Copycat Olive Garden Salad Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Salad

If you’re seeking a fast and delicious solution to add a crispy, crunchy serving of veggies to your savory dinner and sweet dessert, look no further. This speedy Copycat Olive Garden salad recipe is loaded with fresh flavor and your new favorite dressing. With its creamy and zesty dressing, this simple side is a quick and healthy pairing for any weeknight meal.

Salad and Dressing Ingredients

Salad:

• 6 cups salad mix including iceberg lettuce (or romaine, purple cabbage, and shredded carrots)
• ¼ red onion, sliced
• 8 mild pepperoncini
• 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup black olives
• 1 cup croutons
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Dressing:

• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (Thickens the dressing, giving it a creamier texture)
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (Balances out the sour flavors and helps the dressing last longer)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Easy Instructions

1. Toss the salad: Drop your salad mix, red onion, pepperoncini, sliced tomatoes, and black olives in a bowl. Shake or toss them, and then refrigerate until serving time.
2. Shake the dressing: When you’re ready to serve, add all the dressing ingredients to a large mason jar. Cap the jar and shake it up until the dressing emulsifies.
3. Top it, dress it, serve it: Add croutons and parmesan cheese atop the salad before covering it in dressing. Give it a quick shake before serving if you’d like your dressing evenly distributed on every bite.

Tips & Tricks

• Don’t be shy with the dressing! This dressing is made to be used liberally and is so tasty you won’t regret it.
• Use freshly grated parmesan cheese for the best flavor.
• I love using plum tomatoes like a Roma, but you can also use cherry tomatoes.
• Don’t want it spicy? Try it with artichoke hearts instead of pepperoncini.
• Or if you’re looking for a crispy crunch, try adding a few thin-sliced cucumbers for an extra-summer flavor.
• Chill your bowl: Refrigerate your salad bowls before serving for a restaurant-quality salad.

Source: Olive Garden Salad Recipe