Olive Garden Salad Dressing Copycat Recipe is awesome! If you’ve always wanted to make this lovely restaurant dressing, this is a terrific recipe. I LOVE Olive Garden’s featured salad and dressing along with a host of their other entrees and food items. I’m a tomato lover anyway, add in some olives and pepperocinis to give a salad a little bite and I’m delirious with enjoyment! 🙂

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I was in the mood for Olive Garden Salad last week but I didn’t want to go out to eat. Yes, I had bottles of Olive Garden salad dressing in my refrigerator and on my pantry shelves. But I wanted to try a homemade version instead. I wondered how the copycat versions available tasted. Were they close to the original salad dressing in flavor?

This particular Olive Garden Salad Dressing Copycat Recipe turned out fantastic. I thought it tasted so close to Olive Garden’s dressing. The salad tastes more like Olive Garden’s salad when you add a LOT of freshly grated (fine grate) Parmesan cheese to the salad. Without adding that, you won’t be able to get even close to the original taste.

Let me add that I have taken a little license with Olive Garden’s salad. Most Olive Garden’s are notorious for being very stingy on topping ingredients. You are lucky if you get one or two olives, tomato slices, or pepperocinis when your table is served a bowl of their salad. But they load up the bowl with red onion rings! We almost always ask for more tomatoes and dressing, and sometimes extra olives and pepperoncinis too. We prefer salads with more than just lettuce. For this salad I’ve also incorporated cucumbers, which are not on Olive Garden’s salad menu. But since we enjoy them a lot, I included them in the pictures for this post.

If you love Olive Garden’s Salad like I do, this is a sensational copycat version of their salad dressing. Even the salad is pretty close (if you don’t mind some cucumbers thrown in too. Be ready to be blown away by this delicious salad. 🙂

I initially published this post in August 2013. I tried to make healthier versions of this recipe using yogurt instead of mayonnaise and actually offered two different versions. I recently remade the recipe (January 2020) for someone who came down with flu and pneumonia. After she got out of the hospital I made them a delicious meal including Spaghetti Pizza Bake, Corny Bacon Casserole, Parsley Herb Bread, Banana Blondies and this wonderful salad and dressing. They loved everything.

This time I didn’t even try for a healthier version. Instead, I decided to follow the original recipe of the dressing I liked the most. The only thing I had to improvise was whisking the mayonnaise into the dressing instead of shaking the mason jar. It just didn’t break down enough to be incorporated without whisking. Other than that, it turned out perfectly.

Yeah, this is one great salad dressing recipe. Whether you serve it on Olive Garden salad or not!

Olive Garden Salad Dressing Copycat Recipe is really wonderful. Sprinkling plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper help bring out the tastes you’re used to when eating Olive Garden’s salad.

This recipe is so quick and easy to make. I had it completed in about 5 minutes!

I added cucumbers to the original Olive Garden salad. This salad was so delicious.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients for the salad.

Toss lettuce mix into a large salad bowl.

Toss red onion rings on top of the lettuce. Add sliced tomatoes, cucumber (if using), jumbo olives, pepperoncinis, parmesan cheese and croutons.

I used these ingredients for the salad dressing.

Place 1/4 cup white vinegar in a one-pint mason jar. Add 3 tablespoons water.

Add a packet of Good Seasonings Italian Salad Dressing mix.

Place lid tightly on mason jar and shake contents vigorously.

Add 1/2 cup olive oil.

Cover the mason jar with a lid and shake vigorously again.

Add Italian seasoning, sea salt, black pepper, sugar and garlic powder.

Add 1/4 cup olive oil.

Add two tablespoons white vinegar, 1 1/2 tbsp. water.

Add a tablespoon of Hellmann’s mayonnaise and whisk until the mayonnaise is incorporated.

Put lid on mason jar and shake vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds until dressing is well blended. Transfer mixture to a cruet or dressing dispenser as desired.

Drizzle Olive Garden Salad Dressing Copycat Recipe over top of salad as desired.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing Copycat recipe is delicious and can be used on any kind of salad you make–whether you try to replicate Olive Garden’s salad or not.

This copycat recipe made with the Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix came really close to replicating the traditional Olive Garden dressing. It tasted amazingly like Olive Garden’s dressing. 

This salad is so scrumptious. I could eat this every day!

Here are the recipes.

OLIVE GARDEN SALAD DRESSING COPYCAT RECIPE

(Salad recipe adapted from Olive Garden; Salad Dressing recipe adapted from: The Country Cook)

Olive Garden Salad Copycat Recipe

Teresa Ambra

Olive Garden Salad Dressing Copycat Recipe is fantastic! This amazing version of Olive Garden's classic salad dressing is the perfect salad for family, company or holiday dinners. The dressing can be whipped up in about 5 minutes and made for any kind of salad. It's the closest I've tasted for replicating the original dressing recipe. This easy and delicious salad dressing will be a huge hit with your family.

2.73 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Salads and Salad Dressings, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Calories 276 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 set tongs
• 1 pint-sized mason jar
• 1 whisk
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

SALAD:

• 2 bags iceberg lettuce mix with carrots and shredded red cabbage
• 4-5 roma tomatoes sliced
• 1/2 cucumber peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion sliced thinly and separated into rings
• 3/4 cup ripe jumbo olives whole
• 8-10 pepperoncini or more, as desired
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 1/2 cup Texas Toast croutons as desired (or Caesar Salad croutons)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

OLIVE GARDEN SALAD DRESSING:

• 1 packet good seasons Italian dressing mix
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 3 tbsp. water
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. Hellmann's mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp. white vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp. water

Instructions

 

SALAD:

• Layer salad ingredients in this order in large salad bowl: lettuce mix, red onion rings, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and pepperocinis.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• To serve: toss salad ingredients and place on plates.
• Drizzle with salad dressing; sprinkle with sea salt.
• Season with freshly ground black pepper.
• Garnish with croutons, then extra Parmesan cheese, as desired.

OLIVE GARDEN SALAD DRESSING:

• In a pint-size mason jar, pour ¼ cup white vinegar and 3 tbsp. water.
• Add Italian Dressing mix, replace lid and shake.
• Add ½ cup olive oil and shake again.
• Add Italian seasoning, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and sugar.
• Whisk in mayonnaise until it is fully incorporated.
• Add 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp. white vinegar and 1 1/2 tbsp. water.
• Seal lid on mason jar and shake thoroughly for 30-60 seconds or until ingredients are well mixed.
• Makes 1 pint salad dressing.

Notes

NOTE: Good Seasons Italian seasoning mix contains maltodextrin. As a result, this recipe is NOT gluten free.

 

Salad Dressing recipe adapted from The Country Cook.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

 

 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 666mgPotassium: 174mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 450IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 1mg

Keyword salad, salad dressing, side dish

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Are you salivating yet? Olive Garden Salad Dressing Copycat Recipe is a marvelous way to enjoy Olive Garden’s traditional salad recipe.

I served Olive Garden Salad Dressing Copycat recipe originally with a delicious homemade Whole Wheat Greek Bread.

Doesn’t this salad look wonderful? It was so fresh and crisp! We loved this version of salad and salad dressing. If you love Olive Garden Salad you will love this recipe.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Thousand Island Dressing

Olive Garden Salad Copycat Recipe

Teresa Ambra

Olive Garden Salad Dressing Copycat Recipe is fantastic! This amazing version of Olive Garden’s classic salad dressing is the perfect salad for family, company or holiday dinners. The dressing can be whipped up in about 5 minutes and made for any kind of salad. It’s the closest I’ve tasted for replicating the original dressing recipe. This easy and delicious salad dressing will be a huge hit with your family.

2.73 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Salads and Salad Dressings, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Calories 276 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 set tongs
• 1 pint-sized mason jar
• 1 whisk
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

SALAD:

• 2 bags iceberg lettuce mix with carrots and shredded red cabbage
• 4-5 roma tomatoes sliced
• 1/2 cucumber peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion sliced thinly and separated into rings
• 3/4 cup ripe jumbo olives whole
• 8-10 pepperoncini or more, as desired
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 1/2 cup Texas Toast croutons as desired (or Caesar Salad croutons)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

OLIVE GARDEN SALAD DRESSING:

• 1 packet good seasons Italian dressing mix
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 3 tbsp. water
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. Hellmann’s mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp. white vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp. water

Instructions

 

SALAD:

• Layer salad ingredients in this order in large salad bowl: lettuce mix, red onion rings, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and pepperocinis.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• To serve: toss salad ingredients and place on plates.
• Drizzle with salad dressing; sprinkle with sea salt.
• Season with freshly ground black pepper.
• Garnish with croutons, then extra Parmesan cheese, as desired.

OLIVE GARDEN SALAD DRESSING:

• In a pint-size mason jar, pour ¼ cup white vinegar and 3 tbsp. water.
• Add Italian Dressing mix, replace lid and shake.
• Add ½ cup olive oil and shake again.
• Add Italian seasoning, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and sugar.
• Whisk in mayonnaise until it is fully incorporated.
• Add 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp. white vinegar and 1 1/2 tbsp. water.
• Seal lid on mason jar and shake thoroughly for 30-60 seconds or until ingredients are well mixed.
• Makes 1 pint salad dressing.

Notes

NOTE: Good Seasons Italian seasoning mix contains maltodextrin. As a result, this recipe is NOT gluten free.

 

Salad Dressing recipe adapted from The Country Cook.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

 

 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 666mgPotassium: 174mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 450IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 1mg

Keyword salad, salad dressing, side dish

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!