Print

Ultimate Copycat Olive Garden Salad with Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing

A fresh bowl of copycat Olive Garden salad featuring crisp lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, pepperoncini, and grated Parmesan cheese.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Recreate the famous Olive Garden Salad at home! This recipe delivers the crisp romaine, tangy pepperoncini, and signature zesty Italian dressing you crave. It is a quick and satisfying side dish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 9 ounce romaine lettuce mix
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces black olives, drained
  • 8 ounces pepperoncini peppers, drained
  • 2 cups croutons
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • For the Dressing:
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 package dry Zesty Italian Dressing Mix (do not prepare)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dressing first. In a medium bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, avocado oil, white vinegar, mayonnaise, dry Italian dressing mix, sugar, and lemon juice.
  2. Whisk the dressing ingredients vigorously or shake the jar until the mixture is fully emulsified and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to your preference. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the salad components. Wash and chop the romaine lettuce if necessary. Slice the tomatoes and red onion. Drain the black olives and pepperoncini peppers.
  4. In a very large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, red onion slices, drained olives, and drained pepperoncini peppers.
  5. Add the croutons and half of the grated Parmesan cheese to the salad mixture.
  6. Pour about half of the homemade dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently toss everything together until the vegetables are lightly coated. Add more dressing as needed to reach your desired level of coating.
  7. Divide the salad among serving plates. Top each serving with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese.
  8. Serve immediately. This salad pairs well with your weekly meal planning, perhaps alongside a main course you would otherwise order from meal delivery companies.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, make the dressing at least one hour ahead of time to allow the flavors to meld.
  • If you are looking for alternatives to cooking, consider using a keto meal plan delivery service for your main meals while enjoying this fresh salad on the side.
  • This recipe makes a large batch of dressing; store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
  • If you are tracking macros, this salad is a great addition to a weight loss programs focused diet, though you should account for the croutons and cheese.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenuser.net/copycat-olive-garden-salad-recipe/