Olive Garden Salad Dressing
This homemade copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing tastes even better than the original and the bottled stuff! It works great in pasta salads and as a marinade too!
A CREAMY ITALIAN DRESSING RECIPE
I think one of my favorite things to do is to recreate my favorite restaurant meals at home, like with this Olive Garden Salad Dressing. I always say that even though recipes can sometimes come close to those restaurant favorites, I will never say it tastes exactly like what you get in the restaurant but we can get the taste pretty darn close. Also, I know you can totally buy this stuff in the grocery store now but I promise you that this version will taste WAY better.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes. First you are going to prepare the packet of Good Seasons Italian Dressing just like it tells you to do on the back of the packet. Then you will take that prepared dressing and add the other ingredients listed below to turn this into Olive Garden Salad Dressing.
If you want the full Olive Garden experience then serve this with my Olive Garden Breadsticks and Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli or Zuppa Toscana!
This dressing is delicious in pasta salads and as a chicken marinade!
Store unused dressing in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to give the bottle a good shake before using.
If you’ve never seen Good Seasons Italian Dressing before, you can usually find it down the aisle in your grocery store where all the other salad dressings are. The packets are usually near where they keep the packets of ranch dressing. Most stores carry the boxed sets that also come with the salad dressing cruet. See my ingredient image below for reference.
You will need:
– 1 bag of iceberg lettuce mix
– 6-8 pepperoncini peppers
– 6 ounces of whole black olives
– ½ red onion, sliced into rings
– 1 Roma tomato, sliced
– 1 cup of croutons
– ½-1 cup of parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Add the lettuce to a large salad bowl then add the peppers, olives, onion slices, tomatoes, croutons and parmesan to the salad. Drizzle the salad dressing over top and toss to combine, then serve.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
HOW TO MAKE OLIVE GARDEN SALAD DRESSING
Prepare Good Seasonings Italian Seasonings Dressing as it states on back of packet.
The packet makes just a small bit of dressing. Once prepared, pour dressing in a medium bowl. Then whisk in additional ingredients listed above (starting with the dried Italian Seasoning.)
Using a whisk, mix all ingredients until mixed thoroughly combined.
At this point you pour it into a container with a lid. Mason jars also work well for this or pour it over your salad and enjoy!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo
- Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
- Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli
- Instant Pot Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
- Thousand Island Dressing
- Mayonnaise Salad Dressing
Originally published: January 2012
Updated photos & republished: June 2019
Olive Garden Salad Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 packet Good Seasonings Italian Dressing
- Ingredients needed to make dressing; oil, water & vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon mayonnaise
- ¼ cup light extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a bowl, prepare Good Seasonings Italian Seasonings Dressing as it states on back of package (mixing with oil, water & vinegar in the measurements given on packet)
- Once prepared, add the rest of the ingredients listed to the bowl
- Using a whisk, mix all ingredients until mixed thoroughly combined.
- Serve with your favorite salad fixings.
Video
Notes
- Store unused dressing in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to give the bottle a good shake before using.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Recipe Credit: Barenaked Chef
Worked at Olive Garden for years. They take premade Italian dressing and add raw eggs and parm cheese to make it their own. Your addition of mayo makes up for the eggs.
I made this this morning, and it is absolutely FANTASTIC! Thank you SO much for posting this! I've been trying to find a way to get myself to eat salds for a while, I just never feel full after, but I've always loved the Olive Garden dressing. I'll definitely be using this in the future!
I made this dressing last night. I used part of the batch on a green salad (which was wonderful), and the rest on pasta salad. I believe it is one of the best pasta salads I have ever made! Thank you so much for yet another great recipe!
I have made your dressing twice now and the whole family LOVES this dressing!! My husband who is notorious for only eating the TOP layer of his salad (aka where all the good stuff is) actually cleans his plate if he has this dressing. He told me tonight to never buy dressing again! Thanks a million for sharing this!!
Looks great! This is my favorite part about going to Olive Garden. Just pass me some salad and breadsticks 🙂 Krista @ A Handful of Everything
I made this salad dressing tonight and it was wonderful. It tasted just live Olive Gardens and my family loved it.
I live in Toronto, Canada and they have closed all of Olive Garden's years ago. I loved that place, I will try this dressing to revive the memories. Lois
We love Olive Garden dressing. Does the Good Seasoning packet have MSG in it? I just decided to start making my own dressings today when I saw the ingredients on the store bought bottle.
I just looked at the back of one of the packets of Good Seasons dressing mix and do not see MSG as one of the ingredients. Hope that helps!
what's the calorie count on the "olive garden salad dressing"? anyone?
I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you. I think there are programs you can use online that help you to figure out calorie counts as well as fat grams. Someone told me about a weight watchers program online that does it but I'm sorry that I don't have a link for you. Maybe someone on here will be able to help!
the basic recipe on the package is about 130/2 tblsp. However you can make it with less oil which I did, Leaving out 1/4 cup of oil.
