Loaded Italian Salad with everyone’s favorite Italian salad dressing from Olive Garden made by you! It’s so simple to make your own at home and it will taste just as good.
- 1-2 heads green leaf lettuce (Romain lettuce is great too) chopped, rinsed and spinned
- 2 medium vine ripened tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers diced
- 1 cup salami (sliced or cubed) sliced into strips
- 1 cup green olives with pimento sliced in half
- 1 can chick peas (aka garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
- 1 cup pepperoni, sliced rounds (other cured Italian meats: salami, prosciutto) *optional
- 1 small jar artichoke hearts quartered
- 1 can whole medium black olives sliced in half
- 1-2 cups mozzarella cheese grated
- 1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/3 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise
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In a large low and wide salad bowl or a large rimmed sheet pan start by adding the chopped lettuce.
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Now add all the other sliced and chopped ingredients one at a time sprinkling them all over the top of the bed of lettuce so they are evenly distributed: tomatoes, artichoke hearts, chick peas, black olives, salami or pepperoni (or a different cured Italian meat: like prosciutto), green olives with pimento, pepperoncini peppers, red onion and finish with the grated mozzarella cheese over the top.
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Cover and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
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Add all salad dressing ingredients into a mason jar with a lid and shake well until combined.
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If feeding a crowd, serve the salad dressing on the side. Or toss it all in the dressing. Serve chilled.