A reader asked, is there “Soy in Olive Garden menu?”
Unfortunately, we haven’t gotten to try to order at an Olive Garden restaurant, but I can make some pretty good educated guesses. First by looking at their allergen guide, you can see that pretty much everything is marked as containing soy. I can’t tell if they subscribe to the “soybean oil isn’t made out of soy“, but considering the sheer number of items that are marked as containing soy, it makes me think that they may be listing items with soybean oil in them also. I would assume, like most Italian Restaurants, they put soybean oil on their cooked pasta to keep it from sticking together. Many Italian Restaurants also end up using soybean oil in their pasta sauces, too.
Because of this information, we’ve never even bothered to darken the door of an Olive Garden because we’re pretty much 100% sure that there will nothing they can eat.
Olive Garden allergen guide (Printed information is valid: 06/01/2015 – 07/05/2015)
I just ate there after “studying” the allergen menu and had salad with “olive oil” and vinegar (which I specified) and broiled chicken Alfredo and before I left an hour and a half later I had to “hit the bathroom” as I started bloating up and by 3 hour later I was cleaned out. Their menu lies ! I had nothing to eat earlier (7 hours). Medical sites call this anaphylaxis in the digestive tract.
11/2022 – Here is a link to their new allergen menu. They do have a soybean oil (FRYER) disclaimer now but the old menu implies that they only use Canola oil.
https://www.olivegarden.com/nutrition/food-allergies
I have a soy allergy and can eat the Chicken Gnocchi Soup with a side salad and vinegar and oil on the side. Just confirm the oil is not soybean oil. I have eaten this several times and it is delicious!
Suppliers and Restaurants, Its such a simple switch, just use: Coconut, Butter or Pure Olive Oil. coconut is very neutral and high heat friendly, Olive Is great on salad, and clarified or not butter can go a long way.
Thats 3 safe oils for whatever you need to create. Ive even use coconut in Italian, saute garlic or onion on the side in Coco Oil
The Olive Garden restaurant in Manassas, VA does use soybean oil. However, they will cook shrimp in olive oil for me to put on my salad (with olive oil and balsamic vinegar as dressing).