The Best Olive Garden Dishes To Order Again And Again

Few restaurants are quite as polarizing as Olive Garden. Some folks love the chain, known for its version of Italian classics and Tuscany-themed decor, while others consider it an abomination. The truth is, while the dishes aren't true, traditional Italian meals, there are also plenty of menu items that are pretty darn good. If there wasn't, the restaurant wouldn't have nearly 900 locations and do nearly $5 billion in sales every year.

It's also important to remember that in some areas, Olive Garden is the closest thing to gourmet available, plus it's usually kid-friendly, making it a good option for families. The soup, salad, and unlimited breadsticks deal is a stellar option for lunch, but there are several entrees that are delicious as well. In fact, there are some dishes that people love so much, they order them every single time they visit the restaurant — and who can blame them? If you've sampled any of these classics, you'd be hard pressed not to continue ordering them again and again.

The Chicken Alfredo is possibly Olive Garden's most popular entree. The dish is made with fettuccine pasta, which are flat noodles about a quarter of an inch wide. This shape makes it easy for the chain's creamy alfredo sauce to cling to the surface of the noodles. The secret to Olive Garden's alfredo sauce is the use of heavy cream, accompanied by Parmesan and Romano cheese, garlic, flour, butter, and milk. Grilled chicken is then sliced and served on top.

While a far cry from traditional Italian alfredo, Olive Garden fans love it. One Redditor asked, "How is Olive Garden's alfredo sauce so good?" They continued on to add "It's stupid how good it is ... it just has such amazing flavor." A reviewer on Tripadvisor called the alfredo sauce "superb" and said, "The Chicken Alfredo was the best I've ever had, anywhere." The entree is a common response to this r/AskReddit question "What is your go-to order at Olive Garden?" It's a dish that Olive Garden customers will order again and again.

While the chicken alfredo itself isn't vegetarian, the chain offers a chicken-free fettuccine alfredo dish that is vegetarian. Customers also have the option to add broccoli, mushrooms, or grilled shrimp, swap the grilled chicken for chicken fritta, or change out the pasta. Those with dairy, wheat, or gluten allergies or sensitivities will need to look for another dish, while those with soy allergies or sensitivities should avoid swapping for the chicken fritta.

Carbonara is a dish that hails from Rome. It's made using common animal products from the area, including pork (guanciale or pancetta), hard cheese (Pecorino Romano), and eggs, as well as a long pasta, frequently spaghetti. Olive Garden's Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara is a twist on this traditional Italian dish. It's still made with spaghetti and bacon in a cream sauce, but also includes sauteed chicken, shrimp, and red peppers for a little something extra.

This dish isn't necessarily the most popular at Olive Garden, but many people really enjoy it. One Tripadvisor user describes the dish as "a bonanza of flavors," and another on Yelp said their dish was cheesy and delicious, with the shrimp and chicken grilled just right and the sauce and pasta perfectly seasoned and blended well. It's a common dish for reviewers to order more than once, as one Yelp user called it his favorite dish and a Reddit user claimed it's the only dish they get at Olive Garden.

This dish is not vegetarian and contains common allergens like dairy, crustaceans, wheat, gluten, soy, and sulfites. The restaurant is able to remove red peppers if you wish, and you can also swap out the type of pasta. To make your own at home, check out this simple pasta carbonara recipe; vegetarians should definitely try our vegetarian spaghetti "carbonara" recipe.

Chicken Parmesan is a fairly well-known dish made of breaded chicken topped with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese and baked in the oven. Olive Garden's Chicken Parmigiana doesn't stray far from this concept. This dish is made with slightly fried breaded chicken breasts, marinara sauce, and melted cheeses and served with a side of spaghetti noodles.

Many people enjoy Olive Garden's Chicken Parmigiana, although it's not as popular as some of their other dishes. One Reddit user said, "I've been to really fancy and expensive Italian restaurants and I come from an Italian family. I've eaten some pretty good Italian food in my days. I will say this: Olive Garden's Chicken Parmigiana dish [is] delicious." Another user in the r/olivegarden subreddit described theirs as "pretty good." On top of that, several commenters on the "What is your go to order at Olive Garden?" post in r/AskReddit mentioned that the Chicken Parmigiana was their go-to order.

Per its name, the Chicken Parmigiana isn't vegetarian, but Olive Garden's similar Eggplant Parmigiana is (more on that soon). Those with allergies or sensitivities to dairy, wheat, gluten, and soy will want to find another dish. Diners can swap the side spaghetti for fettucini Alfredo or swap the marinara sauce for Alfredo sauce.

Olive Garden's Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo combines multiple elements of other favorite Olive Garden dishes. Tortelloni is a pasta with a similar concept to ravioli but folded into a triangle shape. In this dish, the pasta is filled with asiago cheese, smothered in Alfredo sauce and Italian cheeses, then baked and topped with sliced grilled chicken.

The Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo is a somewhat newer addition to Olive Garden's menu, at least compared to staples like the Chicken Alfredo or Chicken Parmigiana. On Tripadvisor, one review said, "Full of flavor; one of my new favorites on Olive Gardens Menu! It was so captivating, I returned the next day to order it curbside again!" Another on TikTok said it's one of their favorite dishes, highlighting the creamy Alfredo and giving the dish an overall nine out of 10.

The Olive Garden website doesn't list any substitutions for this dish, but the aforementioned TikTok user mentioned above said they like to substitute the grilled chicken for the chicken fritta. Due to the chicken, this dish is not vegetarian. It contains multiple allergens, including dairy, egg, wheat, gluten, and soy.

Before there was chicken Parmesan, there was eggplant Parmesan. Made with eggplant, an oblong, dark purple vegetable grown in Italy and around the world, the recipe didn't originally call for the eggplant to be breaded and fried. Olive Garden's Eggplant Parmigiana, however, is very similar to the Chicken Parmigiana, with the eggplant breaded and fried before being topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella

The Eggplant Parmigiana is an Olive Garden fan favorite. One Yelp reviewer calls it "filling and very satisfying" with others characterizing its depth of flavor. It's also a meal that people are willing to order time and again. Another Yelp reviewer said, "Eggplant Parmigiana is always my favorite meal," while a reviewer on Tripadvisor said, "My husband and I always both order the eggplant Parmesan. Always tender inside, crisp outside."

The popularity may be due to the Eggplant Parmigiana being one of the few vegetarian entrees offered at Olive Garden. However, those with allergies should proceed with caution, as the dish contains dairy, wheat, gluten, and soy. Like with the Chicken Parmigiana, Olive Garden allows you to swap out the pasta side and even the sauce.

Olive Garden's Five Cheese Ziti al Forno is a dish that hits home. Ziti is a smooth, tube-shaped pasta that's cut to a few inches long with straight-cut ends, and in this dish, it's smothered with the restaurant's signature five-cheese marinara, topped with a blend of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano, and asiago cheese before being baked. The ziti's shape allows it to capture the sauce, ensuring you get the perfect ratio of sauce to pasta in every bite.

The Five Cheese Ziti al Forno is one of the restaurant's popular dishes. One Redditor called it "honesty the best pasta I've ever had." One Tripadvisor reviewer went as far as to say "All I want for my birthday is five cheese ziti al forno!" It's an entree that diners order frequently, with one reviewer on Tripadvisor calling it "filling and appetizing as always," as any good ziti should be.

While the dish may seem like a good vegetarian option, it's not listed among Olive Garden's vegetarian dishes. Those with dairy, wheat, gluten, or soy allergies or sensitivities may want to avoid this entree as well. The restaurant does offer customizations for the Five Cheese Ziti al Forno, allowing customers to switch the pasta for a different type or add things like meatballs, grilled chicken, sauteed shrimp, and Italian sausage on top.

The crossroads of Italian cuisine and comfort food is where you'll find lasagna. This iconic baked dish is made with a flat, sheet-like pasta, layered with cheese and a sauce, often some type of tomato or meat sauce. Olive Garden's Lasagna Classico stays true to its name, keeping it classic with layers of pasta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheeses, and a meat sauce made with beef and Italian sausage.

Garfield may be known for loving lasagna, but plenty of Olive Garden patrons love it too. One reviewer on Yelp said the dish "was a good balance of meat, sauce, and pasta. It looked small but wait until you eat it." On Tripadvisor, a reviewer confirms it's definitely a dish you can order more than once, saying, "The lasagna is the best! I normally get this dish on most visits."

Because the Lasagna Classico is made with meat sauce, it's not vegetarian. It also contains dairy, wheat, gluten, and soy, meaning it's not a great choice for people with those allergies or sensitivities. Diners can order additional toppings for this dish, including meatballs, Italian sausage, and extra cheese — all of which sound like pretty tasty additions.

For those who didn't live off of Chef Boyardee growing up, ravioli are a type of stuffed pasta. They're usually square, sort of shaped like little pillows, and stuffed with cheese or meat. Olive Garden's Ravioli Carbonara is made with cheese-filled ravioli in a carbonara sauce with bacon and a blend of cheeses, then baked.

The dish is newer than many of Olive Garden's classic dishes but still has many positive reviews. One user on TikTok posted a video of their trip to an Olive Garden with the caption, "My first time trying the Ravioli Carbonara and it was delicious!" Another user commented on Olive Garden's TikTok of the dish, claiming to be a new hire that sampled the Ravioli Carbonara and "fell in love." Over on Reddit, one user was looking for a copycat recipe for the ravioli carbonara, saying, "I have had this several times, and it is so good."

The Ravioli Carbonara isn't vegetarian, and it's also not particularly allergy-friendly, as it contains dairy, egg, wheat, gluten, and soy. If you want a little more protein in your dish, Olive Garden allows you to add toppings like grilled chicken, sauteed shrimp, and chicken fritta.

