Chef Salad

What Is A Chef Salad?

Chef salad, sometimes called chef’s salad, is one of my favorite American salads, made with deli meat, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, hard boiled eggs, and greens. Some recipes include croutons and a sugary dressing, but mine is a healthier version that doesn’t have either one. And it’s still packed with flavor.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my easy chef salad recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Lettuce – I prefer romaine lettuce here, but iceberg lettuce or any other greens will work. Chop right before serving.
• Deli Ham – You can buy ham, or use leftover ham, even ham steaks. When I don’t have leftovers, I like to buy a thicker chunk and chop it into small cubes. Alternatively, you can swap in cooked bacon, or if you don’t eat pork, try roasted turkey breast, roast beef, shredded chicken, grilled chicken, or baked chicken breast.
• Veggies – A classic combo of tomatoes and cucumbers add juiciness and crunch. I prefer smaller tomatoes (like cherry or grape tomatoes) sliced in half, but larger ones chopped into pieces work, too. For the cucumbers, I slice them into quarter moons. Sometimes I add other vegetables, like grated carrots, thinly sliced radishes, chopped redishes, bell peppers, olives, or avocado.
• Cheese – I used a combination of Cheddar and Swiss, but feel free to use what you’ve got. I’ve enjoyed provolone here, too.
• Hard Boiled Eggs – I recommend this method for perfect boiled eggs. You can also air fry hard boiled eggs or bake them. Once cooled, slice them using an egg slicer.
• Thousand Island Dressing – I make my chef salad with homemade sugar-free thousand island dressing, but feel free to use your favorite store-bought brand. Not a fan? Other options I like on this salad include ranch dressing, green goddess, honey mustard, or blue cheese dressing. (I find this salad works best with a creamy salad dressing, but a vinaigrette is also fine if that’s your preference.) If your dressing is a little bland, you can add salt and pepper to taste.

How To Make A Chef Salad

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Chop and combine the ingredients. Get all your ingredients sliced and diced. You can put everything into one large salad bowl, or individual serving bowls.
2. Make the dressing. I often do this in advance to save time, plus it lets the flavors develop.
3. Finish. Drizzle the chef salad with dressing and toss to coat, or serve the dressing on the side. I also garnished with parsley for my pictures here.