Can I Eat Low Sodium at Olive Garden

Can I Eat Low Sodium at Olive Garden

I don’t have high expectations for any place that offers an “endless” supply of any of their menu items. Especially as those of us on low sodium restrictions can never participate in such culinary abandonment. So I was not going to have high hopes to find out the answer to: Can I eat low sodium at Olive Garden. They are famous (infamous?) for their “endless” soup, salad, and bread-stick offerings. Just one of those bread-sticks with the garlic butter spread is 460 mg of sodium each.

It took a lot of hacking through their menu to find out some options we can choose that fit under 750 mg for a meal (main, side, and beverage) without having to resort to the kids menu, or just a bowl of lettuce with our own dressing. The options aren’t many, but they should make for a meal that isn’t embarrassing if you are out with friends and family and the venue of choice is Olive Garden.

Here is what I have found:

From the Lighter Italian Fare Dinner section of the menu: 

The Herb Grilled Salmon is only 570 mg of sodium. it comes with a side of Parmesan garlic broccoli.  Sadly, the other three choices in this section are all over 1000 mg.

From the Tuscan duos:

In this selection, You are offered the unlimited soup or salad and a mini entree (small portion), this can work if you stick to the following:

The House Salad, 1 serving with no dressing is 250 mg. or the Pasta e Fagioli soup is 620 mg (one serving), which means you should probably choose the salad and bring your own dressing so you can have an entree choice.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Mini Pasta Bowl is 390 mg.

Tri Colored Penne with Basil Garlic Marinara Mini Pasta Bowl is 450 mg.

Fettuccine Alfredo Mini Pasta Bowl is 450 mg.

From the Dinner Cucina Mia:

All of the pasta choices at Olive Garden; Rigatoni, Cavatappi, Spaghetti, Tri-Colored Vegetable Penne, Whole Wheat Linguine, and the Gluten-Free Rotini all come in at 15 mg of sodium ordered plain. the problem is all of their sauces are over 1000 mg. So you can order some pasta, and ask them to simply dress it with olive oil and garlic powder (not garlic salt). They should accommodate you (I have done this without a problem).

That leaves you with a little room to add grilled chicken for 390 mg or three meatballs for 580 mg.

The rest of the menu is fairly off limits. Most entrees are easily over 1000 mg and many are close to 3500 mg.

Buon Appetito!