Copycat Olive Garden Salad (and Dressing)

The Olive Garden salad is infamous for a good reason. It’s delicious, easy to make, and goes with nearly any main course you can think of.

This Copycat Olive Garden Salad and dressing recipe taste just like the one that you would get in your local Olive Garden.

Olive Garden fans know that this salad is absolutely delicious. It is the perfect blend of salad, tomatoes, olives, cheese, Italian seasoning, and crouton goodness. The sweet and zesty Italian dressing makes the most amazing salad ever.

Plus, it is super easy to make! All of the ingredients can be easily found at any grocery store.

My boys typically avoid salad like it is the plague. However, Olive Garden Salad is one that they flock to. My youngest has even stated a few times that this salad tastes like pizza. While I disagree with this statement (sorry to burst your bubble), this salad is still a super tasty, sweet, salty, umami mix of deliciousness that you can’t help going back for seconds.

What You Need for Olive Garden Copycat Salad

Certain ingredients of Olive Garden’s salad make it iconic. Here’s everything you need.

Olive oil. There are many different types of olive oil. Make sure you are using quality extra virgin olive oil. It will make a difference.

Sugar. Good ‘ol fashioned granulated sugar brings the slightest sweetness to this homemade creamy Italian dressing. 

Salt. Use sparingly, you can always add more. Depending on the type of salt (sea salt versus regular table salt), the intensity may vary. So add slowly and then adjust to your taste.

White wine vinegar. If you don’t have white wine vinegar, you can also use rice wine vinegar. If using this substitution, however, you may want to decrease the amount of sugar since some rice wine vinegar contains sugar.

Mayonnaise. Mayo obviously brings creaminess to the salad dressing. If you’re looking for a substitute, try sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Italian seasoning. Italian seasoning typically contains dried herbs such as basil, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves. For this recipe, it’s ok (and recommended) to simply purchase a quality pre-made Italian seasoning.

Garlic powder. Everyone loves garlic. That’s why I recommend using the three shakes as a guide. Use as much or as little as you’d like. 

Fresh garlic. Speaking of garlic, if you’re a massive fan, go ahead and add a teaspoon of freshly ground garlic. Use a garlic press for the best results.

Olives. Plump and delicious black olives are a must for this salad. They add a punch of umami. Just make sure you’re purchasing pitted olives. Go for the jumbo ones!

Red onion. There are no substitutions for red onions. White onions don’t have the same bite and flavor. And they add such beautiful color to this salad. 

Italian seasoned croutons. What is a salad without croutons? Any brand will do. There are even a few quality gluten-free crouton options. 

Parmesan cheese. Parmesan cheese brings a salty, nutty flavor to this salad. Use shredded cheese, not grated, for the best taste.

Roma tomatoes. Slice your plump, delicious tomatoes for the most authentic version of this salad. If you need a substitution, go for cherry tomatoes.

Romaine lettuce. Yes, you can use whatever lettuce you want. But for the best (and closest taste to the real deal), use romaine lettuce. Shred by hand, no reason to get too fancy! If you’re looking for a substitution, I recommend iceberg lettuce. It will be closest to the real thing.

Pepperoncini peppers. Of all the ingredients in this salad, this is probably the most crucial. What is an Olive garden house salad without pepperoncini? 

Lemon juice. Lemon brings the needed acidity to this delicious and freshly-made Italian dressing. 

Black pepper. Use freshly ground black pepper, a few grinds are all you need.

How to Make Olive Garden Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For Dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons White wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cloves garlic (Optional)

Ingredients

For Salad

• 1 Can black olives
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 cup seasoned croutons (Any brand will do)
• 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes (sliced)
• 2 heads romaine lettuce (or 2 9-ounce bags of romaine lettuce)
• 3/4 cup Pepperoncini
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground from a pepper mill)

Instructions

For Dressing

1. In a small bowl, add dressing ingredients and whisk until well combined. You can also add all of the ingredients needed into a mason jar and then shake it. Any leftovers you might have, you can easily throw it straight into the refrigerator.

For Salad

1. In a large mixing bowl, toss the salad ingredients (romaine salad mix, tomatoes, pepperoncini, black olives, red onion, black pepper, and Parmesan) until they are well mixed.
2. Add croutons.
3. Pour dressing over the salad. If desired, lightly toss the salad to mix the ingredients further. Then serve it chilled! No one likes warm and soggy salads.

