American · Salads & bowls

Classic chef salad

Name: Classic chef salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 large eggs; 1/3 cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons ketchup; 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill pickle, plus 1 teaspoon brine; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 small head iceberg lettuce, cored, chopped, and thoroughly dried; 1 small head romaine, chopped and thoroughly dried; 4 ounces thin-sliced deli turkey, cut in ribbons; 4 ounces thin-sliced ham, cut in ribbons; 3 ounces sharp cheddar, cut in matchsticks; 3 ounces Swiss cheese, cut in matchsticks; 1 English cucumber, sliced into half-moons; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 1/4 small red onion, very thinly sliced; Black pepper, for serving

Cold crisp lettuce loaded with turkey, ham, cheddar, Swiss, egg, tomatoes, cucumber, and a balanced homemade Thousand Island dressing.

About 40 minTotal

About 40 minActive

$$$Cost

EasyDifficulty

Makes 4 servings

Equipment

Any lidded pot of at least two quarts works; a very large pot loses heat faster.
Best value
Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 2-quart Saucepan
View at Amazon
Built for frequent use
All-Clad D3 2-quart Saucier with Lid
View at All-Clad
Another workable path: Any lidded pot of at least two quarts works; a very large pot loses heat faster.
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How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We compared two-quart stainless pans for even heat, pouring, lid fit, handle behavior, induction compatibility, durability, and value. Independent side-by-side testing informed the tier distinction; manufacturer specifications established construction and care. Kwilt has not made this soup in these pans.
Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 2-quart Saucepan: The responsive tri-ply construction and two-quart size suit a small soup while remaining useful for grains and sauces. Trade-off: Its conventional corners hold onto food more than a rounded saucier, and the finish is less refined than the All-Clad.
All-Clad D3 2-quart Saucier with Lid: The fully bonded body and rounded base make stirring and pouring easy while the lid holds a small soup warm. Trade-off: Its premium price is difficult to justify for an occasional soup if a basic lidded saucepan already covers the job.
Another workable path: Any lidded pot that comfortably holds at least two quarts works. Avoid an oversized pot if possible; the shallow soup loses heat faster while you finish the omelet.
Sources
The Kitchn saucepan comparison
Cuisinart exact model listing
All-Clad D3 product details

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 4 servings

4 large eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill pickle, plus 1 teaspoon brine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 small head iceberg lettuce, cored, chopped, and thoroughly dried
1 small head romaine, chopped and thoroughly dried
4 ounces thin-sliced deli turkey, cut in ribbons
4 ounces thin-sliced ham, cut in ribbons
3 ounces sharp cheddar, cut in matchsticks
3 ounces Swiss cheese, cut in matchsticks
1 English cucumber, sliced into half-moons
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 small red onion, very thinly sliced
Black pepper, for serving

Instructions

Cover eggs with cold water, , cover, remove from heat, and stand 11 minutes. Chill in ice water, peel, and quarter.
Whisk mayonnaise, ketchup, pickle, pickle brine, Dijon, Worcestershire, and paprika. Thin with 1 to 2 teaspoons cold water until pourable, then refrigerate while assembling.
Toss iceberg and romaine together in a chilled wide bowl. Arrange turkey, ham, cheddar, Swiss, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and eggs over the greens in separate sections.
Season tomatoes and eggs with a little black pepper. Serve the cold dressing alongside or spoon a restrained amount across the top immediately before eating.
For make-ahead lunches, pack meat and cheese together, vegetables separately, and greens with a dry paper towel; combine only when ready to eat so a convenient salad does not become wet deli leftovers.

United StatesContemporary North American lunch and meal-prep cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Chef salad developed through American hotel and restaurant dining in the early twentieth century; its signature is a cold deli-counter assortment of meats, cheeses, egg, tomato, and cucumber.

Chef salad grew through American hotel and restaurant dining in the early twentieth century, though no single chef has an undisputed claim. Unlike Cobb salad, its signature is a deli-counter assortment—usually ham, turkey, cheeses, egg, tomato, and cucumber—rather than chicken, bacon, avocado, and blue cheese. Serving it very cold is part of its steakhouse and lunch-counter appeal. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Use the strongest repeated deli-meat, two-cheese, egg, and crisp-vegetable identity, make a concise pickle-bright Thousand Island, and explicitly exclude Cobb's chicken-bacon-avocado profile.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe