Chef Salad Recipe

Prepare greens

Wash romaine, mixed baby greens and iceberg lettuce thoroughly. Spin or pat dry. Tear or chop romaine and iceberg into bite-size pieces. Combine romaine, mixed greens and iceberg in a large salad bowl and toss gently to evenly distribute.

Prepare meats and eggs

If not already cooked, warm sliced turkey and ham briefly in a skillet for 1–2 minutes just to take the chill off (optional). Peel the hard-boiled eggs, slice each egg into quarters or thin wedges. Arrange chopped or sliced turkey and ham on top of the greens in separate piles or scatter evenly.

Julienne or cube the Swiss cheese and shred the cheddar if needed. Scatter both cheeses over the top of the salad so each serving gets a mix.

Prepare vegetables: halve and seed tomatoes if large, slice cucumber thinly, thinly slice red onion, shred carrot, and slice radishes if using. Arrange these items across the salad in neat sections or mixed, depending on presentation preference.

Sprinkle croutons and toasted nuts (if using) over the salad. Finish with chopped fresh parsley for color.

Emulsify dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk or shake to combine. Gradually add the olive oil while whisking constantly (or add oil to jar and shake vigorously) until the dressing is emulsified and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning — add up to 1 tsp more honey for sweetness or an extra 1/2 tsp salt if needed.

Dress the salad just before serving: drizzle about 2–3 tablespoons of dressing over the assembled salad and toss gently to coat. Reserve extra dressing to serve on the side (approximately 1–1.5 tbsp remaining).

If plating individually, divide greens among 2 plates and top each with equal portions of turkey, ham, cheeses, vegetables, eggs, croutons and nuts. If serving family-style, toss gently in the large bowl and serve with extra dressing on the side. Serve immediately so croutons remain crunchy.

Storage: store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep remaining salad components separately (greens, proteins, toppings) to preserve texture; assembled salad is best eaten within 1 day.