Olive Garden Salad

Olive Garden Salad is easy to make at home with the BEST copycat Italian dressing! This zesty side dish is fresh and crisp, just like the restaurant version.

Prep Time25

Total Time25

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 347kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Salad

8 cups chopped Lettuce
¼ cup red cabbage shredded
¼ cup Carrots julienne
¼ cup Red onion
½ cup black olives
2 roma tomatoes sliced
1/3 cup pepperoncinis
1 cup croutons
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Dressing

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil I prefer smooth over robust if given the option
1 (.7 oz.) packet Zesty Italian Dressing Mix
1/3 cup white vinegar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese can sub Parmesan
3 teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons mayo not miracle whip
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, salt
¼ teaspoon EACH: pepper, garlic powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the dressing ingredients in a mini food processor or in a jar with a lid. Blend/shake well to combine and emulsify. Cover and refrigerate.
Prepare salad ingredients. Use a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture from the sliced tomatoes to keep things fresh and crisp.
Set dressing, croutons, and Parmesan cheese aside and combine remaining salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
Drizzle with desired amount of salad dressing and toss to combine. (You won't need all of the dressing.) Sprinkle with croutons and Parmesan cheese and serve!
This pairs perfectly with my Olive Garden Alfredo!

Notes

Pro Tips:

Lettuce: I like to use a combination of iceberg and romaine for this recipe.
Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes are perfect for this recipe. I also like to use cocktail tomatoes, (pictured in this recipe). They are bigger than cherry tomatoes and smaller than slicer tomatoes, perfect for serving on salads.
Pepperoncini Peppers:These are jarred and are found where the pickles and olives are.
Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated cheese is definitely best here. I grate mine from a wedge of Belgioioso. I use the same brand for the Romano in the dressing.
Dressing: This recipe makes 1 ½ cups of dressing. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It makes a fantastic marinade for chicken, especially in my Copycat Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken Recipe!
Olive Oil for Dressing: Extra Virgin Olive Oil is best for this dressing. I prefer varieties that are smooth, I find robust to be a little too overpowering.
Note: If your leftover dressing solidifies during storage: Let it sit at room temperature until it liquifies, then shake to combine and serve.
Mix just before serving: This recipe needs to be combined just before serving to ensure it's crisp and fresh!

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition