This is a copycat recipe for the famous Olive Garden salad.
Learn how to make the Olive Garden Salad recipe, a delicious homemade salad with fresh ingredients.
This Italian recipe is made with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, olives, pepperoncini peppers, and more.
You can serve it as a side dish or as an appetizer, making it very versatile for any occasion.
Moreover, this salad is made up of many different kinds of vegetables. It is crunchy, it tastes great, and most importantly, it is healthy.
This Copycat Olive Garden Salad is based on the original olive garden salad recipe and will go well with Ina Garten Chicken or a pikes peak roast.

Olive Garden salads are delicious! You should try them out some time together with gnocchi, alfredo pasta, or pasta e Fagioli. It is so easy to make that you will be making this every gathering with friends and family!
This is one of everyone’s go-to salads because every guest will surely enjoy it. Olive Garden salad is an excellent option for lunch, and brunch and makes a wonderful side to any delicious meal like the olive garden ziti friti
It is a classic dish that requires little effort.
What You Need for Olive Garden Salad
You need some ingredients to make this salad. Here are what you need:
- Garden Salad Mix
Mixing ingredients together saves time and makes them taste better.
- Roma tomatoes
Cut the tomatoes into slices. You can cut them into halves if you want them smaller (or quarters if you prefer).
- Pepperoncini
Adds that bit of spice.
- Red onion slices
Thinly sliced.
- Large black olives
Drained
- Croutons
Use store-bought or choose a homemade version.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
Shred fresh for a better taste
- Olive Garden Salad Dressing
You can use white wine vinegar for the dressing or Italian dressing.

What are the Tips for Making Copycat Olive Garden Salad
There are several tips to help you create your own version of this famous salad. They include:
- Make sure all ingredients are prepared before starting.
- Add more veggies if you like.
- Do not forget to add the croutons.
- Put the fresh salad ingredients into a large salad bowl. Add the tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, red onion slices, black olives, and croutons, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
- You can use iceberg lettuce if you want, but you can also use romaine lettuce. It’s a good idea to choose an iceberg salad because it makes it easy to eat and hold up to the dressing.
- Serve the Pepperoncini peppers whole in the salad at Olive Garden, but some people do not always love them that way. You can use jarred sliced peppers instead of fresh ones if you want, but they won’t be as easy to eat.
- You can also use cherry tomatoes for fresh salads. They are a bit smaller than the Roma, so they are easier to eat.
What are the Tips for Preparing and Storing
It is easy to put together, so you can do it ahead and save yourself time later.
- Prepare everything except the dressing, pepperoncini peppers, and croutons, so they’re ready when you are. Put a piece of plastic wrap over it in a large bowl, and put it in the fridge for at least eight hours. You can also place the copycat salad recipe in an airtight container.
- Before serving, add the fresh ingredients, including the pepperoncini peppers, croutons, salad greens, and dressing.
- This is not a great salad to have leftover. The garlicky croutons will not stay crispy for long, and people do not like that. If you are worried there might be leftover croutons, let your guests top their own salads by serving them on the side. So that if you do have leftover croutons, they will not be soggy. Do not throw away leftover food. Put them in the fridge after that, the entire salad can become quite soggy, but it will still taste delicious.
What Side Dishes Go Well With Copycat Olive Garden Salad
People who order copycat Olive Garden salad often ask about other dishes that go well with it. Some of these suggestions include:
- Pasta
- Grilled chicken
- Pork chops
- Fried shrimp
- Chicken fingers
- Baked potato
- Chips and salsa
- Chips and dip
- Potato chips
- Pork BBQ
It is the perfect side dish for just about anything, including pasta, grilled meat, and even chips. You may enjoy it with breadsticks and soup for a quick dinner or lunch at home, as you do at the restaurant. The salad’s tastes are so distinctive that they go well with other main courses. This delicious salad doesn’t overpower the dish; it simply adds a delicious, textural, and colorful touch to every meal.
Copycat Olive Garden Salad Recipe
This recipe is very simple to make. All you need is a big salad bowl, a bottle of olive oil, and a few basic fresh ingredients.
Copycat Olive Garden Salad
Ingredients
- 24 oz mixed salad
- 1 cup pepperoncini
- 1 cup olives Black Pitted
- 1 cup Roma tomatoes Sliced
- 1 cup Croutons
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
Instructions
- Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, red onions, black olives, and croutons. Top with Parmesan cheese.
- Mix with Olive Garden salad dressing.
Nutrition
Olive Garden Salad Dressing
Who would think that you can have a fancy salad dressing any time you want? Here’s the Olive Garden Salad Dressing recipe to swear by for homemade salads.
What’s the Best Salad Dressing to Use?
The two best off-the-shelf dressings to use are either ranch or Italian salad dressing.
You can add a little Dijon mustard to add spice or extra bite and flavor to the homemade salad dressing.
Other Dressings You Can Use with Olive Garden Salad Are
- Vidalia Onion Dressing
- Ranch peppercorn
- Mandarin Orange Poppyseed
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Greek Yogurt
- Sour Cream
- Buttermilk Ranch
- French Dressing
- Italian Salad Dressing
Any of these dressings will work well with this salad. They all have different flavors, textures, and consistencies. Choose one that suits your preference.