Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli

If you’ve scrolled past it on the appetizer menu and wondered whether it’s worth ordering, you’re not alone. Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli shows up on plenty of tables, but it doesn’t get nearly as much attention online as the breadsticks or the Alfredo. That’s a shame, because it’s one of the more interesting starters on the menu: crunchy on the outside, soft and cheesy in the middle, and built for dunking in marinara.

Current menu check: Toasted Ravioli is listed from $10.29 and contains about 680 calories. Prices and nutrition can vary by location.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly what’s in Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli, what it tastes like, how many calories you’re looking at, what it typically costs, and how to recreate something close to it in your own kitchen. By the end, you’ll know whether it belongs on your next order, or in your weekend meal rotation at home.

Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli

What Is Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli?

Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli is a breaded, fried appetizer made from cheese-filled ravioli. Instead of boiling the pasta the way you would for a regular ravioli entree, the kitchen coats each piece in a seasoned breadcrumb crust and fries it until the outside turns golden and crisp. The name toasted refers to that crunchy, almost toasted-bread texture on the shell, not to an oven-toasting method, since the dish is fried rather than baked.

It sits in the appetizer and starters section of the menu, usually priced in the $9 to $10 range depending on your location. Our Olive Garden appetizers menu guide tracks current pricing across the entire starter lineup, so it’s worth a look if you want to compare Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli against other options like Stuffed Mushrooms or Calamari before you order. The dish typically arrives as a shareable plate of several pieces, which makes it a popular pick for groups who want something to pass around the table before the entrées land.

This style of fried ravioli actually has roots outside of Olive Garden. It’s a riff on a dish that originated decades ago in St. Louis, where breaded and fried ravioli became a local bar food specialty. Olive Garden’s version takes that same basic idea and gives it an Italian-American restaurant polish, right down to the warm marinara on the side and a light dusting of parmesan on top.

What Is in Olive Garden’s Ravioli? (Toasted Ravioli Ingredients)

The filling itself is fairly simple, but the construction has a few layers that are worth knowing about if you’re curious what makes the texture work. Here’s what typically goes into the dish from the inside out:

  • Pasta shell: Cheese ravioli filled with a ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan blend
  • Coating base: All-purpose flour, beaten eggs, and a splash of milk for the dredge
  • Breading: Italian-seasoned bread crumbs mixed with garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, and thyme
  • Seasoning: Salt and black pepper
  • Frying oil: Vegetable oil
  • Dipping sauce: Warm marinara
  • Garnish: A light dusting of parmesan, and sometimes fresh chopped parsley

Each piece goes through a three-step process: a pass through flour, then an egg wash, then a press into the seasoned crumbs. That sequence is what gives the shell its crackly texture once it hits the hot oil. The cheese filling inside stays soft and a little stretchy, since the ravioli itself only needs a few minutes in the fryer to heat all the way through without overcooking the pasta.

If you have food allergies, the dish typically contains wheat, eggs, milk, gluten, and soy, which rules it out for gluten-sensitive or dairy-free diners. Recipes and suppliers can change over time, so always confirm current allergen details with your server before ordering, especially if you’re managing a serious allergy.

Toasted Ravioli Nutrition Facts

People often assume a fried appetizer this size counts as a light starter. It doesn’t, and the numbers back that up. A full order runs in the neighborhood of the figures below. Always check the official nutrition information or ask your server for the most current numbers, since recipes and portion sizes get updated from time to time.

NutrientApproximate Amount
Calories680
Calories from Fat~280
Total Fat~31g
Saturated Fat~10g
Trans Fat0g
Cholesterol~45mg
Sodium~1,330mg
Total Carbohydrates~69g
Dietary Fiber~4g
Sugar~5g
Protein~25g

That sodium figure is the one to watch. At over 1,300mg, it’s more than half of a typical daily limit packed into a single appetizer. If you’re sharing the plate with two or three other people, the per-person impact is much more reasonable, which is exactly why this dish tends to work best as a table starter rather than a solo order. If you’re eating a full portion on your own before a complete entree, it’s worth treating it as a meal in itself rather than a small bite to tide you over.

Does Toasted Ravioli Come With Sauce?

Yes. Every order comes with a side of warm marinara for dipping, and that sauce is a real part of what makes the dish work rather than just an afterthought. The marinara is tangy and slightly sweet, which cuts through the richness of the fried shell and the cheese filling and keeps each bite from tasting one-note.

Some guests ask their server to swap in a side of alfredo or five-cheese marinara instead, and most locations will accommodate that request, though it may come with a small upcharge depending on the restaurant and region.

What Does Toasted Ravioli Taste Like?

