Olive Garden Appetizers Menu: Prices, Calories & What to Order
Every current starter — from Fried Mozzarella to the new Calabrian Hot Honey Chicken Bites — broken down by price, calories, and who it’s best for, so you can order with a plan before the breadsticks even arrive.
The order pad
What’s on the Appetizer Menu
Calabrian Hot Honey Chicken Bites
Crispy chicken bites coated in sweet-and-spicy Calabrian hot honey sauce, served with ranch. Olive Garden’s newest Calabrian-inspired addition.
Fried Mozzarella
Breaded, fried mozzarella served with marinara. The simplest, most familiar starter on the menu — easy to split at any table.
Stuffed Ziti Fritta
Pasta turned appetizer: ziti filled with five cheeses, served with marinara and Alfredo. The lightest of the substantial fried starters.
Calamari
Lightly breaded and fried, served with marinara and spicy ranch. Considerably lower calorie than the Shrimp Fritto Misto.
Meatballs Parmigiana
Five meatballs baked in marinara, topped with melted Italian cheeses and toasted breadcrumbs. A substantial, easy-to-share starter.
Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Warm spinach, artichoke, and cheese dip with flatbread crisps. Best treated as a table starter, not a personal snack.
Lasagna Fritta
Parmesan-breaded lasagna served with Alfredo plus a choice of marinara or meat sauce (pan-seared beef and Italian sausage).
Shrimp Fritto Misto
More than a half-pound of shrimp with onions and bell peppers, hand-breaded and fried, served with marinara and spicy ranch.
Toasted Ravioli
Lightly fried ravioli filled with seasoned beef, served with marinara. A moderate option next to the heavier cheese dips.
Breadsticks & Dipping Sauces
140 calories per breadstick. Sauces range from Marinara (70 cal) up to Large Alfredo (870 cal) — the sauce, not the breadstick, drives the total.
Decision guide
Which Appetizer Is Best?
There’s no single “best” — it depends what you’re optimizing for.
Best for sharing
Stuffed Ziti Fritta — cheesy, crispy, two sauces, and at 500 calories it’s lighter than the other fried starters.
Best seafood starter
Calamari — 670 calories before sauces, far lower than Shrimp Fritto Misto’s 1,280.
Best sweet-and-spicy
Calabrian Hot Honey Chicken Bites — crispy chicken, hot honey, Calabrian pepper, and ranch. A different flavor profile from the classics.
Best for cheese lovers
Fried Mozzarella — crispy cheese plus marinara, uncomplicated and easy to share.
Best pasta-style pick
Stuffed Ziti Fritta for a lighter option, or Lasagna Fritta if you want something richer and heavier.
Ranked
Lowest-Calorie Appetizers
Figures are for the listed appetizer portion and don’t include every optional dipping sauce.
Pricing & sharing
How Much Do Appetizers Cost — and Are They Good for Sharing?
There’s no single nationwide price: Olive Garden sets menu pricing by location, so always select your restaurant online before treating any figure here as final. One selected location currently shows Fried Mozzarella at $9.29, Stuffed Ziti Fritta at $9.49, Calamari at $12.49, Meatballs Parmigiana at $11.49, and Shrimp Fritto Misto at $13.49 — other locations can run higher.
Most appetizers are built for a table rather than one person. Splitting a 1,280-calorie Shrimp Fritto Misto four ways works out to roughly 320 calories per person, before dipping sauces — a math exercise based on the published nutrition figure, not an official serving size. Good sharing picks: Stuffed Ziti Fritta, Fried Mozzarella, Calamari, Lasagna Fritta, Spinach-Artichoke Dip, Shrimp Fritto Misto, and Meatballs Parmigiana.
Before you order
Allergies, Vegetarian & Gluten-Free Notes
Olive Garden publishes an official allergen guide and flags certain preparation methods with cross-contact risk — always tell your server about a food allergy or intolerance rather than relying on a menu description alone. Not every ingredient appears on the regular menu.
Vegetarian: breadsticks and some dipping sauces carry Olive Garden’s vegetarian designation, but don’t assume by default — Toasted Ravioli is filled with seasoned beef, and Lasagna Fritta can be served with meat sauce.
Gluten-free: most of the fried starters (Fried Mozzarella, Stuffed Ziti Fritta, Calamari, Lasagna Fritta, Toasted Ravioli) are breaded or contain pasta. For celiac disease or a significant gluten allergy, check Olive Garden’s current gluten-sensitive menu and allergen guide and speak with your server first.
Ordering smart
Choosing an Appetizer on a Budget
- For two people: pick one shareable appetizer instead of two individual starters.
- For a larger table: a substantial option like Shrimp Fritto Misto or Spinach-Artichoke Dip makes more sense split several ways.
- For a smaller spend: compare the local price of Stuffed Ziti Fritta, Fried Mozzarella, and Toasted Ravioli.
- If breadsticks are already enough: you may not need a separate appetizer at all.
- If calories matter: compare the whole dish including sauce, not just the number attached to the appetizer itself.
Regular entrées already come with Olive Garden’s never-ending soup or salad and breadsticks — appetizers are always a separate add-on, so factor that in before ordering an extra starter. Online ordering for pickup and delivery is available, though options vary by restaurant.
Quick answers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest appetizer at Olive Garden?
What is the lowest-calorie Olive Garden appetizer?
What is the highest-calorie Olive Garden appetizer?
How many meatballs come with Meatballs Parmigiana?
Does Olive Garden still have Calamari?
What sauces come with Olive Garden Calamari?
Does Stuffed Ziti Fritta come with Alfredo sauce?
Is Olive Garden Lasagna Fritta vegetarian?
Does Olive Garden have appetizers under 600 calories?
Do Olive Garden appetizer prices change by location?
Bottom Line
Stuffed Ziti Fritta for a cheesy, lighter pasta bite. Fried Mozzarella for classic comfort food. Calamari for seafood without the calorie spike. Lasagna Fritta for something richer. Shrimp Fritto Misto for a table-sized seafood plate. Calabrian Hot Honey Chicken Bites for sweet-and-spicy heat. Whatever you choose, select your specific Olive Garden location first — pricing is never guaranteed to match nationwide.