Tips for Olive Garden Italian Salad Recipe

This Olive Garden Salad Recipe is a go-to favorite for a reason. Olive Garden has perfected this salad, so below are some highly recommended tips as you are making this recipe:

Try not to modify the ingredients too much. Yes, if you have dietary restraints, you will obviously have to modify the recipe. However, try to substitute the ingredients with ones that are similar to the ones that are listed so that you don’t distrust the flavor bomb of a salad recipe that Olive Garden has created.

Add croutons and dressing last. To prevent the croutons from getting soggy, add the croutons and the dressing right before serving. Lightly toss the salad with all ingredients, and then serve. Trust us. This will create a crunchy salad that your diners will devour.

Add some protein to make this salad a full meal. If you want to make this salad more of a main course than an appetizer, add some grilled chicken or beef to the recipe. To do this, follow the recipe as is, then your chosen meat (which should be already cooked) during Step 2 when you add the croutons. Continue with the recipe as stated. My personal favorite way to up the protein in this salad is to add leftover shrimp.

Use Olive Garden salad dressing recipe as a marinade. You heard that right. Marinade chicken, shrimp or even beef before throwing it on the grill!

Salad Substitutions For Dietary Needs

Gluten Free Substitutions

To make this recipe gluten-free, either don’t add the croutons or substitute the glutinous croutons for gluten-free ones.

Vegan Substitutions

To make this recipe vegan, alternative ingredients to the Parmesan cheese and the mayonnaise are needed.

If you want to make Vegan Shaved Parmesan cheese from scratch, the Washington Post has a delicious recipe that you should check out. The ingredients include:

• Brazil nuts
• Pine nuts
• Sauerkraut liquid or Rejuvelac (a vegan cheese starter)
• White, yellow, or chickpea miso
• Nutritional yeast
• Sea salt

Calories in Olive Garden Salad With Dressing and Croutons

According to Olive Garden’s online menu, a serving of Olive Garden’s Famous House Salad is 370 calories. 290 calories for the actual salad, while the Italian dressing is listed at 80 calories.

Calories aside, this salad and dressing combo is high in sodium. This appetizer has about 1,400mg of sodium (1,380mg from the salad and 520mg from the dressing).

According to their 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that Americans consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day. This means that one serving of this salad alone is 82.6% of the CDC’s suggested daily consumption amount for sodium.

This salad has a ton of sodium, so it shouldn’t be consumed daily. However, it is a delightful treat in moderation.

Our version, on the other hand, comes in much lower in sodium. You’re welcome 🙂

Nutrition	From Olive Garden	Our Version
Calories	370 kcal	289 kcal
Carbohydrates	17 gram	11 grams
Protein	3 grams	7 grams
Fat	25 grams	25 grams
Sodium	1,380 mg	649 mg
Fiber	2 grams	4 grams
Sugar	4 grams	3 grams

Storing Leftovers Salad

This Copycat Olive Garden Salad doesn’t last long (about one day) in the fridge if the dressing and the crouton have been added. To help the salad last longer, don’t add the salad dressing until just before serving. The same goes for the croutons. As mentioned before, make sure to add the croutons just before serving, so they do not get soggy.

Separately, the salad (undressed) should last about three days. The Olive Garden salad dressing should last about 7-10 days (if stored in an air-tight container in your fridge). As for the croutons (if you are using store-bought croutons) should last for as long as the packaging recommends (typically about a month).

What to Serve with Olive Garden Salad Recipe

Copycat Olive Garden salad and dressing pair well with…. Yup, you probably guessed it. Other Olive Garden recipes! Well, you are in luck, we have pulled together our favorite Olive Garden foods below.

So pick your favorite appetizer, main course, and desserts, and bring Olive Garden to your home:

Appetizer

Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil Bread Dip. While this isn’t an Olive Garden copycat recipe, pair this recipe with your favorite breadstick to create your own unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks experience.

Pasta

Olive Garden Stuffed Shells This is one of Olive Garden’s most popular dishes. This copycat recipe is super cheesy and delicious.

Chicken

Olive Garden Chicken Piccata This dish is savory with a deep umami flavor. This is better than Olive Garden’s version! Your diners will be seriously impressed.

Desserts

Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake Copycat Recipe This is a classic Olive Garden dessert they discontinued. So get it here!

Olive Garden Tiramisu Copycat Recipe. This classic Italian dessert is a favorite of nearly all. Olive Garden’s version will delight any guests eating this dish in your home.

Are you looking for more recipes from popular restaurants? We’ve got just that! Here’s our roundup of favorite copycat restaurants, from places like Texas Roadhouse to the Olive Garden.

Have questions or suggestions about this Olive Garden house salad recipe? Leave them in the comments below.