There are so many reasons to go to Olive Garden: The unlimited breadsticks, the endless soup and salad, the rich, saucy pasta, which can also come on repeat. Delicious, unlimited food is the name of Olive Garden’s game, and we couldn’t love it any more than we already do. Or so we thought.
There’s a secret menu salad option that you may not be aware of, and it’s a game changer. Everyone knows that Olive Garden’s salad — full of fresh veggies, crispy croutons, grated cheese, and drizzled with the iconic Italian dressing — is elite. But you can level-up your salad in ways you probably never dreamed of. If you’re not in the mood for pasta or want to keep your meal on the lighter side but are looking for protein, you probably know that adding a side of grilled chicken to your salad is an option.
But why not get a little creative? You’re at Olive Garden, after all, which means you are family, and you don’t judge your own family. So, consider that you can also order your Olive Garden salad topped with chicken parmigiana (which we listed among the absolute best dishes to order at Olive Garden), shrimp fritto misto, or any number of other protein options. Just imagine a saucy, cheesy chicken cutlet or salty, crunchy fried shrimp over a bed of cold, crunchy, juicy veggies. Intriguing, right? But how do you order these different secret salad upgrades?
How to order Olive Garden’s secret menu salad options
To order chicken parmigiana sans pasta to add to your Olive Garden salad, all you have to do, according to Reddit, is ask for a “side chicken parmigiana,” which apparently gets you one piece of breaded chicken topped with sauce and cheese, the perfect portion for your salad. A side portion of chicken parmigiana should be cheaper than a full entree, though it’s not on the menu (it wouldn’t be a secret menu hack if it were), so its availability may depend on your location.
If chicken parm over salad doesn’t appeal, you could order the shrimp fritto misto — a crispy combination of fried shrimp, bell peppers, and onions — to go over your salad. This might involve paying for a whole appetizer portion, but it could be worth it for the taste and texture combination. If going the appetizer route, you could get really bold and order fried calamari or fried mozzarella and dump that on your salad. There are no rules.
Or ask for a piece of grilled salmon to top your salad, since there is a salmon entree on the menu. But if you’re cost-conscious, there are protein options other than grilled chicken as sides that could work on a salad. Why not try meatballs or Italian sausage, which land somewhere between $3 and $5? A saucy meat or a crispy, fried protein portion top of an Olive Garden salad sounds like a filling tasty addition. Just don’t put eggplant parmigiana on your salad — we ranked it the worst Olive Garden entree that isn’t pasta.
