Copycat Olive Garden Salad
A fresh, crunchy restaurant-style Olive Garden house salad made with iceberg lettuce, romaine, tomatoes, red onion, black olives, pepperoncini, Parmesan cheese, seasoned croutons, and homemade creamy Italian dressing.
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 1 medium head iceberg lettuce chopped
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup black olives sliced or whole
- 6 pepperoncini peppers
- 1 cup seasoned Italian croutons
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For The Homemade Italian Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, oil, water, Parmesan, lemon juice, sugar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Chill the dressing: Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes if time allows.
- Prepare the lettuce: Wash, chop, and thoroughly dry the iceberg and romaine lettuce.
- Prepare the vegetables: Halve the tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion, and drain the black olives and pepperoncini.
- Assemble the salad: Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Add tomatoes, onions, olives, and pepperoncini.
- Add the toppings: Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and seasoned Italian croutons.
- Dress the salad: Add approximately ½ cup Italian dressing and toss gently. Add more dressing as needed.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately while the vegetables are crisp and the croutons are crunchy.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- Use mostly iceberg lettuce for the closest restaurant-style texture.
- Chill the lettuce and dressing before serving.
- Add croutons immediately before serving.
- Use whole pepperoncini for a more traditional presentation.
- The dressing recipe makes more than you may need for one salad. Store the remaining dressing in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- For a quicker version, substitute bottled Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing.
- This is an original homemade interpretation, not Olive Garden's official recipe.
Estimated Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1/6 of the salad with approximately 1/6 of the prepared dressing| Nutrient | Estimated Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 300 kcal |
| Total Fat | 27 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 13 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Sodium | 700 mg |
| Nutrition values are approximate and will vary based on the brands of mayonnaise, croutons, cheese, pepperoncini, and the amount of dressing used. The estimate assumes the full dressing batch is divided among six servings. |