7 Vegan Options at Olive Garden in 2022

Photo Credit: Darden

Olive Garden is an American causal dining restaurant chain which specializes in Italian-American cuisine. There are over 900 Olive Garden locations worldwide according to Wikipedia Like most ethnic cuisine, Italian food tends to have many veg-friendly options. Does this hold true for Olive Garden? In this article we list the the 7 best vegan options at Olive Garden restaurants in 2022.

Olive Garden does not post the ingredients for their menu items, but they do have both a Allergen Guide and Vegetarian and Vegan Menu on their website. All of the items listed in this article are based of the information provided in these resources.

1. Breadsticks

Olive Garden’s breadsticks ARE vegan-friendly! The garlic topping is soy-based and contains no butter or other animal ingredients. You can dip these delicious fluffy morsels in Olive Garden’s Marinara or Tomato sauces, both of which are also vegan.

2. Salad (No Croutons and Substitute Dressing)

Olive Garden’s signature salad can easily be made vegan by removing the croutons and substituting the Italian dressing for Oil and Balsamic Vinegar. Also, make sure to hold the cheese when your waiter offers it!

3. Minestrone Soup

According to Olive Garden’s website, their Minestrone soup is a vegan classic! This delicious and hearty soup includes fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta in a light tomato broth. It is perfect for a cold winter day or as a great companion to Olive Garden’s cold signature salad.

4. Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce

The only vegan-friendly pasta dish on Olive Garden’s menu is their Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce. This classic dish is a perfect meal to go along with Olive Garden’s salad and breadsticks.

5. Create Your Own Pasta

If you’re in the mood for pasta but want something more exciting than Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce, opt for Olive Garden’s Create Your Own Pasta option! Choose from Olive Garden’s 8 vegan pasta types, dress it with Marinara or Tomato Sauce, and finish it off with Garden Veggies on top. All of the available vegan create your own ingredients are listed below.

Pastas

Angel Hair
Cavatappi
Fettuccine
Rigatoni
Small Shells
Spaghetti
Whole Grain Linguine
Zoodles

Sauces

Traditional Marinara
Tomato Sauce

Toppings

Garden Veggies

6. Steamed Broccoli Side

The only vegan side dish on Olive Garden’s menu is their Steamed Broccoli. While this isn’t the most exciting side, it can give your meal a little extra color and nutrition.

7. Drinks

In addition to their vegan food options, Olive Garden also has a variety of drinks to choose from. These include both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options. Selection varies by store so check with your waiter for the current options.

Summary

Your best bet as a vegan at Olive Garden is to choose the Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks option or Create Your Own Pasta dish. If you liked this article, take a look at at our other “Eating Out” vegan guides here.

Olive Garden Vegan FAQs

Are Olive Garden Breadsticks Vegan?

Yes! Olive Garden breadsticks are vegan-friendly! They do not contain eggs, dairy, cheese or any other animal ingredients. The garlic topping on the breadsticks is soy-based and vegan as well!

Are Olive Garden Croutons Vegan?

The croutons at Olive Garden are NOT vegan.

Are Olive Garden Mints Vegan?

According to The Daily Meal, Olive Garden’s mints are the same recipe as Andes’ mints just with a different shape and wrapper. As we found out in our article titled Are Andes Mints Vegan?, Andes’ mints are not vegan. Therefore, Olive Garden’s mints are also NOT vegan.

Does Olive Garden Pasta Contain Eggs?

According to Olive Garden’s allergen guide, none of their pastas contain eggs or egg-derived ingredients.