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–+ servings
Olive Garden copycat salad and dressing in a bowl.
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3.13 from 8 votes

Copycat Olive Garden Salad and Dressing

Are you a fan of Olive Garden's famous house salad? Look no further because we have the perfect copycat recipe for you to try at home.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Cooling Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 1089kcal

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 3/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup Avocado Oil
  • 1/2 cup White Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Mayonnaise
  • 1 packet Italian Dressing zesty, dry dressing spices
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Salad

  • 9 ounces Romaine Lettuce salad mix bag
  • 2 Roma Tomatoes sliced
  • 1/2 Red Onion sliced
  • 8 ounces Black Olives drained and patted dry
  • 8 ounces Pepperoncinis drained and patted dry
  • 2 cup Croutons
  • 1 cup Parmesan finely grated

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients for Italian dressing; olive oil, avocado oil, vinegar, mayo, italian dressing packet, sugar, lemon juice and salt and pepper and whisk together vigorously until all the ingredients are combined.
  • Pour the dressing into a jar or container with a lid and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the salad.
  • Slice the tomatoes into thin round slices, cut the red onion into circular slices and drain and pat dry the olives and peppers.
  • Pour the romaine salad mix into a large serving bowl and add the tomatoes, red onion, black olives, pepperoncinis, croutons and parmesan to the bowl.
  • Drizzle on ½ a cup of the Olive Garden Italian dressing then toss all the ingredients together, coating evenly. Add more or less to your liking.

Notes

  • The dressing yields 1 ⅓ cups.
  • You can replace the avocado oil with water if you prefer, but the avocado gives the dressing a richer flavor.
  • Feel free to adjust spices accordingly to your taste but this recipe is a fresher version of the original! 
  • I recommend transferring the dressing to a container with a lid so you can shake the ingredients together before serving it, the ingredients can separate over time.
  • Put the dressing in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving so it will thicken and help with the flavors blend.
  • This dressing will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator if sealed with an airtight lid or for 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 1089kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 102g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 61g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 2343mg | Potassium: 486mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6237IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 378mg | Iron: 3mg