Muscle Gain
Best High-Protein Olive Garden Orders in 2026
The best high-protein Olive Garden orders in 2026, from the Grilled Chicken Margherita to salmon and steak, with official calories and protein.
The short answer
The best high-protein order at Olive Garden in 2026 is the Grilled Chicken Margherita: 650 calories and 65 grams of protein, based on Olive Garden's nutrition guide. For a pasta dinner, Shrimp Scampi with a side of grilled chicken is about 620 calories and 55 grams of protein. The Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo has the most protein (112 grams) but costs 1,980 calories.
Olive Garden is known for pasta and breadsticks, not protein. But a few dinners on the menu pack 45 to 65 grams of protein for under 700 calories, and the add-on grilled chicken (26 grams for 130 calories) can push almost any pasta higher.
The trick is protein per calorie. Many of the biggest protein numbers on the menu come with 1,200 calories or more of cream sauce and pasta. Here's what to order, using Olive Garden's nutrition guide (version US_083126), which lists items as served unless noted.
What has the most protein at Olive Garden?#
The Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo has the most protein at Olive Garden, with 112 grams, but it's 1,980 calories. For protein per calorie, the Grilled Chicken Margherita is the best entree, at 65 grams for 650 calories. Here's how the main protein dishes compare, from Olive Garden's guide:
| Entree | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 cal | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grilled Chicken Margherita | 650 | 65 g | 10.0 g | 2,120 mg |
| 6 oz. Tuscan Sirloin (Gluten Sensitive menu) | 480 | 46 g | 9.6 g | 1,680 mg |
| Grilled Chicken Parmigiana (Gluten Sensitive menu) | 810 | 75 g | 9.3 g | 3,040 mg |
| Herb-Grilled Salmon | 610 | 45 g | 7.4 g | 1,360 mg |
| Calabrian Steak & Shrimp Bucatini | 1,220 | 78 g | 6.4 g | 2,960 mg |
| Chicken Parmigiana | 1,020 | 64 g | 6.3 g | 3,300 mg |
| Stuffed Chicken Marsala | 1,170 | 70 g | 6.0 g | 3,020 mg |
| Shrimp Scampi | 490 | 29 g | 5.9 g | 1,120 mg |
| 6 oz. Sirloin (with fettuccine alfredo) | 980 | 57 g | 5.8 g | 1,840 mg |
| Lasagna Classico | 940 | 54 g | 5.7 g | 2,260 mg |
| Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo | 1,980 | 112 g | 5.7 g | 3,720 mg |
| Chicken Alfredo (grilled chicken) | 1,480 | 79 g | 5.3 g | 2,290 mg |
| Tour of Italy | 1,550 | 72 g | 4.6 g | 3,220 mg |
Nutrition from Olive Garden's U.S. nutrition guide (version US_083126), checked November 2026. Dinner portions; breadsticks, soup and salad are extra. Olive Garden notes that some items may not be available at all restaurants.
What is the best high-protein meal at Olive Garden?#
The best high-protein meal at Olive Garden is the Grilled Chicken Margherita with a bowl of Minestrone: about 760 calories and 70 grams of protein. These orders are added up from the guide's published values:
| Order | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Grilled Chicken Margherita + Minestrone | 760 | 70 g |
| Shrimp Scampi + side of Grilled Chicken | 620 | 55 g |
| 6 oz. Tuscan Sirloin + Minestrone | 590 | 51 g |
| Herb-Grilled Salmon + Pasta Fagioli | 760 | 53 g |
| Spaghetti + marinara + Sautéed Shrimp (Create Your Own Pasta) | 660 | 49 g |
| Lasagna Classico (Lighter Portions) + side of Grilled Chicken | 630 | 55 g |
The Margherita is the best single entree for protein, but it's also high in sodium. If that matters to you, the Herb-Grilled Salmon has 45 grams of protein with 760 mg less sodium. The grilled chicken side is the most useful add-on in the guide: 130 calories and 26 grams of protein on top of whatever you order.
Which Olive Garden pasta has the most protein?#
The Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo is the highest-protein pasta at Olive Garden, with 112 grams, but at 1,980 calories and 131 grams of fat it's a full day's calories for many people. For protein per calorie, a Create Your Own Pasta with spaghetti, marinara and Sautéed Shrimp is the best pasta: about 660 calories and 49 grams.
Among the set pasta dinners, these give you the most protein for the calories:
- Shrimp Scampi: 490 calories, 29 grams. Add grilled chicken for 55 grams at about 620 calories.
- Calabrian Steak & Shrimp Bucatini: 1,220 calories, 78 grams. Olive Garden has run it as part of a limited-time menu, so check your location.
- Cheese Ravioli with Meat Sauce: 860 calories, 50 grams.
- Lasagna Classico: 940 calories, 54 grams.
- Chicken Alfredo (grilled chicken): 1,480 calories, 79 grams.
The sauce is what moves the calories. On the Create Your Own Pasta menu, marinara is 150 calories, meat sauce is 300 and Alfredo is 870, and none of them add much protein (4, 14 and 15 grams).
