounds. Pairing a half portion of the entree with a house salad, served with olive oil and vinegar as a dressing, keeps your total nutrients in check.
Considering sodium specifically, even splitting the dish leaves you with a whopping 1,060 milligrams for the meal. It’s important to be mindful of your food choices for the rest of the day and opt for fresh, lower-sodium options to balance your intake.
Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 490
Fat: 12 g (Saturated Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 1,290 mg
Carbs: 83 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 13 g)
Protein: 15 g
Higher in carbohydrates than most people would typically consume in a meal if weight-loss was their goal, Olive Garden’s classic Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce is actually a winner in my book. Why? Because not only does it pack 6 grams of filling fiber, but it’s also low in saturated fat and one of the few vegetarian-friendly options on the menu that isn’t loaded with saturated fat (it packs just 1 gram). While the protein clocks in at 15 grams, you can easily pair this with a low fat milk that delivers 10 grams of protein, rounding out your meal to 25 grams of high-quality protein.
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 640
Fat: 22 g (Saturated Fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 1,050 mg
Carbs: 85 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 17 g)
Protein: 26 g
Another high-protein option is the Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, which packs 26 grams of protein. While it’s higher in carbohydrates, this can be a great choice for someone who’s active or needs to carb-load before or after an exercise event. This dish has a bit more saturated fat since there is animal protein in the sauce, but still provides just 7 grams, making it fit well under the 10 gram recommendation to stay under per order.
Grilled Salmon
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 610
Fat: 45 g (Saturated Fat: 11 g)
Sodium: 1,360 mg
Carbs: 9 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 45 g
To be honest, I’m willing to overlook the slightly higher saturated fat content here (11 grams) because most Americans fall short on omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in seafood options like Olive Garden’s Grilled Salmon entrée. The benefits here outweigh the risks with this order, and I highly encourage you to power up with the 45 grams of protein this option delivers.
Similar to the pasta dishes, it also clocks in more sodium. So, opt for fresh, plant-based foods for the rest of your day to keep both saturated fat and sodium consumption in check.
Create-Your-Own Pasta With Spaghetti, Grilled Chicken, and Marinara Sauce
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 380
Fat: 9 g (Saturated Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 965 mg
Carbs: 42 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 7 g)
Protein: 33 g
Note, I said create-your-own here, not never ending pasta bowls! Pairing a spaghetti pasta with the vegetarian marinara sauce and a grilled chicken breast is actually one of the highest protein menu choices (it has 33 grams) that maintains a fairly stellar nutrient profile. For instance, it provides just 380 calories, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, and 965 milligrams of sodium. While the fiber could be higher (here’s our nudge Olive Garden to enlist the help of a high-protein, lentil-based pasta), it just means it wouldn’t hurt adding a side of steamed veggies or house salad to boost the fiber a bit more.
Chicken & Gnocchi Soup
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 230
Fat: 12 g (Saturated Fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 1,290 mg
Carbs: 22 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 4 g)
Protein: 11 g
For those times you need a between meal bite to tie you over, look no further than the Chicken & Gnocchi Soup. A bowl of this soup packs 11 grams of filling protein, but also unfortunately carries with it a whopping 1290 milligrams of sodium too. It doesn’t make this soup off limits (unless you have a strict low sodium diet plan you’re following), but does require you to be more savvy with your sodium choices during other eating windows during the day.
Kid’s Cheese Ravioli with House Salad
Nutrition (Per serving, Kids Ravioli):
Calories: 340
Fat: 16 g (Saturated Fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 980 mg
Carbs: 33 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 6 g)
Protein: 17 g
Nutrition (Per serving, House Salad without dressing):
Calories: 70
Fat: 2 g (Saturated Fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 250 mg
Carbs: 11 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 2 g
Last but not least, one of my favorite dining-out hacks is to take a peek on the kids menu to see what entices you. While an adult entree portion of their ravioli may not fit into your dietary needs, the kids portion can, and with a few pairings, it can even put you over that 20 gram protein recommendation per main meal.
For example, the Kids Ravioli packs 17 grams of protein and 8 grams of saturated fat (reasonable for an adult, a little dense for a child, depending on their age.) Pairing it with a vegetable, like the house salad or steamed broccoli, delivers a few more grams of protein and fiber (which we’ll always count as a win.) But, if you need a little more of the powerful “p” to tie you over until your next meal, consider that low fat milk choice as your beverage to reap its 10 grams of protein, rounding your meal out to a total of 29 grams.
How To Order High-Protein, Better-For-You Options at Olive Garden
- Prioritize Protein: Aim for 10+ grams per mini-meal and 20+ grams per main meal. While the recommended daily protein allowance for adults is 46-56 grams, many dietitians (myself included) suggest closer to 1-1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight. For example, a 150-pound person needs 68-95 grams daily. Meals with 20 grams of protein (give or take) and embracing mini-meals with around 10 grams of protein will set you up for success in meeting these numbers.
- Focus on fiber: Fiber helps keep you fuller for longer, minimizing mindless munching between meals. Though options at Olive Garden are limited, every gram counts. Simply adding on a house salad to your meal (without dressing, subbing olive oil and vinegar) will deliver 2 grams of filling fiber.
- Limit Saturated Fat: Stick to 10 grams or less per order. Dietary guidelines recommend saturated fat make up no more than 10% of daily calories (about 22 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet). Unfortunately, many high-protein options at Olive Garden are so high in saturated fat they don’t make the cut here. Instead, I selected menu items that help keep saturated fat in check, while offering suggestions to boost your protein intakes through beverages and sides.
- Slash the Salt: The dietary guidelines also recommend limiting sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams daily. Many of Olive Garden’s items are very high in sodium, making it crucial to plan your other meals and snacks wisely if you’re dining out that day. Of course, if you’ve been told by your doctor to limit sodium even further, it’s best to opt for the lowest sodium menu selections I’ve listed below.
- Decrease added sugars: Limit added sugars to 6% of total daily calories (100 calories for women, 150 for men). Olive Garden doesn’t specify “added” vs. “natural” sugars, so keep this in mind as the total sugar content of the menu selections below aren’t indicative of the added sugar content.
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