Carrabba's Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Carrabba's cooks with: Sauté/finish: extra-virgin olive oil (primary); dressings and red sauces use soybean/canola blend. Frying (calamari, etc.): soybean oil blend. Weighted blend ~80% olive / 20% soybean for most entrées.. Across the 82 menu items we analyzed, it averages 4.0g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of A (Low Risk).
Safest Orders at Carrabba's
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
Cleanest full order: Tomato Caprese with Fresh Burrata + Sparkling Water, 2.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Bread, Herbs and Oil | 0.0g |
| Gelato | 1.0g |
| Italian Sangria | 1.0g |
| Tiramisu | 2.0g |
| Mama Mandola's Sicilian Chicken Soup | 2.0g |
What to Avoid at Carrabba's
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Classics Combination | 12.0g |
| Calamari | 11.0g |
| Zucchini Fritte | 10.0g |
| Kids Chicken Fingers | 10.0g |
| Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes | 9.0g |
Frequently asked
Does Carrabba's use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Carrabba's cooks with: Sauté/finish: extra-virgin olive oil (primary); dressings and red sauces use soybean/canola blend. Frying (calamari, etc.): soybean oil blend. Weighted blend ~80% olive / 20% soybean for most entrées.. Across the 82 menu items we analyzed, it averages 4.0g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of A (Low Risk).
What oil does Carrabba's cook with?
Our research indicates: Sauté/finish: extra-virgin olive oil (primary); dressings and red sauces use soybean/canola blend. Frying (calamari, etc.): soybean oil blend. Weighted blend ~80% olive / 20% soybean for most entrées.. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Carrabba's use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Carrabba's cooks with Sauté/finish: extra-virgin olive oil (primary); dressings and red sauces use soybean/canola blend. Frying (calamari, etc.): soybean oil blend. Weighted blend ~80% olive / 20% soybean for most entrées., not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Carrabba's seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Carrabba's cooks with Sauté/finish: extra-virgin olive oil (primary); dressings and red sauces use soybean/canola blend. Frying (calamari, etc.): soybean oil blend. Weighted blend ~80% olive / 20% soybean for most entrées., which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Carrabba's?
Bread, Herbs and Oil is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Carrabba's, at an estimated 0.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Carrabba's?
Classics Combination is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Carrabba's, at an estimated 12.0g PUFA. Fried items and creamy, mayo-based sauces are usually the heaviest.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils — canola, soybean, sunflower, corn, and similar vegetable oils — are extracted from seeds using high heat and chemical solvents. They are very high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), which are unstable at cooking temperatures and can oxidize easily. Many health-conscious eaters choose to minimize seed oils and prefer foods cooked in beef tallow, butter, coconut oil, or olive oil instead. This page shows estimated PUFA grams per menu item to help you make more informed choices. These are estimates — actual values vary by preparation and location. Curious why people avoid them? Read the evidence.
Compare other chains
Captain D's · Caribou Coffee · Carl's Jr. · Carvel · Casey's · Champs Chicken
See where Carrabba's lands on the full Seed Oil Index, or check which chains cook in real fats on Tallow Watch. Wondering about a specific dish instead? The Is It Seed Oil food guide answers it for 200+ everyday foods, and the distributor oils page covers what independent restaurants fry in.