High-protein Olive Garden plates: 12 with 25 g or more
12 Olive Garden plates carry at least 25 g of protein at 700 calories or less — each dish with the sides and choices it comes with. Ranked by protein per 100 calories, the Grilled Chicken Margherita, no soup or salad leads at 10.0 g per 100 (65 g for 650 cal), and it is also the most protein in absolute grams. 6 of the 12 clear 40 g.
Source: Olive Garden nutrition guide (official), August 31, 2026 edition · Data refreshed
- 12 plates ≥ 25 g
- 10.0g best protein / 100 cal
- 65g most in one plate
- 30g in a full meal under 500
As of October 2026, the most protein in a complete Olive Garden meal under 500 calories is 30 g, and under 700 it is 65 g (A Grilled Chicken Margherita, no soup or salad, and a Coffee).
The most protein in a complete Olive Garden meal
The extra 200 calories from 500 to 700 buy 35 g more protein at Olive Garden. One plate — a dish with a valid pick for each choice it comes with, never the same row twice — and at most one drink: the MinMax app's meal and the best under the cap, drink included.
Most protein under 500
- Cheese Ravioli with Marinara Sauce (Lighter Portion)440 cal · 25g
- Lavazza Espresso60 cal · 5g
500 of 500 cal · 30 g protein
What to tell your server: “A lighter portion Cheese Ravioli with Marinara Sauce, no soup or salad, and a Lavazza Espresso.”
Get it at the nearest Olive Garden →Most protein under 700
- Grilled Chicken Margherita650 cal · 65g
- Coffee0 cal · 0g
650 of 700 cal · 65 g protein
What to tell your server: “A Grilled Chicken Margherita, no soup or salad, and a Coffee.”
Get it at the nearest Olive Garden →Olive Garden plates with 25 g+ protein, ranked per calorie
One row per dish of 700 calories or less with the sides and choices it comes with, by grams of protein per 100 calories. Sides and sauces are counted inside the plate they come with, never ranked on their own. The median of these 12 plates is 650 calories. Figures as Olive Garden published them, rounded to whole numbers (how we check them).
| # | Dish | Counted with | From | Calories as counted | Protein | Protein / 100 cal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grilled Chicken Margherita | no soup or salad | 650 | 650 | 65g | 10.0g |
| 2 | Spaghetti (Create Your Own Pasta) | marinara and sautéed shrimp, no soup or salad | 490 | 660 | 49g | 7.4g |
| 3 | Herb-Grilled Salmon | no soup or salad | 610 | 610 | 45g | 7.4g |
| 4 | Angel Hair (Create Your Own Pasta) | marinara and sautéed shrimp, no soup or salad | 500 | 670 | 49g | 7.3g |
| 5 | Gluten-Free Rotini (Create Your Own Pasta) | marinara and sautéed shrimp, no soup or salad | 530 | 700 | 46g | 6.6g |
| 6 | Bucatini (Create Your Own Pasta) | marinara and grilled chicken, no soup or salad | 560 | 690 | 45g | 6.5g |
| 7 | Shrimp Scampi | pasta fagioli soup | 490 | 640 | 37g | 5.8g |
| 8 | Chicken Parmigiana (Lighter Portion) | no soup or salad | 630 | 630 | 36g | 5.7g |
| 9 | Cheese Ravioli with Meat Sauce (Lighter Portion) | pasta fagioli soup | 500 | 650 | 37g | 5.7g |
| 10 | Lasagna Classico (Lighter Portion) | pasta fagioli soup | 500 | 650 | 37g | 5.7g |
| 11 | Cheese Ravioli with Marinara Sauce (Lighter Portion) | chicken & gnocchi soup | 440 | 670 | 36g | 5.4g |
| 12 | Spaghetti with Meat Sauce | no soup or salad | 640 | 640 | 26g | 4.1g |
Build a high-protein Olive Garden plate under your own cap → Ranked by protein, any cap from 200 to 1,500.
Eat at Olive Garden without blowing your cap
MinMax finds the best Olive Garden meal under your calorie goal — at the location nearest you — and lets you swap items to hit your protein. Free on iPhone.
Download MinMax — free What the app doesMore at Olive Garden
- Olive Garden calories & nutrition (167 items listed)
- Olive Garden under 600 calories (10 plates)
- Olive Garden under 800 calories (19 plates)
- Olive Garden under 1,000 calories (25 plates)
- Olive Garden under 1,200 calories (35 plates)
- Olive Garden calorie calculator (build a plate under your cap)
High-protein orders at other chains
3 other sit-down chains count a dish with its sides too. At the counter chains, see which chain gives the most protein under 500 calories and fast food under 500 calories.