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Olive Garden Salad Dressing and Salad (copycat)

Olive Garden Salad Dressing and Salad (copycat)

Course Salad
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword breadsticks, olive garden, salad, Soup
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Salad Dressing

  • 1 packet Italian Dressing Mix
  • 3/4 cup Canola Oil
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 1/4 cup White Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoons Table Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon White Sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Dried Basil
  • 1/4 cup Grated Romano Cheese

Salad

  • 4 cups Iceberg Lettuce, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Red Cabbage, shredded and cut in small pieces
  • 1/2 cup Carrot, julienne slices
  • 2 Roma Tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 cup Red Onion, sliced
  • 1 cup Small Black Olives
  • 8 or more Pepperoncini Peppers
  • 1 cup Olive Garden Garlic & Romano Croutons
  • Fresh Parmesan Cheese, grated (as much as you want)

Instructions

Salad Dressing

  1. Add the water, vinegar, and mayo to mixing bowl and whisk until well blended. Slowly add the canola oil while whisking until the mixture thickens slightly.*
  2. Add in the rest of the ingredients and whisk until mixed thoroughly. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Salad

  1. Cut the lettuce and cabbage. Place them in a bowl along with the carrots and toss well.**
  2. Top with the tomatoes, onions, olives, pepperoncinis and croutons.
  3. Depending on personal taste, you can either add fresh grated Parmesan cheese to the entire salad, or you can let each person add it individually to their own.

Recipe Notes

*Use a wet towel or paper towel under the bowl to help it stay in one place while whisking.

**Olive Garden serves their salad with the dressing already on it. You can add the dressing to the entire salad while tossing the salad, or you can serve it on the side to let each person serve themselves.

 

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Italian Dressing Mix - I've experimented a lot with this recipe, and this is still the best option until I find a better homemade mix.

Mayonnaise - I typically use an egg since I like the flavor better. You can emulsify an egg with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and a pinch or 2 of salt. Then use 2 tablespoons of that simple homemade mayo. It tastes better, in my opinion.

Dried Herbs - dried is the way to go here. Fresh herbs don't work very well with dressings.

Iceberg Lettuce - this is what Olive Garden uses, but you can use the lettuce of your choice like Romaine, Baby Greens, or others.

Other Lettuce Options - many stores carry a bag of a precut lettuce mix of iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, and sliced carrots. By all means, use that if you have objections to using bagged lettuce mixes. It'll save you a lot of time!

Roma Tomatoes - you can use any tomato you like, even cherry tomatoes

Olive Garden Croutons - unless you're going to make your own crouton, might as well use theirs, right? But you can sub your favorite croutons here. I recommend using one that is garlic flavored.

Carrots - I use the pre-sliced carrots