Olive Garden Italian Salad (Printable View)
Crisp Italian-American salad with tangy pepperoncini, olives, Parmesan, and creamy signature dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad
01 - 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
02 - 1 cup iceberg lettuce, chopped
03 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/2 cup black olives, pitted
06 - 6-8 whole pepperoncini peppers
07 - 1/2 cup croutons
08 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Dressing
09 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 - 1/3 cup white vinegar
11 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
14 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
15 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
17 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse romaine and iceberg lettuce under cold water. Dry thoroughly using a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels. Chop both lettuces and combine them in a large salad bowl.
02 - Layer the thinly sliced red onions, halved grape tomatoes, pitted black olives, and whole pepperoncini peppers evenly over the mixed greens.
03 - Scatter croutons and freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top of the salad.
04 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, white vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, dry mustard, and sugar until smooth and fully emulsified. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
05 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently with salad tongs to coat the greens evenly, or serve the dressing on the side for individual portions.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in about two minutes and tastes like you spent far longer on it.
- Double the dressing batch and keep it in your fridge for sandwiches, dips, and emergency snack drizzles throughout the week.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad more than ten minutes before serving or the lettuce will collapse and the croutons will dissolve into sadness.
- Letting the dressing sit in the fridge for thirty minutes before using it makes the flavors meld into something noticeably better.
03 -
- Grate your Parmesan on the finest holes of the box grater so it dissolves into the dressing rather than clumping.
- If the dressing tastes too sharp, add a tiny pinch more sugar rather than more mayo, because sugar rounds the acidity without making it heavy.