Olive Garden Italian Salad (Printable)
Crisp romaine salad with tangy Italian dressing pepperoncini olives and Parmesan ready in 15 minutes
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
02 - 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
03 - 1 cup sliced Roma tomatoes
04 - ½ cup sliced black olives
05 - 1 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
06 - 1 large cucumber, sliced
→ Toppings
07 - 1 cup garlic croutons
08 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Dressing
09 - ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - ¼ cup white wine vinegar
11 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend (basil, oregano)
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
17 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
18 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# Directions:
01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, sliced red onion, Roma tomatoes, black olives, pepperoncini peppers, and cucumber slices.
02 - In a separate bowl or mason jar, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, lemon juice, grated Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, minced garlic, sugar, salt, and black pepper until smooth and fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad greens and vegetables. Toss gently to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Scatter the garlic croutons and freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top. Serve immediately to maintain optimal crunch and freshness.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The dressing is a dead ringer for the restaurant version, and once you taste it freshly made, you will never go back to bottled.
- It is embarrassingly easy for how impressive it looks on the table, and people always ask for the recipe.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad more than a few minutes before serving or the romaine will collapse into a wilted mess and the croutons turn into sad soggy pebbles.
- The mayonnaise in the dressing is the secret weapon that makes it creamy and helps it cling to every leaf instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
- Chill your salad bowl in the freezer for ten minutes before assembling, because a cold bowl keeps the lettuce crisper for longer and makes the whole experience feel more like a restaurant salad.
- Slice the pepperoncini rings slightly thinner than you think you need, because their flavor distributes better and you avoid biting into an overwhelming chunk of heat.