Olive Garden guide
Olive Garden menu, nutrition facts and ordering guide
Olive Garden is the largest Italian casual dining chain in the US, known for pasta, breadsticks and generous dinner portions. Every nutrition figure in this guide comes from Olive Garden's official nutrition guide PDF, linked in the sources box above with the date we last checked it. Values are for regular dinner entrees.
Casual dining portions are much larger than fast food portions, and several Olive Garden entrees pass 1,000 calories on their own. This guide puts the verified numbers side by side so you can choose with the full picture.
The verified Olive Garden entrees
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is the lightest entree on our page at about 640 calories, 26 grams of protein, 85 grams of carbs, 22 grams of fat and 1,050 milligrams of sodium. Lasagna Classico is about 940 calories, 54 grams of protein, 61 grams of carbs, 55 grams of fat and 2,260 milligrams of sodium.
- Spaghetti with Meat Sauce: 640 cal
- Lasagna Classico: 940 cal
- Chicken Parmigiana: 1,020 cal
- Chicken Alfredo: 1,480 cal
- Tour of Italy: 1,550 cal
Chicken Parmigiana is about 1,020 calories, 64 grams of protein, 80 grams of carbs, 51 grams of fat and 3,300 milligrams of sodium. Chicken Alfredo with grilled chicken is about 1,480 calories, 79 grams of protein, 79 grams of carbs, 95 grams of fat and 2,290 milligrams of sodium. The Tour of Italy combination is about 1,550 calories, 72 grams of protein, 99 grams of carbs, 97 grams of fat and 3,220 milligrams of sodium.
Why the gap is so wide
The difference between the lightest and heaviest entree here is about 910 calories. Cream sauce is the main driver. Chicken Alfredo has 95 grams of fat, more than four times the 22 grams in Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, even though both are pasta dishes with similar carbs.
The Tour of Italy combines several dishes on one plate, which is why it tops the list in calories and fat. Chicken Parmigiana is breaded and topped with cheese and sauce, which pushes its sodium to 3,300 milligrams, the highest on our page.
Sodium at Olive Garden
General US dietary guidance suggests keeping sodium under 2,300 milligrams a day for most adults. Three of the five entrees on our page pass that in a single plate: Chicken Parmigiana at 3,300, Tour of Italy at 3,220 and Chicken Alfredo at 2,290 milligrams is just under it. Lasagna Classico is 2,260. Only Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, at 1,050 milligrams, leaves real room for the rest of the day.
Breadsticks, soup and salad add more sodium on top of the entree. Check Olive Garden's official guide for those starters before you count your full meal.
Ways to make a big plate fit your plan
Box half before you start. Half of the Chicken Alfredo is about 740 calories, and half of the Tour of Italy is about 775, which turns one dinner into two meals. Sharing an entree with someone and adding a side is another common approach.
- Box half at the start of the meal
- Share an entree and add a side
- Count breadsticks and starters
- Choose meat sauce over cream sauce to cut fat
If protein matters to you, the chicken dishes and the Tour of Italy all deliver 64 grams or more. Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is lower in protein at 26 grams but much lower in calories, fat and sodium.
Olive Garden prices: why most items show Varies
Olive Garden does not publish one national US price list, and prices differ from one location to the next. Rent, wages, local taxes and regional promotions all play a part, and delivery apps often charge more than ordering direct. Any site listing exact Olive Garden prices for the whole country is rounding, guessing or reporting a single store without saying so. Our table shows Varies for every item because we could not confirm a current price on Olive Garden's official online menu. Prices differ between locations, often by a meaningful amount, so set your nearest restaurant in the app before you order.
To see what you will actually pay, open the Olive Garden app or website, pick your nearest location and browse the menu. Prices for that store appear before checkout. If you want to help other diners, share the price you paid on our community page with the date, so readers can see real, dated prices from real locations.
Using the calculator with Olive Garden
Open our nutrition calculator with Olive Garden selected, add each item you plan to order, then press Calculate meal. You will see total calories, protein, carbs, fat and sodium for the whole order, and the totals update as you add or remove items. If you plan to eat half an entree, note the totals and halve them.
For a daily target, use the calorie budget planner first, then compare your Olive Garden meal against it. A meal that uses half of a day's sodium or calories is not off limits, but it helps to know before you order so you can plan the rest of the day around it.
How we check Olive Garden nutrition facts
Every Olive Garden number on this page comes from Olive Garden's official nutrition guide PDF. We copy the values for each standard item, note the serving size, and record the date we last checked them in the sources box above. When a newer guide appears, we compare the new figures with ours and update both the numbers and the date.
We do not estimate items that have not been published, and we do not blend figures from several places. If an item is missing from our page, it is because we have not yet confirmed it. Restaurants prepare food by hand, so a real portion can differ a little from the published standard.
Allergies and special diets at Olive Garden
Calories and macros are only part of the picture. If you have a food allergy, intolerance or medical diet, use Olive Garden's official allergen and ingredient information and speak with staff when you order. Shared kitchens mean cross contact is possible. Our pages are a planning tool, not medical or dietary advice, and a registered dietitian can help with personal targets.
Frequently asked questions
What is the lowest calorie entree on your Olive Garden page?
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, at about 640 calories.
How many calories are in Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo?
About 1,480 calories with grilled chicken, per Olive Garden's official nutrition guide.
Which entree has the most sodium?
Chicken Parmigiana, at about 3,300 milligrams.
Is the Chicken Alfredo price the same everywhere?
No. Olive Garden prices are set by location, which is why our table shows Varies. Check the Olive Garden app for your nearest restaurant.
The takeaway
Olive Garden entrees on our page range from about 640 to 1,550 calories, and most pass 2,000 milligrams of sodium. Choose meat sauce over cream, box half, count the starters and check your local price in the app.