I don’t know about you, but I crave salads in the summertime. Partly because there’s no way I’m heating the house by turning on the stove! But mostly because summer is when vegetables are at their peak. There is so much great seasonal summer produce to choose from, and it all works well in a chef salad. This isn’t one of those veggie dishes that will leave you wanting, either. The addition of sliced meats and boiled egg provides plenty of protein to make this salad filling for lunch or dinner.
Chefs generally take a lot of creative freedom when making this dish, so feel free to do the same. Make a personalized chef’s salad with ingredients from your garden. Or raid the fridge and use this recipe to use up leftover meats and vegetables.
What is a chef salad?
Chef salad (also called “chef’s salad”) is a garden salad made with lettuce, hard-boiled eggs, meat, vegetables and sometimes cheese. Most recipes use deli turkey and ham, although it’s not uncommon to see roast beef, chicken or bacon. The vegetables also vary, so choose options that add flavor, texture and color to this hearty salad.
Finally, the dressing is flexible. Early chef salad recipes often cited French or Thousand Island dressing. However, modern recipes allow for more variation. You can use a vinaigrette, honey mustard, ranch or blue cheese. Homemade salad dressing is best, but store-bought works in a pinch.
Why is it called chef’s salad?
The salad’s origins are somewhat murky, but we do know the name pays homage to the chef who makes it. Based on the rumors, this chopped salad appeared as an off-menu item at New York hotels in the early 20th century. The chef would add cuts of deli meat, cheese and hard-boiled egg to the hotel’s house salad.
Over time, the salad’s popularity grew. Chef Louis Diat of the Ritz-Carlton in New York City is often credited with putting chef’s salad on the map. He was certainly not the first to make it, but he included it on the hotel’s menu in 1975. The Ritz-Carlton’s fame helped propel the dish to the mainstream.
Chef Salad Ingredients
- Salad greens: We combine spring mix salad greens and shredded cabbage to create a mixture of tender and crisp textures. Most lettuce varieties work here, including iceberg, romaine, Boston or Bibb lettuce. If using head lettuce, chop the greens into bite-sized pieces.
- Hard-boiled large eggs: There are several ways to make a perfect hard-boiled egg. Simmer them in water on the stovetop, or make air-fryer hard-boiled eggs or Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs.
- Deli turkey and ham: Sliced deli meats are convenient for an everyday salad. You can also use leftover Thanksgiving turkey or Easter ham.
- Fresh vegetables: We use garden-fresh chopped tomatoes, green onions, baby carrots and radishes. Feel free to use any seasonal vegetables you find at your local farmers market.
- Salad dressing: Thousand Island salad dressing adds a creamy consistency to chef salad, but any dressing works here. Use these tips for making healthy salad dressing if you’re looking for lighter or sugar-free options.
Directions
Step 1: Season the vegetables
In a large bowl, combine the spring mix, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, deli turkey, ham, cabbage, green onions, carrots and radishes. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper, and toss to coat.
Editor’s Tip: Cutting each of the various ingredients a little differently creates a fantastic texture in every bite. (Psst: Check out more salad tips for how to make restaurant-quality salads at home.)
Step 2: Add the dressing
Serve the salad with the dressing on the side, or top the salad with dressing and toss to coat. Just make sure to serve the dressed salad immediately or the greens will wilt and become soggy.
Recipe Variations
- Change up the meats: Swap in other deli meats, such as roast beef or salami. Or also swap in other cooked meats like grilled ham steak, shredded chicken breast, or crumbled bacon.
- Vary the vegetables: This salad is a great template for serving seasonal vegetables. Use whatever veggies are in season, from grape tomatoes to cucumbers, red onion, asparagus, celery, green beans and more.
- Include cheese: Give the salad a creamy finish with cheeses like cheddar, provolone, Swiss cheese, goat cheese or blue cheese crumbles.
- Add pizzaz: Include a variety of flavors and textures to this salad. Try sundried tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, avocado or homemade seasoned croutons.
How to Store Chef Salad
The salad will wilt quickly once it’s coated with the dressing, so only dress as much salad as you plan to eat. Store leftover prepared ingredients in an airtight container separate from the dressing. They should last in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Chef Salad Tips
What’s the difference between chef salad and Cobb Salad?
Chef salad and Cobb salad recipes are very similar, and both are considered chopped salad recipes. Cobb salads are usually made with chopped salad greens, chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, avocado, blue cheese and red wine vinaigrette. Chef salads, on the other hand, are more generic. The types of lettuce, protein, vegetables and dressing may vary based on the chef’s whims.
How do you serve chef salad?
If you’re serving the whole bowl at once, you can toss the chef’s salad ingredients with the dressing in a large bowl. Otherwise, it’s best to leave the dressing on the side. This salad is plenty filling on its own, but you can’t go wrong serving it with a side of bread. Try these easy bread recipes for beginners.
