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This homemade copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing tastes just like the restaurant version. Learn how to make this salad at home for your family and friends!
Love Olive Garden Copycat Recipes? Try my Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Recipe next!
I definitely like Olive Garden’s salad more than anyone else on the planet. I really do. Although you can buy their salad dressing online or in stores, it’s easy/inexpensive to make your own!
Be sure to pair your dressing with the classic salad ingredients that Olive Garden uses! ⬇️
Olive Garden Salad Ingredients
- Fresh Iceberg Lettuce
- Vine Ripened Tomatoes
- Large Black olives
- Red onions
- Pepperoncini’s– Jarred and are found in the same section as the pickles/olives
- Croutons-You can actually purchase Olive Garden’s Croutons, OR make my homemade crouton recipe!)
- Parmesan cheese
Pro Tips
- Be sure to use a high quality olive oil that is made for salads and marinades. It should indicate this right on the front label. I use Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (I prefer smooth over robust.)
- Using a mini food processor makes it much easier to emulsify this dressing, which thickens in a bit and ensures it doesn’t separate.
- If your dressing separates, simply shake it prior to serving.
- If your olive oil solidifies during storage: Let it sit at room temperature until it liquifies, then shake to combine and serve. It may also become cloudy but is still safe. This may or may not happen, it depends on the type of olive oil used.
Storing Leftover Salad
- Refrigerate prepared salad as soon as possible in an airtight container, free from as much moisture as possible.
- Refrigerated salad lasts anywhere from 1-3 days, it’s only as good until the least-fresh ingredient in the salad begins to go bad.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Mini Food Processor– My favorite tool to easily combine/emulsify salad dressing.
- Salad Dressing Shaker
- Salad Dressing Serving Container (Cruet)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil– Developed for dressings and marinades.
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Copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing
This homemade copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing tastes just like the restaurant version. Learn how to make this salad at home for your family and friends!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, high-quality olive oil yields much better results in this recipe
- .7 oz Zesty Italian Dressing Mix
- 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tablespoon Romano, grated. (Optional.)
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons mayo, not miracle whip
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, salt
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: pepper, garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a mini food processor or a jar with a lid and blend/shake thoroughly until combined. Chill until ready to use.
- Be sure to shake before each use.
Notes
Pro Tips
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per tablespoon there are approximately 22 tablespoons in this recipe.
- Be sure to use a high quality olive oil that is made for salads and marinades. It should indicate this right on the front label. I use Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (I prefer smooth over robust.)
- Using a mini food processor makes it much easier to emulsify this dressing, which thickens in a bit and ensures it doesn't separate.
- If your dressing separates, simply shake it prior to serving.
- If your olive oil solidifies during storage: Let it sit at room temperature until it liquifies, then shake to combine and serve. It may also become cloudy but is still safe. This may or may not happen, it depends on the type of olive oil used.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per tablespoon there are approximately 22 tablespoons in this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 68kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.2g, Protein: 0.02g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 0.1mg, Sodium: 55mg, Potassium: 1mg, Fiber: 0.03g, Sugar: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 0.001mg, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
I’ve had it in the fridge for just a couple days now. It got really thick and almost chunky. Is it no good anymore? I thought it would last several days if not a week? Or do I just need to leave it out for a few minutes to let it warm up a bit?
Hi Candice! This happens to me too now and then… I think it might have to do with the olive oil that’s used. I bought a big thing of Walmart olive oil and it seems to do it more with that kind than with say, a ‘better’ brand. Anyway, the dressing is perfectly fine! Just leave it out for a few minutes as you said, shake it up, and you’ll be in good shape!!
Just a note: MANY (i.e.) olive oils are adulterated with other veg oils! May be the reason for the clumping. VERY few are pure. Check this out on line and you’ll find which brands are pure. California Olive Ranch is one of the best priced unadulterated oils.
Thank you so much for the information Lynn!!!!!
Tried this recipe yesterday and wanted to say thank you for posting it. It tastes pretty darn close to the OG dressing…very good! I also added couple tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. I will make this again for sure.
Hey Michele! I am so happy you were successful with this recipe! I just made it again the other day, I was completely shocked when I first tried it because it really IS so close to the real deal … I’ve put Parmesan cheese in it as well- IT’S SO GOOD!!! Thank you for letting me know how it came out, have a great weekend!
Can I use Miracle whip and leave out the sugar? Is that the reason for no miracle whip? 🙂
Hi Mandy! Aside from the sweetness factor, Miracle Whip is less oily than Mayo- I haven’t tried it as a substitute though and it might work, but maybe you’d want to try halving the recipe for the first time just in case. I’d love to know how it comes out!
I am pinning this!! 🙂 I had my first Olive Garden experience this year and loved the salad and breadsticks! Can’t wait to try this at home!!
Yaaayyyy- it’s SOO good and easy, I couldn’t believe it! Enjoy it!
The dressing looks superb in that bottle! 🙂 And I love salads!
Just made this… it was pretty much spot on! Made one little addition, for that sour lip puckering effect …I left out the salt (OG is way too salty for my taste) and added 2 heaping Tb of ground Parmesan Cheese into the mix… perfect!!!!! Thanks for sharing this one 🙂
Hi Karen,
WOW that sounds sooo good…. I can’t wait to add parmesan next time, I make this often so I won’t have to wait long 🙂 So happy you liked it. Thanks for visiting and for the tips!
Wow.. This is really yumm…I love salads.. This one i have bookmarked!!would love to try soon
Ohhh I’m excited for you to try it, I’m sooo happy I discovered it because now I don’t have to buy OG’s anymore, I seriously can’t taste a difference… wahoo!
Ahh ahahah I LOVE IT. Especially since I spent 3 years as a waitress at an Olive Garden, so I totally know your kind 😉 xo
TOTALLY thought of you as I was writing this!!! I was definitely one of “those” customers…..
Okay, I’m seriously going to have to try this dressing recipe out! I too think the best thing about Olive Garden is their endless salad (with fried calamari [no tentacles, yuck!] and strawberry bellini tied for second) which I fill up with abundance.
Oh my goshhh I could go on ALL DAY about their food…. I love their stuffed chicken marsala, AH- is it lunch time yet?
Do you have a recipe for the stuffed chicken marsala?
I sure do, and it’s AMAZING!!! Here you go, enjoy!! https://thecozycook.com/copycat-olive-garden-stuffed-chicken-marsala/
Once you make homemade salad dressing once, it is hard to go back! This looks delicious, as does your salad! I’m a salad-aholic 🙂
You are SO right, I had more of this last night and I’m nearing the end of my second bottle, OOPS… it’s SO good! (I am a salad-aholic myself…)- this is perfect for us 🙂
Hi Stephanie! What color was yours? Did it have a yellowish color to it? It really depends on the type of Olive Oil that you use, I’ve come to find. The purer the better!
What kind of pkg Italian dressing did you use? Brand?
Hi Tracey, I’m so sorry on the delay on this response! But I used Good Seasons brand! I hope you’ve had a chance to make this and if not, spring is the perfect time to bust out some new salad dressing recipes!