Signature Olive Garden Inspired Salad and Dressing (Dairy Free & Gluten Free)

Today’s recipe creation was in collaboration with a fellow University of Alberta Nutrition and Food Science grad, Grace Worobec. Grace has a passion for helping people discover how nutrition can support their body and loves to get creative in the kitchen. She is a total natural behind the camera too. I mean, check out these food photos!!!

Together we came up with a mimic to the famous Olive Garden salad. You know the one with endless amounts of refills. If you are a lover of this salad, then this one is for you. Feel free to add chickpeas, hemp hearts or chicken as a source of protein to make this a complete meal or enjoy as a side to any entrée.

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Olive Garden Salad and Dressing

Course Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword arugula, lettuce, olivegarden, pepperoncini, redonion, tomato

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 2

Author Olivia Ward and Grace Worobec

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

• 2 cups arugula
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce chopped
• 1 roma tomato sliced
• 2 pepperoncini sliced
• ¼ red onion sliced

Optional Salad Ingredients

• ½ cup gluten-free croutons
• ½ cup chickpeas
• 2 tbsp hemp hearts
• 2 tbsp dairy-free parmesan

Dressing Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (regular or vegan)
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 + 1/8 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp parsley flakes
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp oregano flakes
• 1/4 tsp dried minced onion
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp pink Himalayan salt

Instructions

1. Wash & prepare all vegetables. Place vegetables and optional ingredients into 2 medium salad bowls.
2. Place all dressing ingredients into a mason jar or small bowl and whisk together with fork until combined.
3. Pour dressing overtop of the salad.

4. Store any additional dressing in a sealed jar and keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.