Olive Garden Salad (Print)
Crisp romaine salad with Italian dressing, crunchy veggies, and Parmesan toppings.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
02 - 1 cup thinly sliced red onions
03 - 1 cup sliced Roma tomatoes
04 - ½ cup sliced black olives
05 - 1 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
06 - 1 large cucumber, sliced
→ Toppings
07 - 1 cup large garlic croutons
08 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Dressing
09 - ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - ¼ cup white wine vinegar
11 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
12 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
13 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano)
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 1 teaspoon sugar
17 - ½ teaspoon salt
18 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, thinly sliced red onions, Roma tomatoes, black olives, pepperoncini peppers, and sliced cucumber.
02 - In a separate bowl or mason jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, lemon juice, grated Parmesan cheese, dried Italian herbs, minced garlic, sugar, salt, and black pepper until smooth and fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the vegetables evenly.
04 - Top with garlic croutons and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately for the best crunch and flavor.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That tangy, creamy dressing hits every flavor note you want without any cooking at all.
- It comes together faster than delivery and tastes like you put in far more effort than fifteen minutes.
02 -
- The dressing separates quickly so always give it another shake right before pouring, even if you made it ahead.
- Adding croutons too early is the fastest way to end up with sad soggy crumbs instead of satisfying crunch.
03 -
- Massaging the sliced onions with a pinch of salt softens their harshness and seasons them from the inside out.
- A chilled salad bowl keeps everything crisp longer, which matters enormously if you are serving a crowd that grazes slowly.