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Copycat Olive Garden Salad Recipe with Tangy Homemade Dressing

A vibrant bowl of copycat Olive Garden salad featuring crisp romaine, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and grated cheese.
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Make the famous restaurant-style Italian salad at home. This recipe includes crisp romaine, tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, and the signature zesty dressing.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1/4 cup pepperoncini peppers, drained
  • 1/2 cup croutons
  • 1/2 cup 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 packet 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 salad ingredients: Chop the romaine lettuce, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the olives, and drain the pepperoncini peppers. Set aside.
  2. Make the dressing: In a jar or bowl, combine the olive oil, avocado oil, white vinegar, mayonnaise, dry Italian dressing mix, sugar, and lemon juice.
  3. Add salt and pepper to the dressing mixture.
  4. Seal the jar tightly or whisk the ingredients vigorously until the dressing emulsifies and is well combined.
  5. In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine, tomatoes, olives, and pepperoncini.
  6. Pour the desired amount of dressing over the salad mix. Toss gently until all the greens are lightly coated.
  7. Add the croutons and Parmesan cheese. Toss once more lightly.
  8. Serve the salad immediately with extra dressing on the side if needed.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, make the dressing at least 30 minutes ahead of time to allow the flavors to meld.
  • You can add grilled chicken or shrimp to make this a main course.
  • If you prefer a tangier dressing, increase the white vinegar by one tablespoon.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://devourdish.com/copycat-olive-garden-salad/