Description
This Olive Garden salad recipe brings the taste of the famous restaurant salad to your home! Fresh lettuce, tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, and crunchy croutons tossed in a tangy Italian dressing. It’s easy to make, perfect as a side dish or a light meal, and tastes just like the original!
Ingredients
Scale
- Salad:
- 1 head romaine lettuce (or a mix of romaine and iceberg)
- 1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes (halved)
- ½ cup black olives (pitted)
- 6–8 pepperoncini peppers
- 1 cup croutons
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Salad:
- Wash and dry the romaine lettuce thoroughly, then tear into bite-sized pieces.
- Thinly slice the red onion and halve the grape tomatoes.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, onions, tomatoes, black olives, and pepperoncini.
- Make the Dressing:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, white vinegar, and lemon juice.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to emulsify.
- Stir in sugar, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Add Parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth.
- Chill the dressing for at least 30 minutes for the best flavor.
- Assemble the Salad:
- Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients.
- Add croutons and freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.
- Serve:
- Serve immediately for the freshest, crispiest salad.
Notes
For extra crunch, make homemade croutons by toasting bread cubes with olive oil and Italian seasoning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (No cooking required)
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 15mg