Copy Cat Olive Garden salad recipe - Better than the original! (2024)

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This Copy Cat Olive Garden salad recipe is the perfect make at home recipe of the restaurant version. With crisp lettuce, pepperoncini peppers, onions, tomatoes, black olives, croutons and homemade Olive Garden salad dressing. This hearty salad is perfect as a side dish, or add some grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a meal.

Copy Cat Olive Garden salad recipe - Better than the original! (1)

Olive Garden Salad Recipe

You are going to love this homemade Olive Garden Salad Recipe! With all the perfect fresh vegetable ingredients and homemade Olive Garden Salad dressing, this salad will be perfect for dinner!

Making copy cat recipes at home is one of my favorite things to do. I love finding meals I love at restaurants and then figuring out how to make them at home. This copy cat recipe is so easy to make, and a great way to change things up when you are having a salad with dinner.

Copy Cat Olive Garden salad recipe - Better than the original! (2)

What is an Olive Garden Salad?

Olive Garden salad is the amazing salad that you get when you are dining in at Olive Garden. A Salad that has lettuce, pepperoncini peppers, onions, tomatoes, black olives and croutons.

Make it a meal!

This Olive Garden Salad Recipe works great for a main dish and also for packing a lunch. You can also add protein like chicken or shrimp to this salad and make the salad a meal in itself. If you love eating at Olive Garden be sure to check out our other Olive Garden Copy Cat recipes!

  • Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
  • Shrimp Alfredo
  • Chicken Gnocchi Soup
  • Olive Garden Chicken
  • Copy Cat Olive Garden Ziti al Forno
Copy Cat Olive Garden salad recipe - Better than the original! (3)

Tips for making this salad

Use fresh ingredients. When making any salad the ingredients used will make or break it. You want fresh ingredients including firm tomatoes, crispy lettuce and quality red onions.

Keep it simple. I like to keep things easy and grab a bag of American Salad blend because it has the carrots and cabbage in it already. If you want to use fresh chopped lettuce, then you can. Just add 1/4 cup of sliced red cabbage and 1/4 cup of shredded carrots.

Use grated parmesan cheese. I like to grate a block of parmesan cheese when making this salad, but if you only have the store bought canister you can use that too. If you like more parmesan cheese you can also shred it instead of grating it.

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Can I make this in advance?

You sure can! This salad is great for making a head of time and meal planning. I do suggest that you wait to put the dressing on top until you are ready to eat it so the lettuce stays crispy. I like to put the keto olive garden salad in small mason jars and then the dressing in a container and then I just add the dressing when I am going to eat my salad.

If you are wanting to enjoy it for lunches I suggest only making 2-3 days worth at a time. The fresher the better and it is so easy to make that you can quickly toss it together as long as you have the ingredients on hand.

You can make a large batch of olive garden salad dressing to keep in the fridge to use any time you want it and make a fresh salad.

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Olive Garden Salad Ingredients

  • 1 batch Olive Garden Salad Dressing
  • Bagged American Salad blend
  • pepperoncini peppers
  • tomato
  • red onion
  • black olives
  • croutons
  • parmesan cheese

How to Make Olive Garden Salad

Wash and chop the tomatoes, slice the olives and the onions.

In a large bowl place the bag of salad mix, then add the pepperoncini peppers, chopped tomatoes, sliced onions, sliced olives, croutons and grated parmesan cheese.

Use a salad spoon to mix everything together, then pour the homemade Olive Garden Salad dressing on top of the salad and toss with salad utensils.

Easy Salad Recipes

  • Chicken Caesar Salad
  • Chicken Taco Salad
  • Beef taco salad
  • BLT Salad
  • Strawberry Spinach Salad
  • Crispy chicken, cranberry and apple salad
  • Big Mac Salad

Copy Cat Olive Garden salad recipe - Better than the original! (6)

Olive Garden Salad

Created by Lauren

3.76 from 397 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 minute min

Servings 4

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

This Copy Cat Olive Garden salad recipe is the perfect make at home recipe of the restaurant version. With crisp lettuce, pepperoncini peppers, onions, tomatoes, black olives, croutons and homemade Olive Garden salad dressing. This hearty salad is perfect as a side dish, or add some grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a meal.

Ingredients

Olive Garden Salad Ingredients

  • 1 batch Olive Garden Salad Dressing
  • 1 10 ounce bag American Salad blend
  • 6 pepperoncini peppers
  • 1 to mato sliced
  • 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
  • 12 black olives
  • 1 cup croutons
  • 1 tablespoon parmesan grated

Olive Garden Salad Dressing Ingredients

Instructions

How to Make Olive Garden Salad Dressing

  • Using a cheese grated, grate the parmesan cheese.

  • Add the olive oil, white wine vinegar, parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic salt and Italian seasoning to the blender.

  • Use the pulse feature or blend option and blend until smooth and everything is well mixed together.

  • Serve immediately, or store in the fridge.

How to Make Olive Garden Salad

  • Wash and chop the tomatoes, slice the olives and the onions.

  • In a large bowl place the bag of salad mix, then add the pepperoncini peppers, chopped tomatoes, sliced onions, sliced olives, croutons and grated parmesan cheese.

  • Use a salad spoon to mix everything together, then pour the homemade Olive Garden Salad dressing on top of the salad and toss with salad utensils.

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 775IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg

olive garden salad

Salad, Side Dish

Video

Copy Cat Olive Garden salad recipe - Better than the original! (7)

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ABOUT LAUREN

Hey There! I am Lauren, a short mom (4 foot 10 to be exact!) who has a passion for helping others and always has a cup of coffee in hand. With amazing recipes to help the home cook become a home chef, along with fun family travel, fun crafts and More! Grab a cup of coffee and join me! Read more...

