Make a restaurant-favorite Copycat Olive Garden Salad right at home—complete with that addicting, crave-worthy dressing. Simple salad ingredients come together with a zesty Italian dressing that’s slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and completely irresistible. This is the kind of salad that disappears fast.
Let’s be honest: Olive Garden’s salad is iconic. Even self-proclaimed salad skeptics rarely turn it down. Crisp greens are topped with juicy tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, shredded carrots, olives, parmesan cheese, and pepperoncinis—all finished with that famous dressing. The good news? That same magic can happen at home with this easy copycat recipe. Make it once, and it’s likely to become a regular on the table.
One of the biggest reasons this recipe works so well is its simplicity. The ingredients are easy to find and often already sitting in the fridge or pantry. No fancy prep, no complicated steps—just classic components that shine when combined the right way.
Parmesan cheese plays a surprisingly important role here. Shaved or freshly grated parmesan adds a nutty, salty depth that pulls the whole salad together. It might seem like a small detail, but skipping it would mean missing out on a key layer of flavor.
And then there’s the dressing—the real star of the show. The secret lies in using a zesty Italian dressing mix, which delivers that unmistakable Olive Garden flavor. It’s tangy, herby, and perfectly balanced, coating every bite without overpowering the fresh vegetables.
What truly sets this salad apart is the mix of textures and flavors. Crisp lettuce and carrots, sharp red onion, crunchy croutons, briny olives, and crumbly parmesan all work together beautifully. Add a pepperoncini or two for a pop of acidity and gentle heat, and the result is salad perfection—fresh, bold, and endlessly satisfying.
Copycat Olive Garden Salad and Dressing Recipe
Make a restaurant-favorite Copycat Olive Garden Salad right at home—complete with that addicting, crave-worthy dressing. Simple salad ingredients come together with a zesty Italian dressing that’s slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and completely irresistible. This is the kind of salad that disappears fast.
Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped lettuce
- 2 roma tomatoes, sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup whole black olives
- ⅓ cup shaved or freshly grated parmesan, more to taste
- 1 cup garlic croutons
- pepperocinis
Olive Garden Salad Dressing:
- 1.7 ounce Zesty Italian Dressing Mix
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon mayo
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence, optional
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Step-By-Step Instructions
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Notes
- Lettuce: I like to use romaine hearts but any green leave lettuce will do.
- Extra dressing: This dressing keeps well in a jar in the fridge for a few weeks.
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