Olive Garden Italian Salad (Printable Version)
Crisp romaine salad with tangy Italian dressing, crunchy vegetables, and savory Parmesan toppings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad Base
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 into rounds
→ Toppings
07 - 1 cup garlic croutons
08 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Italian Vinaigrette 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
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine romaine lettuce, red onion, Roma tomatoes, black olives, pepperoncini peppers, and cucumber slices in a large salad bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl or mason jar, whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, minced garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper until the dressing is smooth and fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until all the vegetables are evenly coated.
04 - Scatter croutons and freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top. Serve immediately to maintain optimal crunch and flavor.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The homemade dressing comes together in about two minutes and tastes shockingly close to the real thing, maybe even better because you control every single ingredient.
- It works beautifully as a quick weeknight side but honestly holds its own as a full lunch with some crusty bread on the side.
02 -
- If you dress the salad and then wait twenty minutes you will have a soggy mess on your hands, so always add the dressing right before eating and keep croutons separate if you are prepping ahead.
- The dressing separates as it sits in the fridge, and that is completely normal, so just give it another shake and it comes right back together for up to a week.
03 -
- Patting the sliced cucumbers dry with a paper towel before adding them to the bowl prevents extra moisture from thinning out your dressing.
- Letting the dressing sit in the fridge for even thirty minutes before using it gives the dried herbs time to hydrate and the garlic time to mellow into something smoother.