I would guess with the added mayo it would be about that or less.
When I get around to it I will figure it out exactly
ETA based on a 1/8 cup serving using reducing oil (as on packet) I came up with 80 cals
Love this salad dressing! We don't have an Olive Garden but this gives me my fix! I like to cut raw vegies (carrots, celery, cucumber etc.) add dressing and feta cheese. I have that as a salad at least once or twice a week.
So happy you like this one! I make it a lot. It really is a favorite of ours.
I made this and it was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you! And thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know how it turned out for you!
Are you adding extra oil, vinegar and water than just what the packet calls for?
You mix the packet up first according to the packet directions. Then you add the additional ingredients above to it.
Hi. I made this a couple weeks ago and it was delicious. I added a little extra something (can't remember) by mistake and it was still yumm yumm yummy!! Can't wait to try your other recipes. Gracias!!
Thank you so much Maria!
I made this recipe.. It was amazing! However, when I refrigerated it for one night it got all hard and crusty. It was in the door, so it's not in the coldest place of the fridge. It needs to be refrigerated because of the mayo, but is there anyway to keep it liquidy? I want to be able to use this more than once. 🙁
That's because of the olive oil that's in it. Jut put it out on the counter for a few minutes for it to warm up a tad and it will be easily pourable in minutes Hope that helps. So happy you like this recipe! 🙂
Okie, I will continue to do that then. Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Made this today and i must say this comes pretty darn close to the real thing. I cant wait for my husband to taste it 🙂
Hope he loved it!
I worked at Olive Garden for ONE day back in 1980. A new restaurant was opening so we were to have a week of training. I quit because I didn't want to have to sing the "Hospitaliano" song that they used to make their employees sing, I think for birthdays since I can't sing…however, they told us that day that the dressing is made using Wishbone Italian and doctored up with egg and other seasonings. That was before it came out that raw eggs were going to kill you, so not sure if they went to the mayo or still use eggs. I never noticed a difference if they changed it. I use Good Seasons all the time so I can't wait to try this.
That is interesting! Hope it came out good for ya!
I am so happy to have found your blog and this recipe!!! I made it tonight and it is absolutely so close to Olive Garden's dressing. My husband loved it too!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
I just made this dressing for dinner tonight and it was so close to OG's. My husband loved it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!I am so happy;)
Use canola oil or salad oil. Olive oil varies in flavor.
I don't know if y'all have ever tried adding ranch to the salad along with the Italian dressing but it is an amazing flavor!
My guys (husband and grown boys) who eat nothing but ranch dressing) DEVOURED this! It was yummy and I appear like superwoman after a 12 hour day. Yep, I'm that mom. Pinterest makes me look like I can cook fabulously.. Tee hee hee
Excellent recipe! In my early 20's I worked as a sou chef in a high end Italian resteraunt (locally owned, non franchise) Quite a few of our finer chefs tried to emulate the olive gardens Italian dressing recipe, none came as close as yours. I found the recipe and made it at home, my wide and two year old are infatuated with it!! Thank you, good work and congrats on your successful blog
Anonymous – yes. You make the package exactly the way the instructions state on the back. Then add all the additional ingredients listed above to it.
on the recipe for the Olive Garden salad
dressing do you use the oil amount on the packet and an additional 1/4 cup?
This is a great recipe. Not exactly Olive Garden but just as good. I use fresh garlic and add fresh grated parmesan cheese to the dressing. I also use less olive oil. Now I can get my salad fix anytime.
I live abroad and no Italian dressing spice packets here (aka good seasons). Can you please tell me what the ingredients in those packets are (minus the chemicals of course, lol). Thank you!
2 Tablespoons basil
2 Tablespoons marjoram
2 Tablespoons oregano
2 Tablespoons rosemary
2 Tablespoons thyme
This was amazing! The only change I made was I used cider vinegar (it was all I had) and I added Parmesan to the dressing! The whole family raved! This will be my go to dressing! Thank you so much for sharing!
The salad dressing was delicious. I made it for a party we had at our house and it was a hit. Thanks!
Loved the recipe! It was delicious (coming from a non-salad eater!). Thanks again.
Very, very similar! Tastes great! My new go to vinaigrette for sure! Thank you so much for the recipe:)
I just made this salad dressing and WOW, to me, it tastes just like Olive Garden's! Thank so much for posting this 🙂
I just love reading everyone's comments! I'm just so happy y'all are enjoying this recipe!! Sarah, I got that bowl a few years ago at Target (it was a Black Friday sale..LOL. But I have recently seen a similar one at Kohl's. 🙂
I love your salad bowl! Where can I find one like that?
I am excited to make the dressing!
