Olive Garden is a popular Italian-American restaurant chain known for its unlimited salad and breadsticks. One of Olive Garden’s most iconic menu items is their meatballs, which come in a variety of dishes like spaghetti and meatballs, meatball sliders, and meatball soup. But what exactly are Olive Garden’s meatballs made of?
The Main Ingredient in Olive Garden Meatballs is Beef
The primary ingredient in Olive Garden’s meatballs is ground beef. According to the Olive Garden website, their meatballs are made with a blend of ground beef and Italian sausage. So while beef is the main component, Olive Garden’s meatballs are not 100% pure beef.
On their nutritional information page, Olive Garden specifies that their meatballs contain both beef and pork for the sausage component. So in summary, Olive Garden’s traditional Italian-style meatballs are made from a mix of ground beef, pork, and seasonings.
Olive Garden Uses Lean Beef and Pork in Their Meatball Recipe
The beef and pork used in Olive Garden’s meatballs are specifically lean cuts. By using lean ground beef and pork, the meatballs have a lower fat and calorie content than they would if made with higher-fat meats.
According to Olive Garden’s nutrition facts, a standard meatball that is 2.5 oz contains 180 calories, 9g of total fat, and 470mg of sodium. The lean beef and pork help keep the saturated fat content relatively low at 3.5g per meatball.
Olive Garden likely uses lean beef and pork not only for nutritional reasons, but also because lean meats tend to be easier to form into balls compared to fattier cuts.
Seasonings and Fillers Also Used in Meatball Recipe
In addition to lean beef and pork, Olive Garden’s meatballs contain some other ingredients to add flavor and bind the meatball mixture together.
Some of the other ingredients likely used in their meatball recipe include:
- Breadcrumbs
- Eggs
- Parsley
- Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion
- Romano cheese
- Dried milk
The breadcrumbs and eggs act as binders to help the meatballs hold their shape. The eggs also provide added protein and nutrients. The herbs, spices, onion, and Romano cheese give the meatballs an authentic Italian flavor.
Olive Garden has not published their exact meatball recipe, but they have confirmed that each meatball contains a proprietary blend of seasonings.
Meatball Ingredients May Vary Between Dishes
While the core ingredients of Olive Garden’s meatballs include beef, pork, and Italian seasonings, the specific recipe may vary somewhat depending on the dish.
For example, the meatballs used in their Braised Beef and Tortelloni feature beef and pork, but also include pancetta and wine in the recipe. The meatballs in their meatball soup also contain beef and pork, but have an added touch of parmesan cheese.
So while all of Olive Garden’s meatballs contain ground beef as the first ingredient, the supplemental ingredients added during prep may result in slight recipe variations between dishes.
Nutritional Profile of Olive Garden’s Meatballs
Here is the basic nutritional profile for a standard Olive Garden meatball:
| Calories | 180 |
| Total Fat | 9g |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 55mg |
| Sodium | 470mg |
| Carbohydrates | 5g |
| Fiber | 0g |
| Sugar | 0g |
| Protein | 15g |
As you can see, while Olive Garden’s meatballs are high in protein thanks to the beef and pork, they are also relatively high in saturated fat and sodium compared to meatballs made from leaner meats.
Olive Garden Meatballs Contain Allergens
Since Olive Garden’s meatballs contain dairy ingredients like Romano cheese and breadcrumbs made with milk, they do contain some common food allergens.
People with dairy/milk, wheat, or egg allergies should take caution when consuming Olive Garden meatballs.
The meatballs also contain pork, so they are not suitable for diners who avoid pork for religious or dietary reasons.
Preparation Methods for Olive Garden Meatballs
Olive Garden likely forms their meatballs by hand, a technique that allows the proportions of beef, pork, and seasoning to be closely controlled.
The meat mixture is lightly formed into balls, without over-mixing or compressing the meat too firmly. Keeping the meatballs shapely but loose results in a tender texture after cooking.
Olive Garden then cooks the meatballs using either pan-frying, boiling, or braising depending on the dish. Pan frying provides an outer sear while keeping the interior moist. Boiling results in evenly cooked meatballs poached in flavorful broth. Braising also deeply seasons the meatballs and keeps them tender.
Where to Buy Similar Meatballs
While the exact recipe for Olive Garden’s meatballs is proprietary, you can purchase similar Italian-style beef meatballs from your local grocery store or online.
Some options for buying pre-made meatballs include:
- Frozen meatballs from brands like Bertolli, Rosetto, or Cooked Perfect
- Fresh meatballs from the meat department or deli counter at your grocery store
- Precooked, frozen meatballs on Amazon or online retailers
- Jarred, pre-cooked meatballs on Amazon or grocery stores
You can also easily make Italian meatballs at home with just ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, and Italian herbs and spices.
Olive Garden Meatball Recipes to Try at Home
If you want to recreate the magic of Olive Garden’s meatballs, here are some top-rated copycat recipes to try at home:
Authentic Italian Meatballs
This recipe from Chef John Folse replicates the savory Italian-American flavor of Olive Garden meatballs. It uses a blend of ground beef, pork, breadcrumbs, parmesan, eggs, and spices.
Olive Garden Meatball Copycat
This copycat recipe from Dinner Then Dessert replicates the Olive Garden meatball seasoning blend. The recipe uses onion, garlic, basil, parsley, pepper, parsley, eggs, and milk.
Easy Baked Italian Meatballs
This simple baked meatball recipe from Damn Delicious only requires beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, and Italian seasoning. The meatballs bake up tender in the oven.
Olive Garden Meatball Soup
This Olive Garden copycat recipe from Recipe Diaries shows how to make meatballs in the slow cooker for a creamy, hearty soup full of vegetables, pasta and tender meatballs.
Conclusion
So in summary, the main ingredient in Olive Garden’s meatballs is lean ground beef, with supplemental pork for added fat and flavor. The meatballs also contain breadcrumbs, cheese, eggs, and Italian herbs and spices to make them savory. While the exact recipe is a secret, you can get very close by either purchasing high-quality frozen meatballs or making them easily at home.