OLIVE GARDEN, spaghetti with meat sauce
Whole food · Restaurant Foods
This is a classic Italian-American pasta dish featuring tender spaghetti strands coated in a savory, meaty tomato sauce. The texture is a comforting balance of soft pasta and hearty, ground beef, with a rich, umami-forward flavor profile. Nutritionally, it's a moderate-calorie dish where the protein from the beef helps balance the carbohydrates from the pasta.
💚 Why it's loved
People adore it for its deeply satisfying, savory flavor and the nostalgic comfort it provides. It's a versatile weeknight staple that pairs well with a simple side salad or garlic bread.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The combination of refined pasta and a sweetened tomato sauce can lead to a rapid blood-sugar spike. To counteract this, pair the dish with a large portion of non-starchy vegetables (like a side salad or steamed broccoli) and consider adding extra lean protein to slow digestion. Those monitoring sodium should be aware that restaurant sauces can be high in salt.
Key benefits
- Provides a good source of protein from ground beef
- Contains dietary fiber from the tomato-based sauce
- Offers a satisfying, energy-dense meal
- A familiar comfort food that's easy to portion control
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The 'meat sauce' in many Italian-American dishes is a descendant of the classic Bolognese ragù from Bologna, Italy, which traditionally uses a mix of ground meats and is often simmered for hours.
Full nutrition (scales with serving)
| Water | 72.8 g |
| Energy | 121 kcal |
| Energy | 508 kj |
| Protein | 5.8 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 3.3 g |
| Ash | 0.98 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 17.2 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.7 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.7 g |
| Sucrose | 0.00 g |
| Glucose | 0.75 g |
| Fructose | 0.92 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.00 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Starch | 12.8 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 15.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.0 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 18.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 60.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 164 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 209 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.68 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.10 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.22 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 16.8 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.60 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.09 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.14 mg |
| Niacin | 1.7 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.25 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.10 mg |
| Folate, total | 30.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 15.0 mg |
| Betaine | 501 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.13 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 10.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 112 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 3.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 3.0 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 191 iu |
| Lycopene | 2015 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 132 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.58 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.11 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0.06 mg |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0.33 mg |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 4.3 ug |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (Menaquinone-4) | 0.80 ug |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 1.0 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.05 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.62 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.31 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 24:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.2 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.07 g |
| MUFA 16:1 c | 0.06 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 1.1 g |
| MUFA 18:1 c | 1.1 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.02 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 c | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 24:1 c | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.53 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.47 g |
| PUFA 18:2 n-6 c,c | 0.45 g |
| PUFA 18:2 CLAs | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.04 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 0.04 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3i | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-6 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.06 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 0.06 g |
| TFA 16:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:1 t | 0.05 g |
| TFA 22:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:2 t not further defined | 0.01 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-polyenoic | 0.01 g |
| Cholesterol | 8.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.06 g |
| Threonine | 0.20 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.21 g |
| Leucine | 0.40 g |
| Lysine | 0.23 g |
| Methionine | 0.12 g |
| Cystine | 0.10 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.29 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.14 g |
| Valine | 0.24 g |
| Arginine | 0.29 g |
| Histidine | 0.15 g |
| Alanine | 0.26 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.46 g |
| Glutamic acid | 1.7 g |
| Glycine | 0.24 g |
| Proline | 0.57 g |
| Serine | 0.27 g |
| Hydroxyproline | 0.00 g |
FAQ
Is this the same as Spaghetti Bolognese?
Not exactly. While inspired by it, a typical Italian-American meat sauce is often simpler and quicker than a traditional Italian ragù Bolognese, which is a slow-cooked, complex sauce often containing milk or wine.
Can I make it healthier?
Absolutely. Use whole-wheat or legume-based pasta, increase the ratio of vegetables in the sauce (like finely diced carrots, celery, and mushrooms), and choose extra-lean ground beef or turkey.
Why is the nutrition per 100g so different from a full serving?
The per-100g data is a standardized measure for comparison. A typical serving is much larger (around 300g), so you'd multiply those values by roughly three to get the nutrition for a full plate.