We were really impressed when we researched the vegan options at Olive Garden. We were even more impressed with effort they have put forth on their website to explain exactly how they accommodate vegans and vegetarians (link below).
They make one feel pretty reassured that they aren’t going to end up with egg noodles in a ‘vegan’ pasta for example.
Looks like a vegan put together their info or at the very least had a lot of influence into Olive Garden’s approach. So, without further ado, here are all the vegan options at Olive Garden:
Vegan Options at Olive Garden
Appetizer
- Breadsticks with Marinara Sauce (tell me you’re not excited about this one!) … regular order comes with 4 breadsticks, while a large comes with 8.
Create Your Own Pasta Entree
Choose a pasta, sauce, and soup or salad. Also comes with two breadsticks. Options may vary by location.
Choose Your Pasta
- Angel Hair
- Fettuccine
- Rigatoni
- Small Shells
- Spaghetti
Sauces/Toppings
- Marinara
- Tomato Sauce
Soup or Salad
- Minestrone Soup
- House Salad. Order with NO croutons and SUB Italian dressing with olive oil & balsamic vinegar
Soups, Salad & Breadsticks
- Minestrone Soup
- House Salad. Order with NO croutons or Italian dressing. Ask to SUB with olive oil & balsamic vinegar.
- Breadstick with Garlic Topping
- Breadsticks with Marinara Sauce
You can order these 3 together for one price. They even have a weekday lunch special that is a couple of dollars cheaper.
Kids
- Kids Tomato Sauce with Choice of Pasta (Fettuccine, Shells or Spaghetti). Choose a Side: Broccoli, Grapes, French Fries* or Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce … the kids meals do come with cows milk so be sure to switch it out.
Sides
- Seasoned Broccoli
- French Fries*
- Grapes
- Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
Desserts
- Raspberry Sauce (not sure what you’re supposed to do with that, but that’s what ya got)
* As with any restaurant that is not 100% vegan or does not offer a designated cooking space for their vegan options, cross-contamination can occur and fryers/grills may be shared with animal products. You can choose what your level of comfort is with these potential issues.
Note: VeggL is a US-based website. All info contained on our site (and app) is regarding US based locations.
Olive Garden Vegan FAQ
Do Olive Garden’s Breadsticks contain dairy butter?
No. Olive Garden uses margarine on their breadsticks, not butter, which makes them vegan!
Is Olive Garden’s Eggplant Parmigiana Vegan?
We had previously notated that the Eggplant Parmigiana at Olive Garden is NOT vegan friendly but is vegetarian friendly. We have since been informed by a VeggL user that the parmesan cheese contains an animal by-product called, animal rennet.
Animal rennet can come from a microbial, animal, or vegetable source. The most common is from an animal source which is an enzyme obtained from the fourth stomach of an unweaned calf. 🙁
We have contacted Olive Garden to verify which source they are using and will update with that information soon.
Is the salad vegan at Olive Garden?
With some modifications, yes the House Salad at Olive Garden is vegan! The salad consists of lettuce, tomato, black olives, red onion and pepperoncini. Make sure to order with NO croutons or dressing. Ask for oil & vinegar to replace the Italian dressing.
What soup is vegan at Olive Garden?
Only one of the soups at Olive Garden is vegan, the Minestrone Soup. It is delicious!
Is Olive Garden mushroom ravioli vegan?
No. The Mushroom Ravioli contains both dairy and egg. The creamy mushroom sauce contains dairy.
The VeggL App
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Our Picks
Ryan’s Pick: I’ve always been a huge fan of the breadsticks at Olive Garden. Outside of the breadsticks, I’m pretty happy with any version of pasta with some marinara sauce. Top it off with a little red pepper flakes and viola!
Jen’s Pick: I keep it pretty simple at Olive Garden. Angel Hair Pasta with Sauce and Broccoli. The breadsticks are great but the Minestrone Soup is yummy!
More Links and Info
- To see Olive Garden’s full specific vegan menu page, head over to Olive Garden’s Web Site.
- In addition to the options they specify, you can also read about Olive Garden’s philosophy toward accommodating vegan and vegetarians here
. Pretty cool. - Not quite what you were looking for? VeggL has hundreds of Vegan Guides for popular chain restaurants including other Italian locations like Carrabba’s and Maggiano’s.
- Disclaimer: We do everything possible at VeggL to make sure all our Vegan Guides are as up-to-date as possible, but sometimes menus and menu items can change. VeggL is not responsible for incorrect or outdated information. Always check with your location and server to confirm items are vegan when ordering. If you notice something that needs to be corrected – please let us know!
