Keto Restaurant Guide
Keto at Olive Garden
Olive Garden is built around pasta and bread, so keto here is about what you leave off the table. Olive Garden's own nutrition guide shows a few genuinely low-carb plates: the Herb-Grilled Salmon is 9g carbs with 4g fiber as served, the 6 oz. Tuscan Sirloin on the gluten-sensitive menu is the same, and the Grilled Chicken Margherita is 15g with 5g fiber.
Everything else stacks up fast. One garlic-topped breadstick is 25g carbs, a dinner Fettuccine Alfredo is 78g, and even the soups run 15 to 22g a serving. The usual tactic works here: wave off the breadsticks, order a grilled protein, and keep the salad, minus the croutons.
By MeKeto Editorial · Last updated October 2026
Our go-to keto order
Herb-Grilled Salmon + salad without croutons
10g net carbs
16g carbs, 6g fiber
Sum of two published items: the dinner Herb-Grilled Salmon as served (9g carbs, 4g fiber, 610 calories, 45g protein) and the Salad without Croutons from the gluten-sensitive menu listing (7g carbs, 2g fiber, 110 calories). Skip the breadsticks.
Best keto options
9g carbs, 4g fiber
The lowest-carb full entree on the main menu, with 45g protein. Figures are for the dish as served.
9g carbs, 4g fiber
Listed on the gluten-sensitive menu at 480 calories. The main-menu 6 oz. Sirloin is listed at 49g carbs as served, so ask for the Tuscan Sirloin specifically.
15g carbs, 5g fiber
65g protein for 10g net carbs as served. A strong second choice after the salmon.
7g carbs, 2g fiber
The gluten-sensitive menu lists the famous salad without croutons at 7g carbs. With croutons and Signature Italian Dressing the standard serving is 13g.
8g carbs, 3g fiber
The best side swap for mashed potatoes (27g carbs) or pasta.
1g carbs, 0g fiber
Olive Garden lists less than 1g of carbs; counted here as 1g. 26g protein, good as an add-on to the salad.
6g carbs, 2g fiber
Ordered as a side, a higher-fat protein option at 4g net carbs.
| Item | Carbs | Fiber | Net | Why / how |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herb-Grilled Salmon (dinner) | 9g | 4g | 5g | The lowest-carb full entree on the main menu, with 45g protein. Figures are for the dish as served. |
| 6 oz. Tuscan Sirloin (gluten-sensitive menu) | 9g | 4g | 5g | Listed on the gluten-sensitive menu at 480 calories. The main-menu 6 oz. Sirloin is listed at 49g carbs as served, so ask for the Tuscan Sirloin specifically. |
| Grilled Chicken Margherita (dinner) | 15g | 5g | 10g | 65g protein for 10g net carbs as served. A strong second choice after the salmon. |
| Salad without croutons | 7g | 2g | 5g | The gluten-sensitive menu lists the famous salad without croutons at 7g carbs. With croutons and Signature Italian Dressing the standard serving is 13g. |
| Parmesan Garlic Broccoli (side) | 8g | 3g | 5g | The best side swap for mashed potatoes (27g carbs) or pasta. |
| Grilled Chicken (side or pasta topping) | 1g | 0g | 1g | Olive Garden lists less than 1g of carbs; counted here as 1g. 26g protein, good as an add-on to the salad. |
| Italian Sausage, 2 links (side) | 6g | 2g | 4g | Ordered as a side, a higher-fat protein option at 4g net carbs. |
Order with care
25g carbs, 0g fiber
Olive Garden lists 25g carbs and less than 1g fiber per garlic-topped breadstick. Two of them are more than a strict day.
78g carbs, 3g fiber
Every pasta entree on the dinner menu lands in roughly the 50 to 110g range. None of them can be made keto.
80g carbs, 7g fiber
Breaded chicken served with pasta. The Grilled Chicken Margherita is the low-carb swap.
22g carbs, 1g fiber
The potato dumplings make it the highest-carb soup. Zuppa Toscana, Minestrone and Pasta e Fagioli are each 13g net.
