Italian Garden Salad

Name: Italian Garden Salad with Homemade Dressing
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 2 tbsp white wine vinegar; 3 tbsp water; 2 tbsp mayonnaise; 2 tbsp sugar; 1.5 tbsp Italian seasoning; 1/2 tsp minced garlic; 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped; 1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped; 3 roma tomatoes, sliced; 1 can (6 oz) black olives, drained; 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced; 1 cup pepperoncini peppers; 2 cups seasoned croutons; 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage; 1/2 cup shredded carrots; 1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for topping

An Italian-American restaurant-style salad built on crisp lettuce and topped with a creamy homemade Italian dressing made with mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, and fresh garlic. The standout is the from-scratch dressing—tangy, herbaceous, and far superior to bottled versions.

🌍Italian-American 🏷️Italian salad 🏷️Garden salad 🏷️Copycat recipe 🏷️Creamy italian dressing Salad

🏷️

🏷️Pepperoncini

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TikTok

Total

15 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$35–$58

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

-0:00

TikTok

Ingredients

2 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp sugar
1.5 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1/2 head romaine lettuce, choppedoptional
3 roma tomatoes, sliced
1 can (6 oz) black olives, drained
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup pepperoncini peppers
2 cups seasoned croutons
1/2 cup shredded red cabbageoptional
1/2 cup shredded carrotsoptional
1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for toppingoptional

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Instructions

1
In a large salad bowl, combine the white wine vinegar and water to start the dressing.
2
Add the mayonnaise, sugar, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, grated parmesan, salt, and pepper to the bowl.
3
Slowly pour in the extra virgin olive oil while whisking continuously until the dressing is emulsified.
4
Add the chopped iceberg and romaine lettuce to the bowl with the dressing.
5
Add the sliced roma tomatoes, black olives, thinly sliced red onion, and pepperoncini peppers.
6
Add the seasoned croutons, shredded red cabbage, and shredded carrots.
7
Toss the salad thoroughly to combine all ingredients and coat evenly with the dressing.
8
Top with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese before serving.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Whisk the dressing well to emulsify the mayonnaise and oil evenly; a thin stream of olive oil added slowly ensures a smooth, creamy texture.
Let the dressing sit for 15 minutes before serving to allow the Italian seasoning and garlic to infuse fully.
Tear lettuce by hand rather than cutting to reduce browning and bruising of the leaves.
Dress the salad no more than 5–10 minutes before serving to keep lettuce crisp and croutons from softening.

Substitutions

White wine vinegar → red wine vinegar (slightly deeper, tangier flavor)
Mayonnaise → Greek yogurt (lighter, tangier, lower fat)
Extra virgin olive oil → light olive oil or vegetable oil (milder flavor)
Parmesan → pecorino Romano (sharper, more peppery)

Storage & make-ahead

Dressing stores in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Dress salad immediately before serving to prevent wilting; serve any leftover dressed salad within 2 hours.