Olive Garden Italian Salad (Printable Version)
Crisp romaine salad with tangy Italian dressing, crunchy veggies, and Parmesan toppings. 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
# Method:
01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, 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, Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, minced garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
04 - Top with garlic croutons and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately for the best crunch and flavor.
# Chef's Tips:
01 -
- The dressing alone is worth making this recipe, and it keeps in the fridge for a week so you will want to put it on everything.
- It comes together in fifteen minutes with zero cooking, which makes it the perfect rescue meal when your brain is fried but your body craves something fresh.
02 -
- If you dress the salad too early the croutons turn to mush and the lettuce wilts, so always add dressing right before serving.
- The mayonnaise in the dressing is what makes it creamy like the restaurant version, and I once tried skipping it and immediately regretted that decision.
03 -
- Let the dressing sit in the fridge for at least thirty minutes before using it because the garlic and herbs need time to bloom and develop their full flavor.
- Pat every vegetable completely dry after washing because excess water is the enemy of a good salad dressing coating.