Is the Olive Garden Grilled Chicken Margherita high in protein?#
Yes. The Grilled Chicken Margherita has 65 grams of protein for 650 calories, the best ratio of any regular dinner entree in Olive Garden's guide at 10 grams per 100 calories. It has 15 grams of carbs, so it also works if you're eating lower carb.
Its downside is 2,120 mg of sodium, close to the FDA's 2,300 mg daily limit on its own. Pairing it with Minestrone (810 mg) puts the meal over that limit. If you want a lower-sodium plate with a similar amount of protein, the Herb-Grilled Salmon (45 grams, 1,360 mg) is the better pick.
How much protein is in Olive Garden soups and breadsticks?#
Olive Garden's soups have 5 to 11 grams of protein a bowl, and a breadstick with garlic topping has 4 grams for 140 calories. Chicken & Gnocchi is the highest-protein soup:
- Chicken & Gnocchi: 230 calories, 11 grams of protein.
- Pasta Fagioli: 150 calories, 8 grams.
- Zuppa Toscana: 220 calories, 7 grams.
- Minestrone: 110 calories, 5 grams.
- Salad with Signature Italian Dressing: 150 calories, 3 grams.
Breadsticks add calories faster than protein: three are 420 calories for 12 grams. Pick one soup, and keep it to one breadstick if you're also watching calories. Our guide to healthy Italian restaurant orders covers the same rules at any Italian place.
What should you skip at Olive Garden when you want protein?#
Skip the Alfredo pastas without added protein, the fried appetizers and the desserts. They add a lot of calories for little protein:
- Spicy Alfredo Fettuccine: 1,330 calories, 30 grams of protein.
- Fettuccine Alfredo: 1,220 calories, 27 grams.
- Spinach-Artichoke Dip: 1,160 calories, 33 grams.
- Lasagna Fritta: 1,130 calories, 39 grams.
- Eggplant Parmigiana: 1,070 calories, 35 grams.
- Chocolate Lasagna: 980 calories, 13 grams.
If you want an Alfredo dish anyway, the Shrimp Alfredo (1,390 calories, 60 grams) and the grilled Chicken Alfredo (1,480 calories, 79 grams) at least bring real protein. Sharing one and adding a side of grilled chicken is a reasonable compromise.
Is Olive Garden good for building muscle?#
Olive Garden works for building muscle if you build the meal around a grilled protein: the Margherita, the salmon, the Tuscan Sirloin or a pasta with grilled chicken or shrimp added. Any of those gets you 45 to 70 grams of protein for under 800 calories.
Protein matters if you lift. A 2018 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine of 49 studies found that protein supplementation increased gains in muscle mass and strength from resistance training, with no further gains in muscle mass beyond a total intake of about 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day. If you're cutting at the same time, our best low-calorie Olive Garden orders start with a 600-calorie soup and Shrimp Scampi dinner.
At an Italian place without posted nutrition, Menu Scan AI can help. Snap the menu with your iPhone and it estimates calories, protein, carbs and fat for each dish from the menu descriptions, then labels the best matches for your goal. Treat the results as estimates, not lab values. The app is free to download; its listing says an annual subscription is required for full access, including menu scanning and AI nutrition analysis.
Frequently asked questions#
What has the most protein at Olive Garden?#
The Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo has the most protein at 112 grams, but it's 1,980 calories. The Grilled Chicken Margherita has the most protein for the calories, with 65 grams for 650.
How much protein is in Olive Garden's Grilled Chicken Margherita?#
The Grilled Chicken Margherita has 65 grams of protein, 650 calories and 2,120 mg of sodium, according to Olive Garden's nutrition guide.
How much protein is in Olive Garden's Herb-Grilled Salmon?#
The Herb-Grilled Salmon has 45 grams of protein and 610 calories. Some regions serve a Coho salmon version with 50 grams for 510 calories.
Can you add protein to a pasta at Olive Garden?#
Yes. The guide lists add-on grilled chicken at 130 calories and 26 grams of protein, and Sautéed Shrimp at 170 calories and 33 grams. Adding grilled chicken to the Shrimp Scampi brings it to about 620 calories and 55 grams.
What is the highest-protein soup at Olive Garden?#
Chicken & Gnocchi has the most protein of the soups, with 11 grams for 230 calories. Pasta Fagioli has 8 grams for 150 calories.
Sources#
- Olive Garden: Nutrition Information (PDF), calories, protein and sodium for entrees, Create Your Own Pasta, sides, soups, breadsticks and desserts (version US_083126)
- Olive Garden: 6 oz. Sirloin, the sirloin dinner served with a side of fettuccine alfredo
- FSR Magazine: Olive Garden Expands Spicy Menu Lineup (2026), the Calabrian Steak & Shrimp Bucatini in Olive Garden's limited-time Calabrian lineup
- Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018), protein intake and muscle gains from resistance training
- FDA: Sodium in Your Diet, the 2,300 mg daily sodium limit