Created by Stephanie

With a degree from the Culinary Institute of America in baking and pastry arts, a love for tasty food and amazing photography skills Stephanie brings the amazing recipe ideas we come up with to life. Stephanie loves crafting, all things Disney and traveling whenever possible.

Reader Interactions

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Anne K says

    Ths was delicious! People thought I bought the salad from Olive Garden! Perfect for an Easter family dinner. Thank you!

    Reply

  2. Kathy says

    This was GREAT! So close to what you get at Olive Garden or their bottled dressing you can buy at the store. Thank you for the recipe!!!

    Reply

  3. Linda says

    I’m also 4′ 10″, I don’t mind my size at all. Yes there are times I have challenges. But I love to cook. I cook a lot for my church. I don’t have a large family to cook for anymore and don’t know how to cook small. I would love to try your recipes.

    Reply

  4. Pamela says

    Hi Lauren,
    Tried this a couple of weeks ago and it is a great recipe! It is now my go to salad recipe. Making it again tonight to go with my chicken cacciatore! Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

Copy Cat Olive Garden salad recipe - Better than the original! (2024)

FAQs

What dressing is on the olive garden salad? ›

Our Signature Italian dressing has been a favorite with our guests for over 35 years.

What olives does Olive Garden use? ›

Olive Garden starts with bagged pre-cut lettuce, adds some cut onions, cut tomatoes and a few canned black olives and pepperoncini and croutons - just like this recipe. Really? Come on!

How to make a salad that actually tastes good? ›

How to Make a Salad You'll Actually Want to Eat
  1. 1: Think Beyond Lettuce and Greens.
  2. 2: Add Heft with Grains and Nuts.
  3. 3: Add Beans or Other Proteins.
  4. 4: Make Your Own Homemade Salad Dressing.
  5. 5: Make it a Flavor Party.
Jan 18, 2024

What is the most requested salad dressing? ›

Ranch Dressing

The ranch is hands down America's most beloved salad dressings. It is made from a number of ingredients such as buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, onion, chives, salt, and pepper.

Who makes Olive Garden salad dressing? ›

Marzetti Company, a dressing and specialty foods manufacturer that began producing dressing for Olive Garden long before it was sold in stores. According to the back of the bottle, the recipe that the company created for Olive Garden hasn't changed for nearly 30 years.

Is the bottled Olive Garden dressing the same as the restaurant? ›

The next time you're dining in, you can add a bottle or two directly onto your order and take home that salty, tangy dressing to spice up your homemade salads. And don't worry — it's exactly the same as what Olive Garden normally serves.

What is Olive Garden apologizing for? ›

OXFORD, Alabama — A Kiwanis Club member who says the group wasn't allowed to bring an American flag into an Olive Garden restaurant expects to get a personal apology from a top executive with the company.

Why are restaurant salads so much better than homemade? ›

In the restaurant I worked in, I also noticed that cooks seasoned every element with a pinch of salt — even the lettuce. This resulted in every bite tasting vibrant and flavorful. "Season your salad just like you would anything else," Simpson said.

How do restaurants get their salads so crisp? ›

Lettuce actually needs a good amount of airflow, in addition to a bit of moisture (but not too much!), in order to stay crisp. That's why restaurants store their lettuce in special perforated bins that allow for air circulation while it's held in the fridge.

What kind of croutons does Olive Garden use? ›

Olive Garden croutons are made with romano cheese, seasoned with garlic, Italian herbs & spices, and baked to a delicious golden brown.

What do restaurants spray on their salads? ›

“There is definitely an effort to make that lettuce look appealing even if it's been out there for a few hours,” Newman says. It's not uncommon, he adds, for restaurants or grocery stores with salad bars to spray their raw produce with a sulfite preservative.

What can I add to my salad to make it more nutritious? ›

Add one or more of these protein-rich foods to your salad:
  1. lean meat: chicken or turkey breast, lean steak.
  2. lower-fat cheese: light cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, feta, goat cheese.
  3. legumes: kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, white or black beans.
  4. eggs: hard boiled.
  5. soy products: cubed tofu, edamame.

What oil do you use for salads? ›

A medium olive oil is very versatile and goes well with spinach, lettuce and other classic salad greens. A robust olive oil will have the strongest taste out of all of them and is best for salads that feature bitter greens such as arugula or strong toppings such as blue cheese.

What are the ingredients in Olive Garden Italian dressing? ›

INGREDIENTS: Water, Distilled Vinegar, Sugar, Soybean Oil, Salt, Romano Cheese (Pasteurized Part Skim Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Garlic*, Egg Yolk, Natural Flavor, Modified Corn Starch, Xanthan Gum, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Spice, Potassium Sorbate Added to Maintain Freshness, Red Bell Pepper*, Annatto ...

Does Olive Garden have balsamic dressing? ›

Elevate your favorite salad, dipping sauce or marinade with our refreshing Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. With no artificial flavors or colors, and no high fructose corn syrup, Olive Garden dressings elevate any meal.

What is Italian salad dressing made of? ›

Italian Dressing Recipe Ingredients

Lemon juice and white wine vinegar – They make the dressing zesty and bright. Dijon mustard – For extra tang. Garlic – It adds sharp, savory depth of flavor. Honey – Don't skip it!

What is the name of a dressing used on salads? ›

A basic vinaigrette recipe is easy to make. Just remember to always follow the 3 to 1 ratio of oil to acid or vinegar. Choose extra virgin olive oil and your favorite vinegar to bring out the crisp flavor of the greens.

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