Description
Bring the restaurant experience home with this crisp, zesty, and refreshing Olive Garden-style salad. Featuring a crunchy base of iceberg lettuce, shredded carrots, and red cabbage, this vibrant salad is elevated by sharp red onions, briny black olives, tangier pepperoncini peppers, and a generous topping of savory Parmesan cheese. Perfectly balanced and simple to assemble, it is the ultimate stress-free side dish that brings an iconic, tangy flavor to your dining table in minutes.
Ingredients
6 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded red cabbage
3 medium Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup pepperoncini, drained
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1 cup restaurant-style croutons
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
In a large chilled mixing bowl, combine the shredded iceberg lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage.
Add the thinly sliced red onion, Roma tomato slices, and black olives to the bowl.
Distribute the pepperoncini peppers evenly throughout the mixture.
Toss the salad gently to ensure all components are well distributed.
Top the salad with the restaurant-style croutons and the shredded Parmesan cheese immediately before serving to maintain the crunch.
Drizzle with your preferred vinaigrette or creamy Italian-style dressing.
Notes
For the best texture, ensure your lettuce is very cold and dried thoroughly after washing. If you are serving this for a gathering, keep the croutons and dressing separate until the last second to prevent wilting. You can adjust the heat level by adding a few more pepperoncini or a dash of their brine to the dressing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 5mg