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Olive Garden Salad

Olive Garden Salad

Discover how to recreate the iconic Olive Garden Salad right in your own kitchen! This clone recipe is perfect for when you crave that famous, flavorful combination of crisp greens, seasoned croutons, and tangy dressing without the restaurant bill. Get ready to impress yourself and your loved ones with this easy-to-make, satisfying dish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad Base
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce roughly chopped
  • 1 head romaine lettuce roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
  • 1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup pepperoncini peppers drained and sliced
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes oil-packed, drained and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup seasoned croutons store-bought or homemade
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Olive Garden Salad Dressing
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

  • Medium-sized bowl
  • Jar with a lid
  • Large Salad Bowl

Method
 

  1. In a medium-sized bowl or a jar with a lid, combine all the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, vegetable oil, grated Parmesan cheese, granulated sugar, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
    1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  2. Whisk the dressing ingredients vigorously until smooth and well combined. Alternatively, if using a jar, secure the lid tightly and shake until the dressing is emulsified and uniform in consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, adding a touch more sugar for sweetness or vinegar for tang.
  3. In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped iceberg lettuce and romaine lettuce. Ensure the lettuce is thoroughly dried after washing to prevent a watery dressing.
    1 head iceberg lettuce, 1 head romaine lettuce
  4. To the lettuce in the large bowl, add the halved Kalamata olives, thinly sliced red onion, sliced pepperoncini peppers, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
    1/2 cup Kalamata olives, 1/2 cup red onion, 1/4 cup pepperoncini peppers, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
  5. Gently toss the lettuce, olives, onion, peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes together to distribute them evenly throughout the bowl.
  6. Just before serving, pour about half of the prepared Olive Garden salad dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently to coat all the components without bruising the lettuce. Add more dressing as needed until the salad is coated to your liking.
  7. Sprinkle the seasoned croutons and grated Parmesan cheese over the dressed salad.
    1/2 cup seasoned croutons, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  8. Give the salad one final, gentle toss and serve immediately to ensure maximum crispness of the lettuce and croutons.

Notes

To keep your Olive Garden Salad fresh and delicious for leftovers, it's best to store the components separately. The washed and dried lettuce and vegetables can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The dressing should be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator, where it will remain fresh for up to a week. Avoid dressing the salad until you are ready to serve it to prevent sogginess. While croutons are best added fresh, they can be stored separately in a sealed bag or container at room temperature for a day or two. If you find yourself with dressed salad, it is generally not recommended for reheating as the texture will be compromised. However, if you must, you can try adding a few fresh lettuce leaves to revitalize it, but the results might vary.