Made this at lunch; Delish! Now I'm waiting for my 12 and 13 year olds to get home from school with their friends; I have a huge bowl of salad waiting in the fridge I know they will eat it right up! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Ok, so when you make the dressing first according to the directions on the packet, do you use Veggie oil or Olive oil? Then add the 1/4 Olive oil at the end?
Thanks!
Hi, I just have a question about storing this. I have all the ingredients and I am about to make this but I am afraid I will have to toss out most of it after 2-3 weeks. Is there anyway to prolong the life of the dressing? Maybe freezing half or putting it in an air tight container? (haha i have no idea if it will even freeze) It is only me and my husband and I dont like having to throw stuff out if i can help it! (Although, we might end up eating more salads because of the dressing and then it wont be an issue)Thanks cant wait to try it!
Sooooo delicious! Pregnant currently and I CRAVE this! Delicious!
Thank you SO much for this recipe. It's awesome! I'm going to post the link to your website on my facebook page so my friends can check it out for themselves. Hope you don't mind my sharing it.
Hi!
JUST finished making/ eating this dressing, and I have to say I love it! OG dressing is my favorite, but being a broke college girl means I don't get to eat there very often! & I've been trying to find a great dressing to eat at home- besides the ever faithful ranch! I just wanted to thank you for sharing this recipe! I'm going to go fix myself another helping of salad… 🙂
IMO.. this recipe is spot on perfect and tastes exactly like the real deal.
My husband and I use to celebrate our anniversary at olive garden every year (our tradition) but in the past two years we haven't been able to go (with having small kids), so we skip it. But this year we can have olive garden at home, the tradition lives on 🙂 ty.
Kgibsongirl, you said you added the sliced onions, pepperchinis & olives to marinate, does that mean you removed them before serving or did you chop them up real fine and leave them in dressing when serving?
I would like to know what is in the salad…It looks delicious!! Plus I will be trying the dressing it also sounds very good!! 😉
I made this last night for my boyfriend (as well as the breadsticks) and let's just say I may get a ring out of this. You nailed it! It was absoultely exact to the dressing I have had (many a times) at The Olive Garden!
I modified it a bit (after tasting it and agreeing it tasted exactly like OG's) by adding the following ingredients and letting them marinate in the dressing for a couple hours before I served: about an 1/8 cip shredded parmesan, 1/2 cup sliced onions, black olives and pepperoncini peppers.
We live in Manhattan so you saved us a trip down to the only OG in the city – which is located in Times Square, an area which is great but at the same time, one in which those who live in NYC tend o want to avoid.
Thanks again!!
I made this dressing last night and it was IDENTICAL to the Olive Garden! I live in Manhattan so the only Olive Garden we have is in Times Square, a great area but one in which people who live in NYC tend to want to avoid. You saved me a trip to get our fill.
I modified your recipe a bit by adding an 1/8 cup of fresh shredded parmesan cheese, some black olives, sliced onions and a couple pepperoncini peppers into the dressing. I threw these ingredients in a couple hours before I planned to serve, so they could marinate and soak up the dressing.
I also made your breadsticks the night before and reheated them the next night to serve (reheated at 350 and rebrushed with oil/garlic powder mix).
I would have to give you two thumbs way up on this. Perfect job recreationg the recipes!
I used to work at the Olive Garden and my son got totally hooked to the dressing when I worked there…it was the only dressing he would eat (and therefore the only time he would accept salad as his veg of choice! Now as a full time mommy blogger, it's nice to have this in the arsenal. Great idea and thanks so much!
~Kate
@anon asking about the nutritional info, I think you would be pretty safe in just going with the value of your olive oil.. so i would think it would be pretty close to 120 cal/tbs, with it all being fat cals BUT it's the good fats,but you'd still want to use it as sparingly as possible. Yes I know there is sugar and mayo in it, but it's a small amount and it also has water init which would come into play also.I just think you'd be safe the way I said.
Made this for our salad tonight. Since we can't buy the Good Seasons seasoning here in Canada, I substituted Club House Italian Dressing mix. Made the dressing as per instructions…only modification I made was about 1 tbsp. of parmasan cheese added. This dressing was the bomb…just like Olive Garden!! This recipe is definitely a keeper 🙂
Ok I just made it. Taste darn close to the olive garden dressing. I used a fresh garlic clove instead of garlic powder and 2 tsp of parmesan cheese.
Anonymous 1 – I'm sorry, I can't really help you out with the nutritional information. I'm sorry!
Anonymous 2 – I always sprinkle a bit of parmesan on my salad when I make it but I don't put it in the actual dressing. 🙂
FYI, I was told by the wait staff at OG that the dressing has parmesan in it (I have a dairy allergy so I asked) perhaps adding some would make it even more authentic. But if this tastes like it then i'm going to have to try the dairy free version!