This Olive Garden Salad Dressing copycat recipe is a creamy Italian dressing made with 6 simple ingredients. Make this restaurant favorite in your own kitchen in minutes!
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Why This Recipe Works
When in Olive Garden, I am always looking forward to the salad. The crispy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, olives, peppers, onion, and of course the croutons. Toss it all with the delicious salad dressing and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and this salad is devoured! Then I can enjoy the breadsticks and my favorite Zuppa Toscana.
This salad dressing is not only delicious with the classic house salad that is lettuce-based but also with Italian pasta salads! Heck, you can even drizzle it over bread for Italian subs.
Ingredients:
- olive oil: use the best quality oil you can get; extra virgin is recommended
- vinegar: white or apple cider vinegar work here
- lemon juice: adds tanginess
- Dijon: adds and enhances the flavor
- mayonnaise: makes the dressing creamy; you can skip it if you want a vinaigrette-style dressing
- seasoning: garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
How to make Olive Garden salad dressing?
- Measure out all ingredients.
- Place in a bowl and whisk or place in a jar with a lid and shake to mix.
- Taste the dressing and add more mayo, oil, or seasoning, depending on your preferences.
Best Tips!
- If the dressing is too tangy for you, add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to balance it.
- You can use Greek yogurt or sour cream in place of mayo but the flavor will change a bit.
- Use fresh herbs if possible for a more pronounced herb flavor.
Recipe FAQs:
I recommend storing this dressing in a jar with a lid, in the fridge, for up to 1 week. Shake it well before adding it to your salad.
Absolutely! When using fresh herbs, increase the amount three times. For every teaspoon of dried herbs, use 3 teaspoons of fresh.
To recreate the restaurant-style salad, you will need Romaine lettuce, red onion, tomato, pepperoncinis, kalamata olives, croutons, Parmesan cheese, and of course this dressing.
More salad dressing recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Olive Garden Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil good quality
- 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl or a glass measuring cup, combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice and mayo. Mix well until smooth.
- Add seasoning and Dijon mustard. Whisk until smooth.
- Keep dressing in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Shake well before adding to salad.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of dressing.
- Store dressing in a glass jar with a lid, for up to 1 week, in the fridge.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.
Sammy says
Spot on Tangy-ness!! Love my Olive Garden!
Anna says
Me too! Thank you, Sammy!