Olive Garden Salad Dressing Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2023)

The best Olive Garden salad dressing recipe is fresh, zesty and so much better than any store-bought or restaurant version. This fresh take on a popular recipe can be used for much more than a salad!

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

No need to head to the Olive Garden when you crave their salad and vibrant dressing. It’s so easy to make at home and tastes exactly like it!

You can’t have one without the other so it was super important to me to come up with the best copycat dressing to pair with my favorite copycat Olive garden salad!

The zesty, tangy, bright, and bold salad dressing stands up to the fresh crispy veggies every time. We’re using an Italian dressing mix giving it the traditional flavors of Italian dressing and adding in some vinegar for that vinaigrette tang. The mayo provides the richness and of course, a little sugary sweetness to balance it all out.

What is an Olive Garden Salad?

It’s a combination of iceberg lettuce, sliced Roma tomatoes, black olives red onions, pepperoncinis, and topped with Parmesan cheese and homemade croutons. Together with the dressing, and a basket of soft garlicky Olive Garden breadsticks, it’s a light lunch made in heaven!

Of course, if you’re looking to complete your meal try a soup! Zuppa Toscana or pasta e fagioli are always a great choice!

What’s in this Olive Garden Dressing Recipe?

• Italian dressing mix packet– This can be found anywhere you pick up your groceries in the same section you’d find dips and dressings. If not, check out the seasoning section. We’re taking this shortcut so we can get the flavors and essence of Italian dressing without all of its other ingredients.
• Olive oil– Extra virgin olive oil is neutral tasting and a popular choice in many salad dressings. It’s loaded with good fat and nutritional benefits, so don’t skimp on this! If you don’t have any on hand, you could opt for avocado oil instead.
• White vinegar– Oil and vinegar is a traditional base for all kinds of vinaigrettes. The acidity delivers a zesty lip-smacking punch!
• Sugar– The sweetness that counterbalances the above-mentioned punch. You can opt to use non-refined honey.
• Mayo– The mayo adds a creamy texture which helps to thicken it up. The added oil and fat give it a richness taking it from a runny dressing to something with a little more substance. takes it from a

How to Make Olive Garden Salad Dressing

You’ll have this recipe memorized in no time which is great for whipping up last minute. It contains ingredients you’ve already got in your fridge I’m sure, then you can use it for so much more than Olive Garden salad.

Here’s the fun part! There’s virtually no work involved.

1. Prepare: Grab your ingredient and a mason jar with a lid.You can also combine ingredients into a bowl, add and start whisking, it’s up to you.
2. Combine: Combine ingredients,a bit of salt and pepper to taste,and give it a shake. Then pour it overtop the salad, or use it as you please!

Tasty Variations

• Italian– Combine 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1Tbsp dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Balsamic vinaigrette– 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, and 1-2 Tbsp of honey, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, and 2 tsp dijon mustard (optional).
• Make it even creamier– 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp honey, and 2-3 Tbsp mayonnaise. You can use sour cream or plain Greek yogurt as well. Salt and pepper to taste, of course!

How Else Can I Use This Dressing?

It makes a great dip for veggie platters, a delicious marinade for grilling meat, and of course a dressing for pasta salad among many others!

• As a marinade ongrilled chicken,steak kabobs,chicken kabobs, orgrilled vegetables.
• Use it as a dip withveggie cups, aThanksgiving turkey tray, or aMediterranean Mezza platter.
• I love this dressing on these saladscucumber tomato salad,Caprese pasta salad, and thisGreek pasta saladtoo.

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