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Copycat Olive Garden Salad Recipe

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4.1 from 12 reviews

This Copycat Olive Garden Salad is a fresh and vibrant side dish that perfectly replicates the popular restaurant favorite. A crisp blend of iceberg lettuce, shredded carrots, red cabbage, juicy roma tomatoes, pepperoncini, red onion, black olives, croutons, and shredded Parmesan cheese all tossed together with a flavorful Olive Garden-inspired dressing. Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s a perfect complement to any Italian meal or a light, refreshing salad on its own.

  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

  • 1 (24 ounce) bag Garden Salad Mix (6 cups iceberg lettuce, 1 cup shredded carrots, 1 cup shredded red cabbage)
  • 3 medium sized roma tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 cup pepperoncini
  • 1 small red onion, sliced
  • 1 cup large black olives
  • 1 cup croutons
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Salad Mix: In a large mixing bowl, combine the garden salad mix consisting of iceberg lettuce, shredded carrots, and red cabbage with the sliced roma tomatoes, pepperoncini, sliced red onion, black olives, croutons, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Gently toss to mix all ingredients evenly.
  2. Make the Dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, white vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, vegetable oil, sugar, grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and dried parsley flakes until the dressing is well combined and smooth.
  3. Toss the Salad with Dressing: Pour the prepared Olive Garden salad dressing over the combined salad ingredients. Toss gently but thoroughly until all of the salad components are evenly coated with the dressing.
  4. Serve: Serve the salad immediately for the freshest taste, or refrigerate for up to 1 hour to allow flavors to meld before serving.

Notes

  • For best texture, add the croutons just before serving to keep them crunchy.
  • You can substitute black olives with kalamata olives for a different flavor.
  • Adjust the amount of pepperoncini to taste for desired level of spiciness.
  • The dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free croutons or omit them entirely.
  • Author: Daisy
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: Italian-American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

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