Easy Copycat Olive Garden Salad and Creamy Dressing
Make a copycat Olive Garden salad with easy-to-find ingredients: lettuce, red onion, tomatoes, black olives, pepperoncini, and a homemade dressing.
August 2025 update: I first shared my take on Olive Garden Salad back in January and I’ve loved it ever since. I freshened up the post, added serving suggetions and links to my other salad recipes. My husband always says I make a good salad so I hope you find some of them that you enjoy too.
🔗 Recipe Links for Copycat Olive Garden Salad
👩🍳 My Homemade Take on Olive Garden’s Famous Salad
Olive Garden holds a special place in my heart. Every time I came home from college—twenty-five years ago, but who’s counting—I’d meet up with my best friend Tiffany for a long dinner there. She always went straight for the chicken parmesan, though I honestly can’t remember what I ordered. What I do remember, without question, are the endless bowls of salad and those breadsticks we devoured basket after basket. I even used to keep a bottle of their Italian dressing in my fridge, but these days I’d rather make it myself. It’s creamy, tangy, and, if you ask me, even better than the bottled version because I know exactly what’s going into it.
This recipe isn’t Olive Garden’s secret formula, of course. They don’t share that, and I don’t blame them. But it’s close enough that every bite takes me right back to those dinners with Tiffany. The lettuce is crisp, the tomatoes and red onion add that fresh bite, the olives and pepperoncini bring in a salty, zesty kick, and the Parmesan ties it all together. And the dressing—smooth, creamy, and full of garlicky Italian flavor—really makes the whole thing taste like the classic we all know.
I love making this salad at home because it’s quick, affordable, and easy to customize. Want more pepperoncini? Pile them on. Like extra croutons? Don’t hold back. When you make it from scratch, you’re in control of every detail, and the result is fresher and more flavorful than anything out of a bottle.
This salad is a perfect starter for any Italian-style dinner. I love serving it with my baked four cheese seafood fettuccine, which is indulgent in all the right ways. My ricotta lasagna is another classic that pairs beautifully, and if bold flavors are your thing, my sun-dried tomato pesto fettuccine will definitely hit the spot. I’ve even shared how to make your own sun-dried tomatoes, which is one of my favorite ways to preserve the flavors of summer.
If you’re a fellow salad lover, you might also want to check out my collection of salad recipes. It’s full of homemade dressings and toppings that will make any salad feel special. Whether you’re putting this one on the table for a weeknight dinner or serving it alongside pasta for guests, I think you’ll love how close it tastes to the Olive Garden version while still being uniquely yours.
🛒 Recipe Ingredient List
For the Italian Dressing:
🥣 Making Olive Garden Salad at Home
Start by making the dressing so it has time to chill and let the flavors come together. In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan, a little garlic, sugar, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Keep whisking until everything looks smooth and creamy, then pop it in the fridge for at least half an hour.
When you’re ready to put the salad together, grab a large bowl and toss in crisp romaine lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, black olives, and a few pepperoncini for that zesty kick. Sprinkle in plenty of Parmesan and give it all a light toss. Just before serving, pour over the chilled dressing and toss again so everything is evenly coated. Add the croutons at the very end so they stay crunchy, then finish with a little extra Parmesan if you like. Serve it right away while it’s fresh and crisp.
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Easy Copycat Olive Garden Salad and Creamy Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 cups Romaine lettuce (chopped)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (grape tomatoes)
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onions
- ½ cup black olives (pitted)
- 1 cup croutons (store-bought or homemade)
- ¼ cup pickled pepperoncini peppers (sliced, or 2-3 whole peppers)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
For the Olive Garden Style Italian Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (or a mix of oregano, basil, and parsley)
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt (or to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp lemon juice, until smooth and creamy. Add 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Whisk until well combined.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. (You can store it in a jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.)
Assemble the Salad:
- In a large salad bowl, combine 6 cups Romaine lettuce, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, ¼ cup thinly sliced red onions, ½ cup black olives, 1 cup croutons, ¼ cup pickled pepperoncini peppers and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese.
- Just before serving, toss the salad with the homemade dressing to coat everything evenly. Top with croutons and sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese.
- Serve the salad immediately as a side dish or light meal. Pair it with breadsticks or your favorite Italian entrée for the ultimate Olive Garden experience!
Notes
Substitutions
Storage
Nutrition
FAQs
How do I keep the copycat Olive Garden salad fresh if I’m making it ahead?
Keep the dressing separate and add it just before serving to prevent the salad from getting soggy.
Why add sugar to the dressing?
A touch of sugar balances the acidity from the vinegar and lemon juice. Without it, the dressing can taste a little too sharp.
How to Serve Copycat Olive Garden Salad at Home
Copycat Olive Garden Salad is one of those recipes that fits with just about everything. Serve it as a starter before a bowl of creamy pasta, a pan of baked ricotta lasagna, or even a simple spaghetti dinner. The fresh lettuce, olives, pepperoncini, and creamy Italian dressing bring balance to rich and cheesy dishes, which makes it a natural side for any Italian meal.
It is also an easy way to round out lighter dinners like grilled chicken, shrimp, or baked salmon. Add the protein right on top of the salad and you have a complete meal that still tastes like the restaurant version. If you are serving bread, warm breadsticks or sliced sourdough are the perfect way to enjoy any extra dressing. For gatherings, place the salad in a large bowl at the center of the table so everyone can help themselves.
More Salads with Greens
If you like this Copycat Olive Garden Salad, you’ll probably enjoy some of my other favorites too. My arugula salad with peaches and goat cheese is light and fresh, especially with the lemon lavender vinaigrette on top. The summer strawberry salad with citrus lime vinaigrette is another good one—it’s sweet, tangy, and really refreshing on a hot day.
For something a little more filling, I love making a Mediterranean pasta salad with kale, feta, and a creamy lemon oregano dressing. It works for lunch or as a side at dinner. The strawberry pico wedge salad is a fun twist on the classic wedge, with smoky bacon and a punchy strawberry pico dressing.
If you want something a little heartier, try the blackberry arugula salmon salad. It has walnuts, cherry tomatoes, and a tangy blackberry vinaigrette that pulls everything together. And when the weather turns cooler, the butternut squash kale salad with maple cider dressing is one of my go-tos—it’s cozy, flavorful, and still full of greens.