Gluten Free Review of Carrabba’s Italian Grill

I used to think that Carrabba’s was a solid choice for gluten free Italian if you weren’t in the mood for pasta, and you also like to eat meat. But, Carrabba’s has recently changed their gluten free pasta and now there are MORE gluten options to enjoy.

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Here Are a Few of My Favorite Things

But back to the meat thing for one moment…The gluten free entrées do all revolve around meat. However, the Chicken Bryan is delicious. It’s hard to beat the combination of goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and lemon butter sauce that tops this chicken. Better yet, I have celiacs and I’ve eaten Carrabba’s many times without tummy issues.  

Though I love the Chicken Bryan, it’s pretty exciting to enjoy some pasta options now that they’ve changed to a delicious gluten free bow tie pasta instead of the thick, kinda gummy/ card boardy noodles they used to have. Delicious right?! The old noodles also absorbed a ton of sauce, which Carrabba’s must not have compensated for because their pasta dishes ended up being pretty dry. 

Thankfully, you can now substitute the pasta in their regular pasta dishes with their new gluten free bow tie pasta. I just love their Positano with Chicken. This dish includes crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and basil, and is pictured below.

What’s your favorite gluten free option from Carrabba’s?! Let me know in the comments.

Always Beware of the Stray Gluten Noodle When Eating Italian

I’ve been glutened one too many times while eating pasta at restaurants. This hasn’t happened at Carrabba’s in particular, but enough at other chain Italian restaurants (I’m looking at you, Brio and Olive Garden) that I wouldn’t risk it unless you thoroughly question the waiter/manager/cook about cross contamination precautions and are satisfied that it’s safe. I’ve done this at Carrabba’s and been assured that they use different pasta pots and water for their gluten free noodles. But always, ALWAYS ask and make them aware that it isn’t just a preference, its celiac or an allergy or fill in the blank that you are dealing with.

A lot of restaurants who claim to make gluten free or “gluten friendly” pasta (that dreaded phrase!!) will often reuse the same pasta water from their regular full-of-gluten-noodles to make their “gluten free” noodles! Crazy, right!? A random stray gluten noodle in the middle of the dish is a dead giveaway, but often by the time you’d spot it, it’s already too late. 

For making your own pasta at home, I whole-heartedly recommend Jovial pasta. The texture is so similar to regular pasta and it comes in soo many different kinds.

Check out Jovial’s variety pasta pack on Amazon here.

Also, did you know it’s good to switch out your pots and pans when you go gluten free to prevent cross contamination? I got some Green Pans for Christmas and really like them.

My Gluten Free Food Hater Mom Loves Carrabba’s Gluten Free Dishes

My mom, who is a huge baby about eating anything gluten free—like it makes her physically ill or something, can you imagine?—always gets Carrabba’s Chicken Marsala. The Chicken Marsala on the gluten free menu is the exact same as it is on their regular menu. 

In fact, all of the entrees on the gluten free menu are the exact same as their counter-parts on their regular menu. This is pretty cool as you don’t have to remember to make any modifications when ordering your meal to make sure that you get the gluten free Chicken Bryan or the gluten free Chicken Marsala. Though I’d still give them a heads up its for a gluten allergy/celiac.

You Could Even Make a Four Course Meal Out of It

I give major props to any restaurant whose gluten free menu is in-depth enough that you can make a four course meal out of it. In addition to the numerous gluten free entrees, Carrabba’s  also offers four gluten free salads, two gluten free soups, a tomato caprese appetizer, and two gluten free desserts, wowza. 

I feel like this variety is especially important when dining out with a bigger party as you can feel included at each stage of the meal. It’s never fun sitting out while everyone else is eating :(.

The desserts are just basically vanilla ice cream with either raspberry, or caramel and pecan toppings, but still, its nice to have any dessert option at all when following a gluten free diet. 

A Crowd Pleasing Gluten Free Catering Option

Carrabba’s even caters! It’s a great option to have in your arsenal for pleasing a picky, diet restricted crown. They even saved Christmas for us last year 😉

HOW CARRABBA’S SAVED CHRISTMAS

‘Twas maybe a week before Christmas, and on my husband’s side,

It was decided that not to our usual Italian joint would we ride.

Last year, three meals came out 15 minutes after the rest,

And it was thought by a few that maybe this place was not best.

What?! Break tradition!? Someone cried aghast,

But where will we go??? Each idea was worst than the last.

Nowhere over the river! Someone said with a shiver, 

Maybe we can find a someplace good to deliver? 

It was decided catering was the way to go, 

Let’s have fun at someone’s house instead, ho, Ho, HO, HO!!!

We need to make sure there’s something for Kyle to eat!

What should we get? My SIL asks me oh so sweet.

It was nice to be asked, I like to eat after all,

But I hadn’t anticipated an order so tall!

Adults, kids, picky eaters, gluten fee options, dairy free as well,

I think I’ve just entered catering hell!!!!

I searched Google, asked Facebook, my parents’ chef friend too,

Some ideas too adventurous, others too casual—no better than food at the zoo, 

Not an idea was stirring,

My brain completely whirlling. 

I bounced ideas off my SIL,

But not one sounded jussssst right until, 

Carrabbas!!! It hit me one night before bed, 

That’s what will make us all happy and fed! 

Tuscan Grilled Chicken, Sautéed Broccoli, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, 

Italian Salad, and Penne Pomodoro with Meatballs (which I couldn’t eat), 

But everything else—I could, oh what a treat! 

Christmas was saved and everyone seemed happy, 

And better yet, my stomach didn’t feel crappy!! 

Mic Drop

If you want more awesome poems about being gluten free and dealing with family during the holidays, then I’ll have to think of some! In the meantime, if you want the best gluten free food reviews and tips like these, as well as a heads up on new blog posts that matter to you, then subscribe to my newsletter below and get more Gluten Free Gopher in your life!

If you want more info about Carrabba’s, check out their menu here. And don’t forget to let me know your favorite gluten free option from Carrabba’s in the comments!