Is there anything keto friendly at Olive Garden? The Low-Carb Diner's Guide

October 20, 2025 •

4 min read

Despite its reputation for carb-heavy Italian food, it's surprisingly possible to find keto-friendly options at Olive Garden by making simple modifications. This guide shows you exactly what to order and how to modify dishes to align with your low-carb, high-fat diet, proving that dining out doesn't have to break your ketosis.

Quick Summary

Olive Garden offers various keto-friendly options through smart menu modifications. Diners can order grilled meats, seafood, and salads without croutons, substituting high-carb sides and pasta for steamed broccoli or other low-carb vegetables.

Key Points

Salad without Croutons: The Famous House Salad is a safe starting point, but always order it without the high-carb croutons.
Grilled Protein is Key: Stick to grilled chicken, salmon, or steak, avoiding all breaded or fried options, to keep your meal low-carb.
Substitute Pasta with Broccoli: Instead of pasta, ask for steamed broccoli as a low-carb, fibrous base for your entrée.
Build Your Own Meal: Combine a grilled protein (chicken, salmon, sirloin), a creamy, lower-carb sauce (Alfredo, pesto), and a low-carb base (broccoli).
Avoid All Bread and Fried Items: Breadsticks, fried calamari, and fried mozzarella are strictly off-limits due to their high carbohydrate content.
Mindful of Sauces and Soups: While some sauces and soups can fit, always check macros or ask for sauces on the side to manage carb intake.
Pre-plan with the Nutrition Guide: Reviewing Olive Garden's online nutritional information before your visit is the best way to make informed choices.

Navigating the Menu: The Mindset Shift

At Olive Garden, success on the ketogenic diet depends on changing your perspective. Instead of focusing on the endless pasta bowls, breadsticks, and high-carb soups, you’ll focus on the customizable components of the menu: proteins, sauces, and low-carb vegetable substitutions. This approach allows you to build a satisfying meal that fits your macros, rather than feeling restricted.

Ordering Keto-Friendly Appetizers and Sides

While the complimentary breadsticks and classic fried starters are off-limits, there are still excellent ways to begin your meal.

Famous House Salad (No Croutons): The unlimited Famous House Salad is a great keto-friendly starter, as long as you explicitly ask for no croutons. The signature Italian dressing is a low-carb option, but you can also request a plain oil and vinegar dressing to reduce carbs further. Consider adding extra cheese or olives for more fat.
Zuppa Toscana Soup: Of the available soup options, Zuppa Toscana is the most keto-friendly because of its creamy, sausage, and kale base. However, since it contains potatoes, you may need to either remove them or factor the total carb count into your daily macro goals. This soup has a net carb count of around 13g per serving.
Steamed Broccoli: This is your most versatile side dish and your new best friend at Olive Garden. It can serve as a substitute for pasta in many dishes, providing a low-carb, fibrous base.
Parmesan Crusted Zucchini: A flavorful and low-carb side option to add variety to your meal.

Customizing Entrées for a Ketogenic Diet

The key to a satisfying keto entrée is to build it yourself by focusing on grilled proteins and low-carb bases. Avoid all breaded, fried, or pasta-centric dishes unless you modify them significantly.

Grilled Chicken Margherita: This is one of the most straightforward keto meals on the menu. It features two grilled chicken breasts topped with mozzarella, pesto, and tomatoes, served with a side of steamed broccoli. It’s a flavorful and complete meal with a low net carb count.
Herb-Grilled Salmon: This entrée is another excellent choice, consisting of a grilled salmon fillet with garlic herb butter and a side of broccoli. Salmon provides healthy fats and protein, making it ideal for keto.
Tuscan Sirloin: To make the 6 oz Tuscan Sirloin keto-friendly, you must request it without the standard pasta side and swap it for steamed broccoli instead.
Build Your Own Alfredo Bowl: A popular modification is to order any of the Alfredo dishes (chicken, sausage, or shrimp) but ask for it to be served over steamed broccoli instead of pasta. The Alfredo sauce, being cream and cheese-based, is higher in fat and lower in carbs, making it a viable option.