If you prefer seafood to poultry, the Seafood Alfredo may be the perfect Olive Garden dish for you. It's the restaurant's standard fettuccine Alfredo with the addition of sauteed shrimp and scallops. This creates a dish that's still creamy and delicious but with a bit of a maritime twist.

The addition of seafood has made this a popular dish for many. Users across Yelp have described the dish as excellent, lauding its flavor and texture (who doesn't love a creamy pasta?). A user on Tripadvisor also enjoyed their meal, titling their review as "Very good Seafood Alfredo."

As this is a seafood dish, it's no surprise that the seafood alfredo isn't vegetarian. In addition to the seafood, other potential allergens in this dish include dairy, wheat, and gluten. Additional toppings are available for this dish, including grilled chicken, broccoli, and mushrooms. This would be an easy dish to cook at home, so long as you're not making any of these mistakes while buying seafood.

Another seafood pasta dish available at Olive Garden is the Shrimp Scampi. This is a pretty simple dish, made with shrimp, angel hair pasta, tomatoes, and asparagus in a creamy garlic sauce. It's one of the lighter options on Olive Garden's menu, with about a third of the calories of the Seafood Alfredo.

This is a selling point for many people, with one Reddit user writing a post titled, "I went to Olive Garden and didn't ruin my diet! Shrimp scampi 520 calories." Multiple people commented on the post, saying this was their go-to dish at Olive Garden. But plenty of people order the dish simply because they like it, too. One reviewer on Yelp mentioned the Shrimp Scampi, saying, "I've got to say that it is the most delicious thing I've had at Olive Garden!"

The Shrimp Scampi, of course, is not vegetarian. It contains crustaceans, as well as dairy, wheat, gluten, soy, and sulfites, so those with allergies or sensitivities to those ingredients should choose a different dish.

Nothing seems more classically Italian-American than spaghetti and meatballs, so of course this is a mainstay dish on the Olive Garden menu. The chain's Spaghetti & Meatballs are served exactly as you would expect: three meatballs on a heap of spaghetti noodles and smothered in your choice of either marinara sauce or meat sauce.

Spaghetti and meatballs isn't just the meal of choice in "Lady and the Tramp," it's also the meal of choice for many Olive Garden diners. One user on Tripadvisor gave a comprehensive review of the dish, saying the dish had "very flavorful tomatoes and sauce, not thick" and that the meatballs were "very tender, not chewy or rubbery, easily cut with my fork," and had "herbs evident in flavor." A reviewer on Yelp said that the spaghetti with meat sauce was good, but was even better with meatballs.

The meatballs on top mean that this dish is not vegetarian, however, there is a spaghetti with marinara sauce on the menu that is. Allergens in this dish include dairy, egg, wheat, gluten, and soy.

For those who have trouble deciding on one dish, the Tour of Italy is for you. This menu option allows you to test smaller versions of three Olive Garden classics: Chicken Parmigiana, Lasagna Classico, and Fettuccine Alfredo. There's a simple logic that holds here — you can't go wrong with a little bit of everything.

Variety is the spice of life, and Olive Garden diners are all about options. One reviewer on Tripadvisor described the dish as "all very good, especially the chicken parmesan." Another Tripadvisor reviewer called the meal "outstanding," saying they usually go for the lasagna, but the Fettuccine Alfredo was their favorite.

While the Fettuccine Alfredo is vegetarian, the other two dishes in the Tour of Italy are not. Between the three, you'll find allergens that include dairy, wheat, gluten, and soy. For those who aren't crazy about Fettuccine Alfredo, the chain will allow you to swap out the fettuccine for spaghetti and the Alfredo sauce for meat sauce.

Speaking of variety, Olive Garden's Create Your Own Pasta is the ideal choice for those who like to mix things up. As the name implies, this dish puts you in charge, allowing you to pick and choose what different components you want for your pasta dish, including pasta, sauce, and toppings.

There are currently four pasta options: rigatoni, angel hair, spaghetti, and gluten-free rotini. There are four sauce options as well: the marinara, five-cheese marinara, creamy mushroom, and meat sauce. For toppings, you can pick from meatballs, Italian sausage, chicken fritta, grilled chicken, sauteed shrimp, and broccoli. (These options do sometimes rotate, so keep that in mind.)

This is a great option for those with food allergies or sensitivities, as it's possible to create pastas that are vegetarian, gluten-free, or dairy-free. The versatility is also fantastic for those who visit Olive Garden often. You can choose a different combination every time, or find your favorite and order it each time you go.

As someone who grew up in the upper midwest, there was a long period of time when Olive Garden was the "nice" restaurant to take your family to. As a result, I've visited Olive Garden a few dozen times. While I haven't sampled everything, I do have my favorites (chicken tortelloni alfredo for the win!). To get more than my opinion, I searched the internet for dishes that people mentioned they order over and over, with a specific focus on entrees — otherwise, we all know the breadsticks would be the winner!