Description
Homemade Copycat Olive Garden Salad brings Italian restaurant magic straight to kitchen tables with crisp romaine, zesty pepperoncini, and signature creamy dressing. Generous servings promise restaurant-quality flavor without leaving home, delighting diners with each refreshing bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 5 ounces (142 grams) mixed greens
- 1 ½ cups (36 grams) seasoned croutons
- ¾ cup (120 grams) black olives, pitted and halved
- ¾ cup (90 grams) pepperoncini peppers, sliced
Vegetables and Garnishes:
- 2 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
- ½ cup (80 grams) red onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Dressing Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) olive oil
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) red wine vinegar
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup (25 grams) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) sugar
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Craft the zesty vinaigrette by pulverizing olive oil, mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning in a blender until silky smooth.
- Calibrate the dressing’s flavor profile by introducing a delicate sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Allow the vinaigrette to rest and harmonize its flavors in the refrigerator for a minimum of 60 minutes.
- Select a spacious mixing vessel and combine crisp mixed greens with briny Kalamata olives, tangy pepperoncini peppers, thinly sliced red onion, vibrant cherry tomatoes, and crunchy croutons.
- Liberate the chilled dressing from the refrigerator and generously cascade it over the verdant salad components.
- Tenderly toss the ingredients, ensuring each leaf and morsel becomes elegantly coated with the robust dressing.
- Elevate the presentation by cascading delicate Parmesan cheese shavings across the salad’s surface.
- Serve the salad immediately to preserve its textural integrity and maximize flavor enjoyment.
Notes
- Customize the dressing’s tanginess by adjusting red wine vinegar and lemon juice quantities to suit personal taste preferences.
- Prepare the dressing ahead of time and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, allowing flavors to develop more intensely.
- Use fresh, crisp lettuce varieties like romaine and iceberg for the best texture and crunch in the salad.
- Swap mayo with Greek yogurt for
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg