Classic Chef Salad Recipe

This classic chef salad is loaded with turkey, ham, roast beef, Swiss and cheddar cheese, eggs, and avocado on a bed of iceberg and Boston Bibb lettuce. I serve it with my homemade thousand island dressing and comes together in just 20 minutes.

I am doing my best to eat as many salads as possible throughout the week, and the chef salad is the one I come back to when I want something that actually fills me up.This is not a side salad. This is a meal. If you are on the same journey, my shaved Brussels sprout salad and my strawberry spinach salad are two more favorites that keep things interesting during the week.

Chef Salad

The chef salad has been around for centuries in one form or another. You can trace salads back to Roman times where people would gather nuts, fruits, vegetables, and greens. Fast forward to Louis XIV in Versailles and his beautiful table spreads that were loaded with greens topped with cheeses, meats, nuts, and vegetables.

If you are looking for the first formal recipe, the best documented version comes from Louis Diat of the Ritz-Carlton in New York during the 1930s. The idea was simple: make a salad from whatever you have in the kitchen. That approach has stuck, which is why chef salads vary so much from restaurant to restaurant. Every version is a reflection of what that chef had on hand.

My version sticks to the classics: iceberg and Boston Bibb lettuce as the base, layered with cubed turkey, ham, and roast beef, Swiss and cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, hard-boiled eggs, and avocado. I believe you should pick and choose what you want, see what you have on hand, and then see what is on sale at the grocery store.

The meats and cheeses can get expensive if you go overboard, so I recommend using the lettuce and vegetables as the foundation and building the proteins based on what makes sense for your budget. The thousand island dressing ties everything together with a creamy tangy finish. My wife makes this for our weeknight dinners more than any other salad, and I always end up going back for a second bowl. Yes, it’s that good!

Ingredients and Substitutions

This salad is completely customizable. The base recipe gives you a traditional chef salad, but the whole point of this dish is to use what you have.

• Iceberg Lettuce – I cut it into bite-sized pieces for the crunch. Iceberg gets a bad reputation, but it adds a cold crisp texture that other lettuces cannot replicate.
• Boston Bibb Lettuce – Softer and more buttery than iceberg. Romaine or watercress work as substitutes.
• Cucumber – I use half an English cucumber, seeded and large diced. English cucumbers have thinner skin and fewer seeds, so I do not need to peel them.
• Cherry Tomatoes – I slice them in half. Cherry tomatoes are sweeter and hold up better in a salad than sliced beefsteak tomatoes, which release too much liquid.
• Turkey, Ham, and Roast Beef – I cube each one into bite-sized pieces. I use about 8 ounces of each, but you can adjust the quantities or swap in whatever deli meats you prefer. Grilled chicken, salami, or duck all work.
• Swiss and Cheddar Cheese – I cube about 4 ounces of each. Provolone, mozzarella, or American cheese are all common substitutes.
• Hard-Boiled Eggs – I peel and quarter four eggs.
• Avocado – I peel, seed, and large dice one avocado.
• Thousand Island Dressing – I use my homemade version, which is tangy, creamy, and slightly sweet. Any dressing works: blue cheese, Cobb salad dressing, balsamic vinaigrette, or whatever you prefer.

How to Make a Chef Salad

Prepare the lettuces: I rinse them under cold water, and spin them dry in a salad spinner. Wet lettuce will dilute the dressing and make the salad soggy.

Prep the toppings: I cube the turkey, ham, roast beef, Swiss cheese, and cheddar cheese into uniform pieces. I slice the cherry tomatoes in half, dice the cucumber and avocado, and quarter the hard-boiled eggs.

Assemble the salad: I add the lettuces to a large serving bowl. I layer the meats, cheeses, vegetables, eggs, and avocado on top in organized rows or sections so everything is visible and easy to serve.

Dress: I serve the salad alongside hoemmade thousand island dressing on the side.

Serve: Or I dress the salad with salt, pepper, and the dressing and toss right before serving.

Serving Suggestions

I serve this as a full dinner with a basket of crusty artisan bread on the side. A bowl of my blue cheese dressing on the table as a second dressing option never hurts.

For a summer lunch, I pair the chef salad with a cup of cold soup or my caprese salad on the side. When I have leftover grilled T Bone steak or homemade chicken Inasal from the night before, I slice it thin and add it to the salad instead of deli meat, which takes it to a completely different level.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This salad is meant to be eaten as soon as it is assembled. I prep all the toppings up to a day ahead and store them separately in the refrigerator, then assemble right before serving.

How to Store: I cover and store the undressed salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Once dressed, it should be eaten immediately.

How to Reheat: This is served cold. No reheating needed.

More Fresh Salad Recipes

• Cobb Salad
• Caesar Salad
• Green Goddess Salad
• Mandarin Orange
• Watermelon Feta Salad