Description
This Olive Garden Salad is a fresh, crisp side salad featuring a medley of lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, red onion, black olives, roma tomatoes, pepperoncinis, croutons, and Parmesan cheese, tossed in a zesty Italian dressing. Perfect for pairing with Italian dishes, it’s easy to prepare and ideal for a quick, flavorful salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 8 cups chopped lettuce
- ¼ cup red cabbage, shredded
- ¼ cup carrots, julienne
- ¼ cup red onion, sliced
- ½ cup black olives
- 2 roma tomatoes, sliced
- 1/3 cup pepperoncinis
- 1 cup croutons
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Dressing
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 (0.7 oz) packet Zesty Italian dressing mix
- ⅓ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prepare Dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a mini food processor or a jar with a lid. Blend or shake vigorously until well combined and emulsified. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare Salad Ingredients: Wash and chop the salad vegetables as specified. Use a paper towel to gently pat the tomato slices to remove excess moisture, ensuring the salad stays crisp and fresh.
- Assemble Salad Base: In a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, shredded red cabbage, julienned carrots, sliced red onion, black olives, sliced roma tomatoes, and pepperoncinis. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Add Dressing and Toss: Drizzle the desired amount of chilled dressing over the salad mixture, tossing gently to coat all ingredients. Note that you likely will not use all the dressing at once.
- Finish and Serve: Sprinkle the salad with croutons and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh, crisp textures and flavors.
Notes
- Use a combination of iceberg and romaine lettuce for the best texture and flavor.
- Roma tomatoes are ideal, but cocktail tomatoes may be used as a substitute for a different size and sweetness.
- Pepperoncini peppers are jarred and usually found near pickles and olives in stores.
- Freshly grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses enhance flavor significantly compared to pre-grated varieties.
- Extra virgin olive oil with a smooth flavor is preferred for the dressing to avoid overpowering the salad.
- Leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and works great as a marinade.
- If dressing solidifies when refrigerated, let it come to room temperature and shake well before using.
- Always mix the salad just before serving to maintain crispness and freshness.
- This salad pairs well with Olive Garden Alfredo and other Italian dishes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
