It seems like Christmas has come early for Olive Garden fans as the restaurant has announced the return of two of its most iconic pasta dishes: the Braised Beef Tortelloni and Ravioli di Portobello. The Italian chain, known for its generous portions and hearty menu options, made the announcement on Instagram, where the team said “thousands” of customers had requested the return of the discontinued items. However, there is a catch: the dishes are only being brought back for a limited amount of time.
“You asked and we listened. For a limited time, these fan faves are back!” Olive Garden wrote in the Instagram post. The post didn’t specify how long the pastas would stay on the menu, but a representative told Tasting Table that they would be sticking around until March 22. “Their return follows thousands of fans requesting the dishes be brought back, including seven Change.org petitions,” says Brittany Baron, Olive Garden’s Director of Brand Communications.
In case you didn’t get to try them previously, the Braised Beef Tortelloni is filled with tender slices of slow-braised beef, roasted mushrooms, and asiago before being tossed in a creamy marsala sauce, and the Ravioli di Portobello consists of a portobello mushroom-filled ravioli in a sun-dried tomato sauce. Each dish comes with a soup or salad and the famous Olive Garden breadsticks.
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Free Olive Garden meals
the Braised Beef Tortelloni and Ravioli di Portobello in white dishes on a table at Olive Garden – Olive Garden
Fans can’t seem to contain their excitement, with many already making their way to Olive Garden to get a hold of the dishes. One Reddit user said her husband “almost cried” when he tasted the ravioli again, while another said, “The portobello ravioli is the BEST thing on the menu.” The enthusiasm for the tortelloni is just as high. A Facebook user described the dish as “little pillows of heaven”, while a customer who commented on Olive Garden’s Instagram post said, “Be right back, crying happy tears for braised beef.”
The news also gets better. If you were one of the die-hards who signed a petition or contacted Olive Garden about either of the dishes, you can also claim one for free. “To celebrate the fans whose voices and passion made this happen, Olive Garden is gifting a free entree to everyone who signed a petition or contacted their guest relations team asking for these dishes to return,” Baron said.
If you can’t get to an Olive Garden in time to try the pastas, you can get them delivered, and there are multiple copycat recipes available online. However, you probably can’t recreate the unlimited breadsticks very easily, so it might be worth a trip — especially if you have a free dish coming your way.
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Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Dining and Cooking