Eating out can be tricky to navigate when you’re unable to eat gluten, but nowadays, more and more restaurants are offering alternatives free from gluten. Are Olive Garden’s most-loved dishes suitable for a gluten-free diet?
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What Is Olive Garden?
If you’re from the US, you’ll no doubt already be familiar with Olive Garden. It’s one of the most popular casual dining restaurants in the US, and it’s not difficult to see why. Olive Garden opened its first restaurant in 1982, and it now has more than 900 restaurants across the US, plus a small number of franchised locations in other countries.
The restaurant serves Italian-American food. They serve foods such as pasta, seafood, chicken and salads. However, they’re probably best known for their unlimited soft breadsticks, which are absolutely incredible.
Does Olive Garden Have A Gluten Free Menu?
Olive Garden doesn’t have a gluten-free menu, but it does offer a gluten-sensitive menu. Olive Garden doesn’t call these items gluten-free because it hasn’t chemically tested them, and there’s always a chance of cross-contact because everything is made in the same kitchen.
Gluten-sensitive means those items are made without gluten ingredients, but Olive Garden says it can’t promise they meet the definition of gluten-free, because of its shared kitchens. Its gluten-free pasta is the exception: Olive Garden says it meets the FDA definition of gluten-free. If you have celiac disease, keep in mind that there’s no 100% guarantee for any item, because of the shared kitchen.
What Precautions Does Olive Garden Take With Gluten-Free Food?
Olive Garden says it has processes in place to minimize cross-contact, but that gluten-sensitive items may not suit guests who are highly sensitive to gluten. It also doesn’t have a separate fryer, so fried foods can come into contact with wheat. Always tell your server of any allergies or intolerances you have so they can take extra precautions when preparing your order. For example, its gluten-free rotini is cooked and held separately until ordered, then added straight to the sauté pan so it doesn’t touch other pasta or pasta water.
Gluten Sensitive Menu At Olive Garden
I’ll be honest, the gluten-sensitive selection at Olive Garden isn’t huge, but there are a few options to try. Let’s take a closer look.
Adults
- Zuppa Toscana
- Famous House Salad (With No Croutons)
- Grilled Chicken Parmigiana
- Herb-Grilled Salmon
- 6oz Sirloin
- Rotini Pasta with Marinara
- Rotini Pasta with Meat Sauce
Kids
- Grilled Chicken with Rotini Pasta and Marinara
- Rotini with Marinara
- Rotini with Meat Sauce
You can find more information about their gluten-sensitive menu, along with full ingredients and nutrition, here.
Homemade Gluten-Free Breadsticks
Olive Garden’s familiar breadsticks are made with wheat flour and aren’t suitable for people with celiac disease.
If you’d like to enjoy something similar at home, Let Them Eat Gluten Free Cake’s Gluten-Free Breadsticks provides a homemade alternative.
The recipe relies on specific gluten-free flour ingredients, so read the original author’s instructions before substituting flour blends.
Conclusion
I hope this post has helped to answer the question: does Olive Garden have gluten free options? And given you an idea of the foods you can enjoy when eating out at Olive Garden. It’s also worth mentioning that menu items can vary from location to location.
What’s your go to order when eating at Olive Garden? Please feel free to let me know in the comments below. Sharing is caring!
FAQs
No. The breadsticks at Olive Garden contain wheat and should not be consumed when following a gluten free diet. Check out the homemade breadstick recipe linked above for a gluten-free alternative. Olive Garden says there are no gluten-containing ingredients in its Italian dressing, but gluten is present in the facility where the dressing is made. Herb-grilled salmon has been offered on Olive Garden's gluten-sensitive menu, so check the current menu. Olive Garden says it hasn't tested these items to confirm they meet the FDA's gluten-free definition, and they may not suit guests who are highly sensitive to gluten. Always tell your server about any allergies.Are Olive Garden’s Breadsticks Gluten-Free?
Does Olive Garden Italian Dressing Have Gluten?
Is the Herb Grilled Salmon at Olive Garden Gluten-Free?
Club Gluten Free shares practical, well-researched guides to gluten-free ingredients, products, restaurants and recipes. We check manufacturer statements and celiac organization guidance, and update our guides when products change.