Chef Salad Recipe
With ham, salami and cheese
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Ingredients
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Salad base
Proteins & cheese
Vegetables & extras
Crunch & garnish
Dressing (Classic vinaigrette — or use ranch/Italian)
Method
Salad base
- 1
Prep greens
Wash and thoroughly dry all lettuce and greens. Coarsely chop the romaine and iceberg into bite-size pieces. Stack baby spinach and mixed greens on top. Place the greens in a large shallow bowl or on a platter and toss gently to combine.
Proteins & cheese
- 2
Prepare meats and cheese
If not already sliced, thinly slice ham and salami. Fold or stack slices and cut into 1-inch wide strips or bite-size pieces. Arrange ham, salami and optional turkey in separate small piles on the platter or over the greens so guests can choose. Scatter shredded cheddar and provolone/Swiss cubes evenly over the salad.
- 3
Eggs
Peel the hard-boiled eggs, slice each in half lengthwise (or quarter if preferred) and arrange around the salad.
Vegetables & extras
- 4
Slice the roma tomato into wedges and remove excess seeds. Halve the cucumber lengthwise, thinly slice on the bias and distribute around the salad. Thinly slice the red onion and separate into rings; scatter a few rings over the top. Add marinated pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes and black olives as desired.
Crunch & garnish
- 5
Sprinkle croutons over the salad for crunch. Season lightly with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Sprinkle chopped parsley as a finishing garnish.
Dressing
- 6
Make the vinaigrette
In a small bowl or jar combine red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey and minced garlic. Whisk while slowly streaming in the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Taste and adjust acidity/sweetness by adding a little more vinegar or honey as desired.
- 7
Dress and serve
Just before serving, drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad (about half to three-quarters of the dressing for a light coating) and gently toss to combine, or serve the dressing on the side. Arrange meats and cheeses attractively and serve immediately so greens remain crisp.