Comparison of Keto vs. Standard Olive Garden Meals


Dish	Standard (High-Carb)	Modified (Keto-Friendly)
Starting Course	Breadsticks (approx. 25g carbs each)	Unlimited House Salad (no croutons)
Entrée Base	Pasta (e.g., Fettuccine Alfredo with over 100g carbs)	Steamed Broccoli
Protein	Chicken Parmesan (breaded)	Grilled Chicken
Main Dish	Unlimited Pasta Bowl	Build-Your-Own Bowl with grilled chicken, Alfredo sauce, and broccoli
Signature Entrée	Shrimp Scampi (with pasta)	Shrimp Scampi (no pasta, with broccoli)
Side Dish	Traditional side of pasta	Extra Steamed Broccoli

Smart Ordering Strategies and Modifications

To ensure your meal stays keto-friendly, don't be afraid to communicate clearly with your server.

Request “no breadsticks” immediately to avoid temptation.
Order the salad first and explicitly state “no croutons”.
Specify your substitutions. For instance, when ordering the sirloin, say “Please serve the steak with steamed broccoli instead of the pasta”.
Confirm the preparation. Ask for grilled meats and seafood, and avoid anything described as breaded or fried, as these contain high-carb flours.
Request sauce on the side. This allows you to control the amount of sauce, which can sometimes contain hidden carbs or sugar.

What to Avoid Entirely on the Keto Diet

While modification is possible, some menu items are best avoided altogether to maintain ketosis.

Breadsticks: These are high in refined carbohydrates and entirely off the table.
Fried Appetizers: Items like fried calamari and fried mozzarella contain significant amounts of carbohydrates from their breading.
Pasta Dishes: Without substitutions, these are a non-starter. Even with a sub, be mindful of the sauce carbs.
Desserts: Virtually all desserts are loaded with sugar and carbs and should be skipped.
High-Carb Sauces: While some are modifiable, certain sauces contain more carbs than others. Check nutritional info online if you’re unsure.

Conclusion: Making Informed Choices for a Keto-Friendly Experience

Successfully eating at Olive Garden while following a keto diet is not just possible—it's a demonstration of how adaptable a strict eating plan can be when dining out. By focusing on grilled proteins, low-carb vegetables like broccoli, and smart substitutions, you can create delicious, satisfying meals that keep you in ketosis. The key is to plan ahead, study the nutritional information, and feel confident in communicating your needs to your server. With this guide, you can enjoy a great Italian-inspired meal without compromising your diet. For the latest nutritional information, always consult the official Olive Garden nutrition guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can eat the Famous House Salad, but you must ask for it without croutons. The signature Italian dressing is a low-carb option, or you can opt for oil and vinegar.

Zuppa Toscana is the most keto-friendly soup at Olive Garden due to its high-fat, high-protein content from sausage, kale, and a creamy broth. However, it does contain potatoes, so you must factor its 13g net carbs per serving into your daily intake.

Excellent keto entrée options include the Grilled Chicken Margherita or the Herb-Grilled Salmon, both of which are served with a low-carb vegetable side. You can also order the 6 oz Tuscan Sirloin by substituting the pasta for broccoli.

You can substitute pasta with steamed broccoli. For instance, order a chicken or shrimp Alfredo and request it served over broccoli instead of pasta.

No, the endless breadsticks are not keto-friendly. They are a high-carb item made with flour and should be completely avoided on a ketogenic diet.

Cream-based sauces like Alfredo or creamy pesto are generally more keto-friendly than tomato-based sauces, though all contain some carbs. You can ask for sauces on the side to manage your intake.

To create a custom keto meal, choose a grilled protein like chicken, shrimp, or sausage, a keto-friendly sauce, and a low-carb vegetable side, such as steamed broccoli, as your base instead of pasta.