Olive Garden Appetizers: Menu, Prices, Calories & Free Appetizer Deals (2026)
Starters & Shareables
If you’re deciding what to order before the pasta arrives, Olive Garden Appetizers give you plenty to choose from: crispy fried bites, creamy dips, and warm breadsticks made for sharing. This guide walks through every current starter, its calories, what prices people report, and how to get one free.
Explore This Guide
Table of Contents
Our Picks
Best Olive Garden Appetizers to Order
Lasagna Fritta
The most loved starter. Olive Garden’s lasagna fritta provides delicious lasagna flavors and fries them into a crisp, shareable bite, finished with meat sauce. At about 1,130 calories, split it between three or four people.
Best for sharing
Spinach-Artichoke Dip
The Olive Garden spinach artichoke dip is the best pick: warm, creamy, and easy to scoop. It has 1,160 calories, and it is the richest dip, so order one for the table.
Most comforting
Calamari
Calamari Olive Garden style is lightly fried, served with dipping sauces. At 670 calories, it is best lighter fried choices.
Seafood classic
Stuffed Ziti Fritta & Toasted Ravioli
Stuffed Ziti Fritta has the lowest calories at 500, and toasted ravioli is a crunchy bite with marinara.
Lighter hot picks
Meatballs Parmigiana & Fried Mozzarella
Meatballs Parmigiana is the best for meat lovers. Fried Mozzarella is the favorite choice for kids and has 800 calories.
Crowd pleasers
Shrimp Fritto Misto
The Olive Garden shrimp appetizer is the Shrimp Fritto Misto, the priciest and most calorie-dense item on the list at 1,280.
Seafood splurgeMenu Changes
What Happened to the Stuffed Mushrooms?
Many guests still ask about Olive Garden stuffed mushrooms. The cheesy appetizer was discontinued from menus around 2020, and it’s not on today’s list.
Save Money
How to Get a Free Appetizer at Olive Garden
The usual route is the free Olive Garden eClub. New members receive a welcome offer for a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of two adult entrées. Terms can change, so read the email carefully.
Smart Ordering
Tips Before You Order
Olive Garden Appetizers are very amazing, so one or two for a table of four is usually plenty, especially with unlimited breadsticks and soup or salad. If you’re health-conscious, breadsticks, Stuffed Ziti Fritta and Calamari are the lighter choices. Ready to pick a main dish? Browse our Classic Entrees guide, and check Olive Garden hours before you go.
Quick Answers
Olive Garden Appetizers FAQs
What are the most popular Olive Garden appetizers?
How can I get a free appetizer from Olive Garden?
Does Olive Garden still serve stuffed mushrooms?
What is the cheapest appetizer?
Are Olive Garden Appetizers the same price everywhere?
Final Thoughts
The best Olive Garden Appetizers are Lasagna Fritta, Calamari, and Shrimp Fritto Misto. Start with a dip or fritta, add breadsticks, and save room for your entrée. Browse the full menu on our homepage, choose a main from the Classic Entrees page, and confirm times on the Olive Garden hours page.
