How to Order Vegan at Olive Garden in 2026
Olive Garden is a casual dining chain famous for its Italian-American menu of breadsticks, soups, salads, and pasta. With over 900 locations, it’s everywhere, and it’s one of my go-to spots for a casual dinner with friends and family. Let’s dive into what you can order vegan at Olive Garden right now—and why the chain can do better.
Are Olive Garden’s Breadsticks Vegan?
Olive Garden is known for its soft breadsticks, which are unlimited with the purchase of an entrée. Olive Garden’s breadsticks are vegan and are topped with a delicious garlic spread.
Vegan Soup
Olive Garden’s minestrone soup is vegan and a hearty option packed with fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta in a savory tomato broth. The minestrone is one of the only hearty vegan choices—a clear sign that Olive Garden should add more substantial animal-free soups and entrées.
Vegan Salad at Olive Garden
The house salad at Olive Garden can be made vegan by removing the croutons and choosing oil and vinegar instead of Italian dressing. It would be simple to add a vegan dressing to the menu.
Vegan Sides at Olive Garden
The French fries at Olive Garden are vegan.
The mashed potatoes contain milk, and the asparagus and mixed vegetables are prepared with Parmesan cheese.
Pass on the parmesan: Cows have friends, hold grudges against other cows, and mourn when a loved one dies or when they’re separated from each other.
Vegan Pasta at Olive Garden
Olive Garden’s vegan pasta options are limited, but you can still put together an acceptable meal with a bit of customization.
The spaghetti and marinara entrée is vegan. You can also build your own pasta bowl, pairing any of the following pasta options with marinara sauce:
- Angel Hair
- Fettuccine
- Rigatoni
- Small Shells
- Spaghetti
Pro-tip: Add broccoli to your custom pasta dish.
Desserts
None of the desserts at Olive Garden are vegan because they contain milk and eggs.
Go Egg-Free: Chickens form complex social structures, dream when they sleep, and worry about the future, just as humans do.
Does Olive Garden Have Vegan Wine?
Olive Garden offers some vegan wine options, including brands Cavit and Roscato. To find out if other wines on the Olive Garden menu are vegan, search for them on Barnivore.com.
A dwindling number of wines are filtered with body parts the industry calls “fining agents.” These “filters” sometimes include gelatin from fish bladders (called isinglass), casein (derived from milk), or bone marrow.
Restaurants With Vegan Options Besides Olive Garden
Although I don’t think you can beat Olive Garden’s vegan breadsticks, there are several other large chain restaurants with vegan optHere are some other vegan dishes you might enjoy at Italian-American chain restaurants:
- Buca di Beppo: The spaghetti and marinara is vegan.
- Carrabba’s Italian Grill: Both the spaghetti and the linguine positano are vegan.
- Romano’s Macaroni Grill: Create your own pasta with spaghetti, capellini, penne, fettuccine, or rigatoni, and top it with the imported pomodorina.
Although Olive Garden’s breadsticks are a reliable choice, the company can do way better! Until then, check out our list of chain restaurants with vegan options and the best vegan-friendly restaurants to eat at with friends or family who aren’t vegan… yet.
Text VEG to 73822 to get the latest vegan lifestyle tips, recipes, and urgent action alerts texted right to your phone.
Terms for automated texts/calls from PETA: https://peta.vg/txt. Text STOP to end, HELP for more info. Msg/data rates may apply. U.S. only.
PETA’s teaming up with John Lewis—aka “badass vegan”—to spotlight his bold new vegan brand, Badass Butcher Shop. Feast your eyes on comfort, leveled up.
She was already vegan for animals—but this one shift made all the difference for her health.
There’s no fully vegan burger at Shake Shack, but you still have options—if you know what to ask for.
It’s family night out, and you’ve landed at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse. If you’re a vegan and you’re wondering, “Is there anything here I can actually eat?”, you’ve come to the right place.
