The traditional salad from Olive Garden is a versatile, zesty, and refreshing entrée that would go great with any dinner or as a filling stand-alone dish. Many like this salad because of its crunchy lettuce, fresh vegetables, good olives, and tart dressing. The best thing is also One can enjoy it without visiting a restaurant! This simple dish will enable you to replicate the real Olive Garden Salad right at your house. Family meals, potlues, and other events call for it.
Salad ingredients include:
- one big Romaine lettuce head, or a bag of mixed greens.
- half red onion (thinly cut)
- Halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup
- half-cup black olives
- One half cup sliced pepperoncini adds some tang and mild heat.
- Optional for color and sweetness, 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup croutons for extra crunch
- One-fourth cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a nutty, salted taste.
For the Dressing:
- One fourth cup more virgin olive oil
- Two tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar
- One teaspoon fresh lemon juice (for brightness)
- One minced garlic clove
- One half teaspoon dried Italian herbs—basil, oregano, thyme among others.
- For additional depth, 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
- Taste of salt and pepper
- One optional teaspoon sugar (for balance)
- First prepare the salad base.
- Start by washing and drying the Romaine lettuce; if convenience calls for it, use a bag of pre-washed mixed greens. Sort the lettuce into bite-sized bits and toss into a big salad bowl.
Step 1: Prepare the Salad Base
Add then the cherry tomatoes, black olives, pepperoncini, sliced red onions, shredded carrots, and croutons. Every mouthful of these components is interesting since they balance crunch, sweetness, and tanginess exactly.
Step 2: Make the Dressing
Whisk together in a small bowl extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, Italian herbs, and Dijon mustard. Taste and add salt, pepper, and a bit of sugar if you want some sweetening in your dressing.
Stirring will help the dressing to be thoroughly mixed and smooth. Change the season to fit your pallet. If you would want a tangier dressing, you could also change the acidity by adding additional vinegar or lemon juice.
Step 3: Combine and Serve
To maintain crispness, pour the dressing over the salad right before serving. To gently toss everything together and guarantee that every piece gets covered with dressing, use salad tongs.
For a last layer of taste, finish with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Parmesan’s nutty, salted taste accentuates the salad’s freshness and balances the dressing’s tanginess exactly.
Step 4: Garnish and Customize
Present if wanted top with a few more olives or pepperoncini slices. To make it a whole dinner, you could also toss shredded mozzarella, sliced cucumbers, or even grilled chicken pieces.
Advice on the Perfect Olive Garden Salad
Chill the Salad components: Store your salad components in the refrigerator before to cooking to really replicate a restaurant. A cold salad has better crispness and feels reviving.
Though dried Italian herbs work great too, fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, or thyme can provide a taste explosion to the dressing.
To keep the salad crisp and fresh, toss it with dressing just before serving. Preparing only what you need is better as leftovers don’t keep well with the dressing already added.
Customize the Flavor: To the dressing, add a few extra pepperoncini slices or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you like some more spiciness.
Why You’ll Love This Salad?
Any occasion calls for this Olive Garden-inspired salad, which provides freshness, tanginess, and crunch with little work involved. From light summer barbecues to substantial Italian pastas, this dish tastes great virtually anywhere. Not only is it simple and flexible, but it also delivers well-known restaurant tastes to your table, therefore elevating every dinner.