54g carbs, 0g fiber
The lightest-sounding dessert still carries 35g of sugars. Every dessert in the guide is 54g net or more.
62g carbs, 3g fiber
Frozen and sangria drinks are sugar-heavy. A glass of red wine is listed at 5g carbs.
| Item | Carbs | Fiber | Net | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breadstick with garlic topping (1) | 25g | 0g | 25g | Olive Garden lists 25g carbs and less than 1g fiber per garlic-topped breadstick. Two of them are more than a strict day. |
| Fettuccine Alfredo (dinner) | 78g | 3g | 75g | Every pasta entree on the dinner menu lands in roughly the 50 to 110g range. None of them can be made keto. |
| Chicken Parmigiana (dinner) | 80g | 7g | 73g | Breaded chicken served with pasta. The Grilled Chicken Margherita is the low-carb swap. |
| Chicken & Gnocchi Soup (1 serving) | 22g | 1g | 21g | The potato dumplings make it the highest-carb soup. Zuppa Toscana, Minestrone and Pasta e Fagioli are each 13g net. |
| Tiramisu | 54g | 0g | 54g | The lightest-sounding dessert still carries 35g of sugars. Every dessert in the guide is 54g net or more. |
| Frozen Strawberry-Mango Margarita | 62g | 3g | 59g | Frozen and sangria drinks are sugar-heavy. A glass of red wine is listed at 5g carbs. |
How to order keto at Olive Garden
- Ask the server to skip the breadstick basket. At 25g each, it is the biggest carb trap on the table.
- Order the Herb-Grilled Salmon, the Grilled Chicken Margherita, or the 6 oz. Tuscan Sirloin from the gluten-sensitive menu.
- Say "no croutons" on the salad. The gluten-sensitive listing puts the salad at 7g carbs without them.
- Swap any mashed potato or pasta side for Parmesan Garlic Broccoli (8g carbs, 3g fiber).
- Add grilled chicken or sautéed shrimp to a salad for protein. Olive Garden lists both at about 1g carbs.
- Drink water, coffee or a glass of dry wine (red is 5g carbs a glass). Skip the frozen margaritas, sangrias and lemonades.
Net carbs are total carbohydrate minus dietary fiber, rounded to the nearest gram, from Olive Garden's published nutrition information (checked October 2026). For a modified order, such as no bun, we subtract the published values of the part you leave off. Menus and recipes vary by location and change over time, so check current nutrition with Olive Garden before you order, especially for sauces, dressings, and seasonal items.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you order around the pasta. The Herb-Grilled Salmon is 9g carbs with 4g fiber, the gluten-sensitive 6 oz. Tuscan Sirloin is the same, and the salad without croutons is 7g. Skip the breadsticks, pasta and desserts.
Herb-Grilled Salmon with the salad, no croutons. Using Olive Garden's published figures, that is 16g carbs and 6g fiber, or 10g net carbs, with 45g protein from the salmon.
Olive Garden lists 25g carbs per breadstick, with or without the garlic topping, and 1g or less of fiber. Two breadsticks are 50g, more than a full day on a strict keto plan.
Mostly, once the croutons are gone. The standard serving with Signature Italian Dressing is 13g carbs with 2g fiber. The gluten-sensitive menu lists the salad without croutons at 7g carbs, 2g fiber. One fluid ounce of the Italian dressing is 2g.
Zuppa Toscana, Minestrone and Pasta e Fagioli are all 13g net carbs per serving (15, 17 and 16g total carbs). Chicken & Gnocchi is 21g net. None of them is truly low-carb, so the salad without croutons is the better starter.
Water, unsweetened iced tea or coffee. For alcohol, a glass of red wine is listed at 5g carbs and a glass of white or rosé at 4g. Most margaritas and sangrias run about 30 to 70g a glass.
Sources
- Olive Garden Nutrition Information PDF (U.S. restaurants), accessed October 2026.
- Olive Garden Nutrition page, accessed October 2026.