Description
A refreshing and vibrant Olive Garden-style salad featuring crisp lettuce, colorful vegetables, tangy pepperoncinis, and a flavorful homemade Zesty Italian dressing. Perfect as a side or light meal, this salad combines fresh ingredients with a zesty, creamy dressing that you can easily make at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 8 cups chopped lettuce
- ¼ cup red cabbage, shredded
- ¼ cup carrots, julienne
- ¼ cup red onion, sliced
- ½ cup black olives
- 2 roma tomatoes, sliced
- 1/3 cup pepperoncinis
- 1 cup croutons
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Dressing Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil (prefer smooth over robust)
- 1 (.7 oz.) packet Zesty Italian Dressing Mix
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese (can substitute with Parmesan)
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons mayo (not Miracle Whip)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prepare Dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients—extra virgin olive oil, Zesty Italian Dressing Mix, white vinegar, water, grated Romano cheese, sugar, mayo, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder—in a mini food processor or a jar with a lid. Blend or shake well until the mixture is emulsified. Cover and refrigerate to allow flavors to meld.
- Prepare Salad Ingredients: Wash and chop the lettuce. Shred the red cabbage and julienne the carrots. Slice the red onion and roma tomatoes. Use a paper towel to pat dry the sliced tomatoes to remove excess moisture, ensuring the salad remains fresh and crisp.
- Combine Salad: In a large bowl, mix together the chopped lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, red onion, black olives, sliced tomatoes, and pepperoncinis. Reserve the croutons and Parmesan cheese for later.
- Dress Salad: Drizzle the salad with your desired amount of the prepared dressing and toss gently to combine. Note that you likely won’t need all of the dressing to coat the salad evenly.
- Serve: Sprinkle the salad with croutons and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately for best freshness and flavor. Enjoy this vibrant salad as a perfect side dish or light meal.
Notes
- You can store leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Patting the tomatoes dry is essential to prevent sogginess.
- Adjust the amount of dressing to your taste preferences.
- Using fresh grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses enhances the flavor significantly.
- For a dairy-free option, omit the Parmesan and mayo from the dressing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Olive Garden Salad, Italian Salad, Zesty Italian Dressing, Homemade Salad Dressing, Vegetarian Salad, Fresh Salad Recipe