Think of it as a cross between mozzarella sticks and a crispy dumpling. The outside delivers a savory, herby crunch from the Italian breadcrumb coating, and you’ll pick up garlic, oregano, and a touch of black pepper before you even reach the filling. Bite through that shell, and the inside softens into a warm, mild cheese blend that’s creamy rather than gooey, with the ravioli’s pasta edge adding a slightly chewy contrast against the crunchy exterior.

It isn’t spicy, and it isn’t overly rich on its own. The marinara dip is really what rounds out the flavor profile, adding acidity and a touch of sweetness that keeps the dish from feeling heavy bite after bite. If you’ve had fried mozzarella or arancini somewhere else, the overall eating experience is in the same family, just with a pasta wrapper standing in for a straight cheese center.

Is Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli Good?

Based on how often it shows up in repeat orders and online discussion, the answer leans toward yes for most diners, especially anyone who already enjoys fried, cheesy appetizers. A few points tend to come up in feedback, both positive and less so.

What people tend to like:

  • The crunch-to-cheese ratio holds up well, even after the plate sits on the table for a few minutes
  • The marinara pairing is genuinely strong rather than a generic side
  • It’s easy to split among three or four people at the start of a meal
  • It delivers familiar, comforting flavors without being adventurous or risky for picky eaters at the table

What gives some diners pause:

  • It’s calorie- and sodium-dense for an appetizer, which matters if you’re also planning to order a full pasta entree afterward
  • The portion can feel small relative to the price if you’re not sharing it with anyone
  • It’s a fried dish through and through, so if you’re not in the mood for fried food, it won’t surprise you in either direction

If you’re choosing between appetizers, Toasted Ravioli is a safer bet than something more polarizing like calamari or fritto misto, and it travels well as a crowd-pleasing pick for a table that hasn’t agreed on what to order yet.

How to Make Toasted Ravioli Like Olive Garden

You don’t need a restaurant kitchen to get close to this one at home. Here’s a simple version using store-bought cheese ravioli as your base, which keeps the prep time short without sacrificing much on flavor.

What you’ll need:

  • 1 package fresh or frozen cheese ravioli, thawed if frozen
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
  • 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Marinara sauce, warmed, for serving
  • Grated parmesan and chopped parsley, for garnish

Steps:

  1. If you’re using frozen ravioli, boil it for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender, then drain it and pat it completely dry. Skip this step entirely if you’re using fresh ravioli.
  2. Set up three shallow bowls: one with the flour, one with the eggs whisked together with the milk, and one with the bread crumbs mixed with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  3. Dredge each ravioli in the flour first, then dip it in the egg wash, then press it into the seasoned crumbs until it’s fully coated on every side.
  4. Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F.
  5. Fry the ravioli in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once partway through, until golden brown on all sides.
  6. Drain the pieces on a paper towel-lined plate, then sprinkle them with parmesan and parsley while they’re still warm.
  7. Serve immediately with warm marinara on the side for dipping.

For a lighter version, you can air-fry the breaded ravioli at 400°F for about 8 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through, with a light oil spray on each side before cooking. It won’t be a perfect match for the restaurant version, but it gets close while cutting down on the amount of oil involved.

FAQs

What is Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli?

It’s a fried appetizer made from cheese-filled ravioli that’s breaded in seasoned Italian crumbs and fried until crisp, then served with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

What is in toasted ravioli at Olive Garden?

The dish is built from cheese ravioli with a ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan filling, coated in a flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixture seasoned with garlic, onion, and Italian herbs, then fried in vegetable oil and paired with marinara sauce.

Is Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli good?

Most diners who enjoy fried, cheesy appetizers rate it well, particularly when sharing it with others at the table. The main complaints tend to center on portion size for solo diners and the dish’s relatively high sodium and calorie count.

Does Toasted Ravioli come with sauce?

Yes, it’s served with a side of warm marinara sauce. Some locations will let you substitute a different dipping sauce, like alfredo, if you ask.

How many calories are in Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli?

A full order comes in at roughly 650 calories, with around 1,330mg of sodium, so it’s worth treating as a substantial starter rather than a light bite before your main course.

Final Thoughts

Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli isn’t trying to reinvent anything. It’s a comforting, crunchy, cheese-filled appetizer that does exactly what a good starter should do: get the table talking and the appetite going before the main course arrives. Whether you order it on your next visit or try the homemade version above, it’s a solid pick whenever you want something familiar with a little extra crunch.

Planning your next Olive Garden order? Check out the full appetizers menu and pricing to see how Toasted Ravioli stacks up against the rest of the starters before you go.

Maria Conti
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