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When you think of big, national restaurant franchises, fresh, scratch-made food probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. For the sake of efficiency and consistency, it's no secret that many big name restaurant chains rely heavily on pre-made food that arrives at each location frozen and is merely microwaved to order. It wouldn't be unreasonable to guess that Olive Garden, the massive Italian-American restaurant chain with over 900 locations, follows a similar process. But by most accounts, the majority of items on Olive Garden's menu are made in-house, from scratch, on a daily basis — including its signature soups.
Many of us are pretty accustomed to eating soup that comes from a can, and would probably agree that canned soup doesn't have quite the same ick factor as, say, an entire chicken fajita meal defrosted in the microwave and dumped onto a plate. But despite the fact that restaurants might be better able to pass off premade soup as fresh than some other dishes, soup is evidently not an area where Olive Garden is slacking.
According to numerous Olive Garden marketing materials, the soups (as well as the sauces) are made fresh in-house each day — and the testimony of several purported Olive Garden employees on social media backs this up. So, if you're suddenly craving a bowl of pasta e fa*gioli, we don't blame you.
On itsmenus, Olive Garden describes the soups as "homemade" and regularly claims that its many soups and sauces are made "the Italian way" — by hand, in house, on a daily basis. The brand has posted videos of the inner workings of an OG kitchen, where viewers can clearly see chefs cooking with fresh ingredients. Being the frequent butt of jokes for itsless-than-traditional take on Tuscan fare, it's debatable if Olive Garden is actually cooking anything "the Italian way," per se. But there's decent evidence that its soups, authentic or not, are indeed made fresh daily.
It's been reported, based on the testimony of an anonymous representative of the brand who spoke to PopSugar, that all soups "are made by hand and from scratch every morning using fresh, whole ingredients such as kale, peppers, and squash."Additionally, alleged Olive Garden employees have shared detailed descriptions online of how things work in the kitchens and how the soups, in particular, are made. According to one self-identified server on Quora, "a large vat of each flavor is started very early in the morning, then vacuum sealed in large bags and kept in a warmer until needed. This keeps it warm and fresh without burning/overcooking."
The Real Deal...probably
One Redditor, supposedly a former Olive Garden general manager, affirmed that the soups are made in house, and offered some additional insight: Individual ingredients, like the sausage that goes in the Zuppa Toscana, may arrive frozen or, in the case of vegetables, pre-chopped, but the actual cooking happens onsite. (Of course, it's always worth taking anonymous social media posts with a grain of salt, but this particular poster's credibility is bolstered by the fact that they were able to share specific recipes for numerous Olive Garden dishes.) Other supposed Olive Garden employees have gone on Reddit to say similar things, vouching that the majority of dishes, including the signature salad and soups, are made in-house, with the one universally agreed upon exception being the desserts, which arrive frozen.
Regardless of how you personally rate the quality of Olive Garden's soups, you can't deny that the Italian-inspired chain hits the mark in terms of quantity, thanks to its famous Never Ending Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks deal. Next time you sit down for a bowl (or two, or seven) of minestrone (which happens to be vegan, by the way), rest assured that it was most likely made fresh that same day.
It wouldn't be unreasonable to guess that Olive Garden, the massive Italian-American restaurant chain with over 900 locations, follows a similar process. But by most accounts, the majority of items on Olive Garden's menu are made in-house, from scratch, on a daily basis — including its signature soups.
Our soup and sauce masters create dishes by hand and from scratch, every day. With fresh, whole ingredients like kale, peppers and squash. Because they know cooking that way – the Italian way- everything tastes better. to everything they make.
"All of Olive Garden's signature soups — Pasta e fa*gioli, Chicken & Gnocchi, Zuppa Toscana, and Minestrone — are made by hand and from scratch every morning using fresh, whole ingredients such as kale, peppers, and squash," a representative for OG told Popsugar.
Another signature item at Olive Garden is a bowl of their soup. You can choose from options like Zuppa Toscana, Chicken and Gnocchi, and Pasta fa*gioli, but Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN suggests the Minestrone if you want something on the healthier side.
Chicken & Gnocchi - A creamy soup made with roasted chicken, traditional Italian dumplings and spinach. Pasta e fa*gioli - White and red beans, ground beef, fresh tomatoes and tubetti pasta in a savory broth. Minestrone (V) - Fresh vegetables, beans and pasta in a light tomato broth - a vegan classic.
It wouldn't be unreasonable to guess that Olive Garden, the massive Italian-American restaurant chain with over 900 locations, follows a similar process. But by most accounts, the majority of items on Olive Garden's menu are made in-house, from scratch, on a daily basis — including its signature soups.
Our food recipes do not use added MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) and, based on information from our suppliers, MSG is not added to any of the ingredients we use. However, certain foods and ingredients naturally contain glutamate or glutamic acid (such as tomatoes, milk, cheese, mushrooms and certain yeasts and proteins).
Refrigerator: Let the Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana soup cool to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container. Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freezer: Let the soup cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe airtight container. Good for up to 3 months.
While canned soups can be a convenient meal option, it's important to be mindful of their nutritional aspects. Making healthier choices by selecting low-sodium, low-fat, and organic options, adding fresh or frozen vegetables, and opting for BPA-free cans can enhance the nutritional quality of canned soups.
And Walsh agrees, “Clam chowder is one of the worst soups a person can eat. It's high in fat, calories and sodium.” There is 180 calories in a cup of clam chowder. The macronutrient breakdown in a cup of clam chowder is 20 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein.
18.79. Try any one of our four soups made from scratch! Chicken & Gnocchi: A creamy soup made with roasted chicken, traditional Italian dumplings and spinach. Pasta e fa*gioli: White and red beans, ground beef, tomatoes and pasta in a savory broth.
Italian for “pasta and beans,” Pasta fa*gioli should also translate to “best soup.” A hearty combination of pantry staples, veggies, beans, and ground beef, the flavor and satisfaction level far exceed the humble ingredients.
While Olive Garden does make a real effort to serve freshly prepared foods whenever possible, some menu items are indeed frozen. On Reddit, a former staff member claimed, "the food is mostly frozen," including "all of the desserts" the restaurant serves.
The ingredients are simple: a blend of cream, milk, and butter all come together with flour to create the base, then garlic is added along with Parmesan and Romano cheeses to get that hearty Italian flavor that seems to keep customers coming back.
So, although Olive Garden's pasta isn't entirely made fresh to order, it is cooked fresh that day and it never sees the inside of a freezer or microwave. The restaurant uses the same process for its sauces and soups.
Zuppa toscana ( lit. 'Tuscan soup'), also known in Italy as minestra di pane ( lit. 'bread soup'), is a soup from the region of Tuscany, northern Italy. While there are many variations, its most common ingredients are cannellini beans, potatoes, and kale.
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