Olive Garden Salad with Copycat Dressing

By Becky Hardin

Updated Aug 29, 2025

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I love this Olive Garden Salad recipe! In just 10 minutes, I can whip up this incredible restaurant-quality dish that’s bursting with flavor and loaded with texture. Believe me, this is the only salad recipe you will need!

Easy Olive Garden Salad with Copycat Dressing

Does anyone else have an obsession with Olive Garden’s salad, or is it just me? The flavors and textures are so good, and I find the dressing is out of this world! Lucky for you, I’ve got just the recipe for when you can’t make it to the restaurant.

Although I’ve stayed true to the salad you’d get in the restaurant, salads are easily modified based on what you have on hand, what’s in season, and your preferences. So, go ahead and make it your own. But the dressing—well, I suggest you make a double batch as it’s just so good and goes well with any salad.

Recipe Card

Olive Garden Salad with Copycat Dressing

4.64 from 36 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8 people

Author: Becky Hardin

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In just 10 minutes, you can whip up this Olive Garden Salad with Copycat Dressing and get an incredible restaurant-quality dish that’s bursting with flavor and loaded with texture.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

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Ingredients 

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For the Salad:

• ▢ 3 cups chopped green leaf lettuce or romaine
• ▢ 2 cups chopped Iceberg lettuce
• ▢ 3 cups chopped red leaf lettuce
• ▢ 1 cup sliced black olives
• ▢ 1 cup chopped (deli-sliced) pepperoncinis
• ▢ ½ medium red onion halved and cut into paper-thin slices
• ▢ 1 pint Glory cherry tomatoes halved
• ▢ 2 cups croutons homemade, if possible
• ▢ ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ▢ ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ▢ ½ cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese optional

For the Vinaigrette:

• ▢ ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
• ▢ ½ tsp dried oregano
• ▢ ¼ tsp Italian seasoning
• ▢ ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ ¾ tsp granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ tsp kosher salt
• ▢ ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Video

Instructions 

For the Vinaigrette:

• Whisk together vinegar, mustard, oregano, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt and black pepper in a medium bowl.
  ¾ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, ⅓ cup red wine vinegar, 1½ tsp Dijon mustard, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp Italian seasoning, ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, ¾ tsp granulated sugar, ½ tsp kosher salt, ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Continue whisking and drizzle in the olive oil. Whisk until combined and smooth.
  ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Salad:

• Combine all salad ingredients in a large serving bowl and toss to mix.
  3 cups chopped green leaf lettuce or romaine, 2 cups chopped Iceberg lettuce, 3 cups chopped red leaf lettuce, 1 cup sliced black olives, 1 cup chopped (deli-sliced) pepperoncinis, ½ medium red onion, 1 pint Glory cherry tomatoes, 2 cups croutons

To Serve:

• Drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Serve with freshly grated or shaved Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
  ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Becky’s Tips

• For a vegan Olive Garden salad, choose a vegan parmesan cheese, or omit it completely.

Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 7gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 901mgPotassium: 297mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2933IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 183mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Olive Garden Salad with Copycat Dressing

Prepare the dressing: Whisk ¾ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, ⅓ cup red wine vinegar, 1½ tsp Dijon mustard, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp Italian seasoning, ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, ¾ tsp granulated sugar, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper in a medium bowl to combine. Continue to whisk while drizzling in the olive oil so the mixture combines. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth.

Prepare the salad: Combine 3 cups chopped green leaf lettuce or romaine, 2 cups chopped Iceberg lettuce, 3 cups chopped red leaf lettuce, 1 cup sliced black olives, 1 cup chopped (deli-sliced) pepperoncinis, ½ medium red onion, 1 pint Glory cherry tomatoes, and 2 cups croutons in a large serving bowl and toss to mix well.

Toss the salad: Drizzle the dressing over the bowl of salad and toss to coat it well. Serve garnished with ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!

How to Store

The salad can easily be prepared ahead of time and stored, covered, in the fridge. Just add the salad dressing when you are ready to serve it so that the lettuce doesn’t get soggy. You can easily meal prep this salad too – just portion it and store it in airtight containers, again, separate from the dressing. 

The dressing will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge in an airtight jar or bottle.

Serving Suggestions

This salad is light and flavorful and is easily paired with your favorite meals and it’s also great to serve as an appetizer. It’s my favorite salad to serve with pasta favorites you’d find at Olive Garden, like baked spaghetti, these hearty and comforting stuffed shells, or baked ziti. And, of course, don’t forget about those memorable Olive Garden breadsticks!

If you want to make it into a fuller meal on its own, you can add protein like shredded chicken or steak.

Try these other salads

Cucumber Onion Salad

Broccoli Salad with Bacon

Mind Blowing Grilled Corn Salad Recipe

Green Goddess Salad