Learn how to recreate the famous Olive Garden salad at home, complete with their signature dressing. This easy recipe will have you enjoying your favorite restaurant salad in no time!
Olive Garden Copycat Salad
Enjoy this quick and easy salad anytime. Here, you will find all the tips and tricks for the best-tasting and most authentic Olive Garden Copycat Salad. In fact, I think my version is a little bit of a step up with homemade croutons and fresh dressing. If you like this recipe, try my other Olive Garden copycat recipes, such as pasta e Fagioli, chicken gnocchi soup, chicken alfredo, and zuppa toscana.
Olive Garden Salad Ingredients
To make the dressing, you will need extra virgin olive oil, mayonnaise, white vinegar, lemon juice, granulated sugar, a dry packet of Italian dressing mix (Good Seasons), and black pepper.
For the salad, you need garden salad mix, Roma or Campari tomatoes, whole pepperoncini, black olives, red onion, croutons, and Romano or Parmesan cheese.
How to Make Olive Garden Salad
Add all the salad dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk vigorously. Alternatively, add the ingredients to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake robustly.
Then, add the garden salad mix, sliced tomatoes, whole pepperoncini, black olives, sliced red onions, and homemade croutons to a large serving bowl. Whisk the dressing one more time and drizzle it over the salad. Sprinkle with the cheese and toss to coat.
Recipe Tips
- Make the dressing in advance and store it in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge. It will keep for up to 4 weeks. The olive oil will solidify in the fridge. Just remove it from the fridge for 45 minutes before tossing the salad.
- Olive Garden uses iceberg lettuce mixed with red cabbage and carrots. Other good choices are romaine, leaf lettuce, spinach, and red leaf lettuce.
- When at Olive Garden, I always end up slicing my pepperoncini, so I get a little in each bite. Sliced pepperoncini are available in the grocery store next to the whole ones.
- If you like, Olive Garden sells its brand of croutons seasoned with romano cheese and garlic. I prefer to make my own, but to each his own.
- Campari tomatoes are a great alternative to Roma tomatoes. I find them more consistent and tastier.
- Give your salad a good, healthy helping of tomatoes,
- Olive Garden uses Romano cheese, but I prefer Parmesan cheese. Romano is made from sheep’s milk, while Parmesan is made from cow’s milk.
Storage
This salad is best enjoyed after it is tossed with the dressing. You can arrange the salad portion of this recipe up to 12 hours in advance. But do not add the crouton, cheese, or dressing. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve. When ready to serve, sprinkle with the croutons and the cheese, drizzle with the dressing, and toss to coat.
More Salad Recipes
Olive Garden Copycat Salad
Ingredients
Olive Garden Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian dressing mix from a dry packet like Good Seasons
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Olive Garden Salad
- 24 ounces garden salad mix
- 4 Roma tomatoes slices substitute Campari tomatoes
- 1 cup whole pepperoncini
- 1 cup large black olives
- 1/2 cup red onion thinly slices
- 1 cup croutons
- 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese substitute Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, mayonnaise, white vinegar, lemon juice, granulated sugar, Italian dressing mix, and black pepper to a bowl and whisk vigorously. If you prefer, you can add the salad dressing ingredients to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake robustly.
- Add the garden salad mix, sliced tomatoes, whole pepperoncini, black olives, sliced red onions, and homemade croutons to a large serving bowl.
- Whisk the dressing again, and drizzle it over the salad. Sprinkle with the cheese and toss to coat.
Nutrition
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Harold
This was an awesome salad recipe. Absolutely loved it. Saving the recipe to make again soon.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Harold! I am glad that you liked it!
Janina Hadley
Loved every bite of this delicious salad. I served it with your chicken tortellini alfredo for an Olive Garden feast. Next time I am going to try it with your chicken gnocchi soup recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Janina! Enjoy!
Candace W
Your Olive Garden salad was delicious! I loved every bite! I think it was better than the restaurant!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Candace!
Karen Copeland
This was so so good!!! I love a good green salad, so delicious…This will be on regular rotation at my house!
Angela Clarke
This salad was so delicious and easy to make! The family really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Angela!
Laura Baskins
I had to google what pepperoncini were, they sound interesting. The salad dressing sounds delicious, I am definitely giving it a try.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Laura! Enjoy!
Heather Sullivan
I love this copycat salad. In fact I think it ieven better than Olive Garden. Thanks for the recipe! The family loved it!
Isabella
I’ve always been a fan of Olive Garden’s salad, so I was thrilled to try your copycat recipe at home. It did not disappoint! I am putting this recipe in my file.
Janelle Yeager
This was like a salad on steroids. So tasty!!
Ella E
I really enjoyed this salad. It was crunchy and very tangy and satisfying.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Ella! I agree!
Benson
I love how chunky this salad is and all the intertwining flavors. The peppers are what really make it for me. I love them with the olives and the dressing. Great salad.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Benson! I love peppercini too!
Betty Lynch
Such a fantastic salad!! Fresh, easy, and loaded with all the goodies – lettuce, olives, tomatoes, and that famous dressing. So good and just like eating out
Katrina P
This Olive Garden Salad is amazing! It’s got all my favorites: fresh lettuce, olives, pepperoncini, tomatoes, and croutons, all mixed with their classic Italian dressing. Tastes just like the restaurant version!
Erica Sumner
Such a great salad! One of the best I’ve ever made and even better than Olive Garden
Sandie K
This salad is so good and refreshing! Definitely will be making it again and again!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sandie! I am so glad that you liked it!
Mandy A
I have always loved this salad and getting to have it at home was such a treat!