Top 17 American Salads

A shining example of American ingenuity and creativity, Cobb salad was invented in the 1930s at The Brown Derby, a famous Los Angeles restaurant whose owner, Robert Cobb, found some leftovers in the kitchen - hard-boiled eggs, salad greens, chicken breast, avocado, chopped bacon, tomatoes, and Roquefort cheese among them. He tossed all of the ingredients with some salt, pepper, and a vinaigrette consisting of olive oil, red vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce, and Cobb Salad started its way toward fame. The composed salad's popularity relies entirely on the careful preparation of each ingredient and their distinct textures, from juicy over crunchy to creamy. It is similar to a BLT sandwich without the bread, and thanks to a variety of movie stars who ate at the restaurant such as Clark Gable and Lucille Ball, the dish rose to stardom, becoming a symbol of Californian cuisine. Although the restaurant is closed today, the tradition of consuming Cobb salad remains a staple of American food.Expand

Texas caviar is a traditional salad originating from Texas. Despite the name, there is no roe in Texas caviar – the salad is usually made with a combination of black-eyed peas, garlic, scallions, bell peppers, jalapeños, celery, coriander, parsley, red wine vinegar, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and pepper. The oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper are whisked in a bowl. The remaining ingredients are added to the bowl, and everything is tossed to combine. The salad is seasoned with salt and black pepper to taste, and it's then left to sit for about an hour before serving. Texas caviar was invented in the 1940s by Helen Corbitt. The salad is usually enjoyed as an accompaniment to tortilla chips or grilled meat and fish.Expand

Waldorf salad had been invented in 1896 by Oscar Tschirky, a dining room manager at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Originally, the salad consisted of apples, celery, and mayonnaise, and was a huge success. Interestingly, finely chopped walnuts were added to the salad much later, in 1928, although most people associate the salad with walnuts as the key ingredient. Today, Waldorf salad is usually served cold as an appetizer, on a bed of lettuce, while ingredients such as chicken, raisins, or grapes are sometimes added in the modern versions of this elegant dish.Expand

Originating from the Dutch term koolsla, meaning cabbage salad, coleslaw is nowadays a true American staple and a side dish that's often served with barbecued meat or fried chicken. Originally, it was brought over to New York state in the 18th century by the Dutch settlers. It consists of shredded cabbage, mayonnaise, carrots, buttermilk or sour cream with vinegar, sugar, and other seasonings, depending on the cook and regional variations. Some of the variations have other ingredients such as salad dressings, celery seeds, grated cheese, pineapple, or peppers. However, the only consistent ingredient in coleslaw is shredded cabbage. The salad is always served chilled, and it's commonly used in hamburgers, sandwiches, and hot dogs.Expand

Despite its name, Chinese chicken salad is an American dish, believed to be invented by an Austrian chef named Wolfgang Puck who is doing Asian fusion cuisine in America. Others claim that the dish was invented during the 1930s, somewhere in the United States. Regardless of the origins, the salad, consisting of shredded chicken, lettuce, vegetables, fried noodles, and almonds is popular throughout the States. The Chinese part in its name refers to the numerous Chinese-style seasonings such as soy, sesame, and ginger. Today, there are many versions of the salad, with added Mandarin orange slices, peanut sauce, or bean sprouts.Expand

A chef's salad is a big salad that is usually served as a meal of its own. It consists of a variety of vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, and meats such as ham or turkey meat. The salad can be served with a variety of different dressings. No one can agree about the origins of chef's salad, so there are quite a few theories about its invention. Some claim that it originated from salmagundi, a 17th-century dish consisting of anchovies, chopped meat, eggs, onions, and oil. Others claim that Cobb salad was the true inspiration, while most believe that chef's salad was created in the 1940s by Louis Diat, a chef at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York City. Regardless of its origins, the salad's popularity lies in the fact that it is both a great way to use up leftovers and a quick, flavorful meal.Expand

Wilted lettuce is a traditional dish of the American South. This salad is made with shredded wilted lettuce, chopped green onions, salt, and pepper. The ingredients are tossed, then mixed with a dressing consisting of apple cider vinegar and melted bacon drippings. Southern wilted lettuce should be served immediately after it's been prepared. It's recommended to serve it with cornbread or corn muffins on the side. The dish is also known as kilt lettuce or killed lettuce, referring to the way the lettuce will soften under the hot dressing.Expand

Pittsburgh salad is a twist on a traditional salad, originating from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The salad consists of a bed of lettuce that's topped with tomatoes or other vegetables, a piece of beef steak or grilled chicken, and crispy french fries. The salad is traditionally sprinkled with shredded cheese such as cheddar or mozzarella and drizzled with dressing (usually Ranch) before serving. It's recommended to serve the dressing on the side, and it's then used as a dip. The potatoes can be regular french fries, waffle fries, wedges, shoestring fries, or curly fries. This salad is highly customizable, so feel free to add any ingredients to your liking. Expand

Usually an obligatory element of the Hawaiian plate lunch, macaroni salad is a slightly tangy, sweet, cold salad consisting of overcooked elbow macaroni pasta dressed with milk-thinned mayonnaise. The pasta must be overcooked as it helps absorb the dressing. Some sources say that the earliest recipe for macaroni salad was published in 1962, and the dish gained popularity in the early 1980s as a part of the Nouvelle Cuisine approach, while other sources say that the dish was popular throughout Mainland America in the early 20th century. Just like most popular dishes, there is a wide variety of regional versions that include added ingredients such as tuna, tomatoes, onions, parsley, garlic, salami, bell peppers, or shredded chicken. Apart from its token presence in the Hawaiian plate lunch, it is commonly served as an accompaniment to fried chicken or barbecued meat.Expand

Red slaw is a regional version of coleslaw, originating from North Carolina. Also known as barbecue slaw, it's traditionally made with a combination of shredded green cabbage, water, vinegar, sugar, and ketchup, which gives the salad a reddish hue. Red slaw is especially popular in Lexington, where it's served as a part of Lexington-style barbecue. The salad is also often used in hot dogs and sandwiches made with barbecued meat. Depending on the area, red slaw might contain other ingredients such as mustard seeds, black pepper, onions, carrots, or hot peppers, but what's important is that red slaw is always served well-chilled.Expand