Name: Olive Garden Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 6 cups chopped lettuce (romaine or iceberg); 2 medium Roma tomatoes (sliced); ½ cup red onion (thinly sliced); ½ cup pepperoncini peppers (whole); ½ cup black olives (whole); 1 cup Croutons; ½ batch Olive Garden Dressing (about 5 ounces, 150ml in total.); ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

This copycat Olive Garden salad recipe brings the restaurant favorite home with crisp lettuce, pepperoncini, black olives, croutons, parmesan cheese, and Italian dressing. It takes 15 minutes to assemble and tastes closest to the original when the ingredients are cold and the salad is tossed right before serving.

Overhead shot of a large bowl with olive garden salad and salad buffet tongs

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredients for Olive Garden salad are simple, but the combination is what makes it taste like the restaurant version: crisp lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini, black olives, croutons, parmesan cheese, and Italian dressing.

Ingredients needed for making olive garden's salad

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Use romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, or a mix of both. The lettuce should be cold, dry, and chopped into bite-size pieces so the dressing coats everything evenly. For a bagged mix with both romaine and iceberg, look for one labeled “American Salad.”
Roma tomatoes work well because they are firm and easy to slice, but any ripe tomato can be used.
Red onion adds crunch and a little sharpness. Slice it thinly so it blends into the salad without overpowering it.
Pepperoncini give the salad its classic tangy flavor. You can leave them whole like the restaurant does, or slice them so every serving gets a little.
Use whole canned black olives, drained well.
Croutons add crunch, so add them right before serving.
Parmesan cheese gives the salad a salty finish. Freshly grated parmesan works best, but shaved parmesan is also good.
For the dressing, use bottled Olive Garden Italian dressing or my homemade Olive Garden salad dressing. The dressing is what brings the salad together, so use one you really like.

How to Make Olive Garden Salad

Overhead shot of olive garden's salad ingredients in a bowl before mixing

Mix it up: In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini, olives, and croutons.
Toss: Toss the salad in the bowl, then dress with the Italian dressing and toss again.
Serve: Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the salad and serve with breadsticks.

Tip!

Chill the salad bowl before you make your salad to keep it nice and cold.

Pouring olive garden salad dressing over the salad

How to Keep Olive Garden Salad Crisp

For the best texture, keep the lettuce cold and dry, and wait to add the dressing until right before serving. A salad spinner is the easiest way to remove extra water from washed lettuce, which helps the dressing cling instead of watering it down.

This keeps the lettuce crisp and helps the croutons stay crunchy.

If you are making this salad ahead for dinner, a party, or a potluck, add the lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini, and olives to the bowl first. Keep the dressing, croutons, and parmesan separate, then toss everything together just before serving.

Angle shot of olive garden's salad in a white salad serving bowl

Serving Ideas

With Soup: Serve it with my Olive Garden Breadsticks and a bowl of Chicken Gnocchi Soup, Pasta e Fagioli Soup, Minestrone, or Zuppa Toscana.
With pasta: Pair it with Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta, Lasagna, or Pasta with Alfredo Sauce for an easy restaurant-style dinner at home.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

5 from 6 votes

(Click stars to rate!)

Olive Garden Salad

Prep Time: 15

Total Time: 15

Author: Diana

Print Rate Recipe

This copycat Olive Garden salad brings the restaurant favorite home in 15 minutes. Serve it cold and toss with Italian dressing right before serving so the lettuce stays crisp and the croutons stay crunchy.

8 servings

Equipment

Large Salad Bowl
Salad tongs
sharp knife
cutting board
Measuring cups
salad spinner optional

Ingredients

▢ 6 cups chopped lettuce romaine or iceberg
▢ 2 medium Roma tomatoes sliced
▢ ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
▢ ½ cup pepperoncini peppers whole
▢ ½ cup black olives whole
▢ 1 cup Croutons
▢ ½ batch Olive Garden Dressing about 5 ounces, 150ml in total.
▢ ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Add the lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini peppers, and black olives to a large salad bowl.
Add the croutons and drizzle the dressing over the salad.
Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top and serve right away.

Notes:

Chill the salad bowl before assembling the salad to help keep everything cold and crisp.
Dry the lettuce well before adding it to the bowl. A salad spinner is helpful because wet lettuce can water down the dressing and make the salad soften faster.
For the best texture, add the dressing, croutons, and Parmesan just before serving.
You can use romaine, iceberg, or a mix of both. Romaine gives the salad more structure, while iceberg gives it a lighter crunch.
Use whole pitted black olives for the closest restaurant-style result.
If making this ahead, prep the lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini, and olives first. Keep the dressing, croutons, and Parmesan separate until serving.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 104kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 408mg, Potassium: 194mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 3472IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 64mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.