Classic Chef Salad Recipe (2024)

About This Recipe

This is a classic Chef Salad recipe, which is made with a mix of toppings like deli meat, cheese, hardboiled eggs and chopped vegetables.

Though the history of this classic salad isn't known for certain, it's believed to date back as early as 1926 and owes much of it's popularity to being served by Chef Lois Diat at the Ritz Carlton in New York City.

Today, the hallmarks of a Chef Salad are the eggs and meat, which are in almost every version of this recipe. The other toppings change from variation to variation.

This salad has been eaten for about a century, and for good reason! It's absolutely delicious and versatile enough to mix and match your favorite toppings.

Chef Salad Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this recipe. The full recipe and list of ingredients can be found at the bottom of the page.

• Romaine lettuce
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Cucumber
• Cherry tomatoes
• Ham
• Turkey
• Cheddar cheese
• Ranch dressing

How to Make Chef Salad

Some classic Chef Salads are served with the toppings arranged in lines or patterns, though this isn't necessary (just a way to make it look fancier)!

To make Chef Salad, all you need to do is add your ingredients to a large bowl and toss with your dressing. Toss until each bite of the salad is coated in the dressing.

Completely optional, but I also like to add a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper over the salad before serving it. I recommend doing this with most salads as it's a simple way to step up the texture and flavor.

Ingredient Notes

Romaine: This is the classic choice for a Chef Salad, but you can swap it out for other varieties of lettuce (for example iceberg lettuce) or spinach.

Tomatoes: Any type of tomato can be used. Slice cherry or grape tomatoes in half, or use larger tomatoes and dice them.

Meat: Chef Salad is made with sliced deli meat. Pick your favorite two types and use one cup of each: sliced turkey breast, ham, chicken, or roast beef. Chopped crispy bacon is another alternative.

Cheese: Feel free to switch up the cheese that you add to your salad. Cheddar and Swiss cheese are popular options, but you could also try provolone or mozzarella.

Avocado: If you're a fan of avocados, they make a great addition to this salad. Dice one avocado and mix it into your salad with the rest of the toppings.

About The Dressing

This Chef Salad recipe is paired with a classic ranch dressing. The creamy, herby flavor of ranch is the perfect complement to the fresh, crispy vegetables in the salad.

Dressing Options

This salad is most commonly served with Ranch Dressing or Thousand Island Dressing.

Some other ideas for salad dressing that would be tasty include:

• Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Italian or French Dressing
• Blue Cheese Dressing
• Greek Yogurt Homemade Ranch Dressing

Frequently Asked Questions

Similar Recipes

• Cobb Salad
• BLT Salad
• Grinder Salad

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