Olive Garden Salad Recipe (Copycat House Salad)
Make this Olive Garden salad at home in just 10 minutes — Crisp romaine, briny olives, tangy pepperoncini, crunchy croutons, and that iconic Italian dressing.
Servings 8
Calories 152kcal
Ingredients
- 2 (9 oz) Packet Italian salad mix (It contains Romaine lettuce, red cabbage and sometimes carrots)
- 2 Roma Tomatoes Sliced
- ½ small Red onion thickly sliced
- 1 cup Pepperoncini keep whole
- 1 cup Olives Pitted, whole
- 1 cup Croutons
- ¼ cup Vegetarian parmesan cheese freshly grated, for garnishing only
- ¾ cup Olive Garden Salad Dressing
Instructions
- Layer the Salad: Add the Italian salad mix to a large serving bowl. Layer the sliced Roma tomatoes, thick-cut red onion, whole olives, and whole pepperoncini on top of the greens. Add the croutons last.
- Dress And Toss: Drizzle the salad dressing over the top. Using salad tongs or two large spoons, toss gently but thoroughly until every leaf and ingredient is lightly coated in dressing.
- Garnish, Serve: Finish with freshly grated Parmesan over the top. Serve right away.
Notes
- Add the dressing right before serving. If you dress the salad too early, the lettuce will turn soggy. First, get everything ready and have everyone at the table. Then add the dressing and toss the salad just before eating.
- More dressing is okay. Olive Garden is famously generous with their dressing — the salad should taste well-coated, not lightly touched. If the tossed salad looks dry, add more.
- Gluten-free version: Use certified gluten-free croutons, or skip the croutons entirely and add toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for crunch.
Nutrition
Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 721mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 221IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg
