Best Chef Salad Recipes

CHEF'S SALAD

Steps:

• Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and put into a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss with 1/2 cup of the dressing. Divide the lettuce among 4 large individual serving bowls. Arrange the cheese, meats, eggs, and avocado, like the spokes of a wheel, on top of each salad. Scatter the tomatoes, cucumbers, and croutons on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve and pass the remaining dressing at the table.

CHEF JOHN'S CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk 1 cup mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl until well blended; whisk in sugar. Stir in celery, red bell pepper, carrot, onions, and jalapeno and poblano peppers. Refrigerate until macaroni is ready to dress.
• Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain but do not rinse. Allow macaroni to drain in a colander about 5 minutes, shaking out moisture from time to time. Pour macaroni into large bowl; toss to separate and cool to room temperature. Macaroni should be sticky.
• Pour dressing over macaroni and stir until dressing is evenly distributed. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or, ideally, overnight to allow dressing to absorb into the macaroni.
• Stir salad before serving. Mix 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon water into salad for fresher look.

CHEF'S SALAD

Steps:

• In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce, beans if desired, onion, radishes, cucumber and tomato. Arrange ham and cheese on top. Cover and refrigerate until serving. In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; stir until well blended. Chill for 1 hour. Serve with the salad.

CHEF JOHN'S ANTIPASTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook fusilli in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander, but do not rinse; stir to release heat. Allow to cool in the colander for 5 to 10 minutes.
• While pasta cools, add garlic and anchovy to a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk or fork to crush the anchovy and garlic into a paste. Add Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly, until dressing is smooth, thick, and coats the back of a spoon.
• Pour cooled pasta into the bowl of dressing and toss with a large spoon until well coated.
• Stir red onion, jalapeno, pepperoncini, red pepper, artichokes, black olives, green olives into the salad. Add salami, pepperoni, and ham; mix thoroughly. Add Provolone cheese. Mix with a spoon thoroughly to combine. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, 3 to 12 hours.
• Remove from the refrigerator, add chopped parsley and tomatoes, and mix thoroughly. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.

CHEF JOHN'S SHAVED ASPARAGUS SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk vinegar and mustard together in a mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking rapidly until the dressing is thick and creamy.
• Hold an asparagus stalk at the stem, tip pointing away from you, on a work surface. Shave ribbons of asparagus off of the stalk with a vegetable peeler, moving the peeler from the stem-end to the tip. Repeat with remaining asparagus. Transfer asparagus strips to a bowl.
• Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper over asparagus; drizzle dressing over the top and toss to coat. Let sit until asparagus wilts slightly, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir pastrami in hot oil until almost crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Divide asparagus salad between four plates and top with pastrami.

CHEF'S SALAD WITH ROQUEFORT DRESSING

Steps:

• Place lettuces in a large bowl. Add ham, turkey, bacon, tomatoes, radishes, cheese, and avocado; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with vinaigrette, and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately.

3-SALAD CHEF'S SALAD PLATE

Steps:

• Gather your ingredients.
• For the beef salad: In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, chives, dill and black pepper. Chop the beef and combine with sauce. When you serve, arrange watercress or arugula under and/or around rounded scoops of the salad, about 4 ounces per platter.
• For the deviled ham: Tear ham into coarse pieces. Add to a food processor and finely chop the ham by pulsing it 10 to 12 times. Add to a mixing bowl and return processor bowl to base. Coarsely chopped celery and onion, crush garlic and finely chop thyme and add to ham. Season the ham with cayenne pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and relish then stir salad with rubber spatula. Rinse processor blade and bowl and return to base. To serve, arrange a small bed of lettuce leaves under rounded scoops of deviled ham, about 4 ounces per portion.
• For the chicken salad: Preheat broiler.
• Separate the skin and bones from chicken and place meat in food processor with fat. Pulse the processor to finely chop the chicken and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add processor bowl back to base, coarsely chop the celery, shallot, crushed garlic and tarragon leaves and pulse to finely chop. Add to the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and Dijon mustard and stir well with rubber spatula. To serve, arrange the chicken salad on a bed of a few leaves of lettuce and top with capers and chopped cornichons.
• To serve: Cut edges of bread, arrange the bread on a baking sheet and lightly toast on both sides under broiler. Cut toasts from corner to corner. Quarter the eggs lengthwise. Cut cheese into portions.
• Arrange platter: ham salad, hard-boiled eggs, beef salad, portion of cheese or cheeses of choice, chicken salad, 4 toast points per person.

CHEF GERARD'S AWARD WINNING CAESAR SALAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Crush parsley, green onions, celery salt, oregano, basil, black pepper, paprika, and garlic cloves together to create a paste. Combine paste with olive oil, Burgundy wine, white wine vinegar, and stewed tomatoes in a mixer. Mix for 5 minutes. Refrigerate. Stir well before serving.

MANDARIN CHICKEN PASTA SALAD - PAMPERED CHEF

Steps:

• For dressing combine gingerroot, vinegar, orange juice, vegetable oil, sesame oil, soup mix, sugar and garlic; whisk until well blended.
• For salad, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water. Place pasta in a large serving bowl.
• While pasta is cooking, slice cucumber, dice bell pepper , and chop onion.
• Add cucumber, bell pepper, onion, spinach, mandarin oranges, chicken and almonds to pasta.
• Pour dressing over salad; toss well and serve immediately.

CHEF JOHN'S WALDORF SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk mayonnaise, creme fraiche, lemon juice, tarragon, sugar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne together in a bowl.
• Place apples, celery root, grapes, and walnut pieces in a large bowl. Toss with about 1/2 cup of dressing. Add more dressing until salad components are well coated but not swimming in dressing. You might not need all the dressing.
• Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

CHEF'S SALAD WITH TURKEY, AVOCADO, AND JACK CHEESE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, sour cream, vinegar, and honey; season with salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
• Divide lettuce among four serving plates; top with turkey, avocado, sprouts, radishes, carrots, and cheese. Drizzle with dressing, and serve.

QUICK CHEF'S SALAD

Steps:

• On two serving plates, arrange the salad greens, onion, celery, ham, turkey, cheese, egg and olives. Serve with dressing.

PAMPERED CHEF CHICKEN SALAD TEA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Combine chicken, mayo, jam, raisins and onion in small bowl.
• Place 1 scoop (1 tablespoon) chicken mixture in center of 8 slices of bread, spreading slightly.
• Top with remaining bread slices.
• Center Cut-N-Seal over bread; cut and seal.

CHEF JOHN'S RAW KALE SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk vinegar, orange juice, Dijon mustard, orange zest, cumin, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl. Slowly pour olive oil into the orange juice mixture, whisking until thick and thoroughly combined. Season dressing with salt and black pepper.
• Remove stems from each leaf of kale. Stack 3 to 4 leaves of kale and roll together. Finely slice kale leaves crosswise to create thin ribbons.
• Combine sliced kale, persimmon, apple, orange, and pistachio nuts in a bowl. Add dressing and toss until well coated.

NEPTUNE'S SEAFOOD CHEF SALAD

Steps:

• Combine red pepper, green pepper, oil & lemon juice in a re-sealable food storage bag. Add salmon, gently toss to coat & refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
• Heat grill or grill pan. Cook salmon till just cooked through, season w/salt & pepper as desired & set aside.
• SALAD ASSEMBLY: Place lettuce wedges on 6 serving plates. Add 2 oz salmon, 2 oz crabmeat, 2 scallops & 2 oz shrimp to ea plate. Garnish w/tomato wedges & serve w/desired dressing or choice of dressings.

ITALIAN CHEF SALAD

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients and dress with red wine vinegar, then extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, all to your taste.

GARDEN-FRESH CHEF SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 9 ingredients. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper; toss to coat. Serve with salad dressing.

GRILLED CHICKEN CHEF SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Dice chicken, saute in olive oil. Add spices.
• 2. Chop up lettuce and all veggies, start piling on plate with cheese and croutons being last. Add your chicken and dressing. Voila!
• 3. We love Hidden Valley Ranch dressing from the packet, made with mayo and milk for this dish.

SUMMER CHEF'S SALAD WITH GRILLED PORK, CHICKEN, AND CHIMICHURRI RANCH DRESSING

Steps:

• Make the dressing:
• Combine buttermilk, chimichurri sauce, mayonnaise, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Assemble the salad:
• Toss lettuce and cucumber with dressing in a large serving bowl. Arrange eggs, avocado, radishes, chicken, pork, tomatoes, cheese, and croutons over salad and season with salt and pepper.
• Do Ahead
• Dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance. Cover and chill.

MEAN CHEF'S SHAVED FENNEL, MUSHROOM AND PARMESAN SALAD

Steps:

• Wash and trim fennel bulbs- cut away feathery tops and root end.
• Using a vegetable slicer or mandolin, slice the fennel as thinly as possible and scatter over a plate or platter.
• Drizzle with 2 tbl of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Shave mushrooms into paper thin slices and scatter over fennel.
• Season with more salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice and the remaining olive oil.
• With a cheese slicer or vegetable peeler, shave about 30 thin slivers of parmesan on top of the fennel and mushrooms.
• Serve immediately.