Ruth’s Chris Chopped Salad Recipe

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There are chopped salads, and then there is this one. The first time I tasted the Ruth’s Chris version at a dinner out years ago, I drove home already planning how to recreate it. What sets it apart isn’t just the ingredients — it’s the lemon-basil dressing. That bright, herbaceous vinaigrette, with its careful balance of acidity and honey, rounds out every bite and ties the entire bowl together in a way that feels genuinely restaurant-worthy. Aunt Anne, who has always had a gift for dressings, helped me test the ratios until we landed on exactly the right blend. I’ve made this alongside a bold italian chopped salad for summer spreads, and it holds its own beautifully next to a loaded classic cobb salad on a buffet table. The radicchio adds a gorgeous, slightly bitter edge that plays perfectly against the salty blue cheese and smoky bacon crumbles. It looks like something you’d order at a great steakhouse, but it comes together at home in about 25 minutes. I know you’re going to fall hard for this one.

You Might Also Love

If you love a bold, satisfying salad, these are some of my favorites to come back to all year long.

• Cobb Salad With The Best Dressing — loaded with bacon, egg, and avocado, finished with a homemade dressing that beats any restaurant.
• Italian Chopped Salad — crisp, colorful, and dressed in a tangy vinaigrette the whole table will go back for seconds on.
• La Scala Chopped Salad Recipe — the legendary Hollywood chopped salad made simple and deeply satisfying at home.
• Baked Garlic Butter Potatoes — golden, tender, and the perfect hearty side for a full steakhouse-style dinner at home.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Crispy meets creamy in every bite. The crumbled bacon delivers a satisfying crunch while the blue cheese brings a rich, salty punch that coats the greens in the best possible way. Together, they create a textural contrast you’ll keep reaching for.
• A dressing that does all the heavy lifting. The lemon-basil vinaigrette brings a clean citrus brightness that balances every bold, savory element in the bowl. It’s the kind of homemade dressing that makes you forget bottled vinaigrette exists.
• Complex layers of bitterness, salt, and sweetness. Radicchio gives this salad a pleasantly bitter depth, the honey in the dressing smooths the acidity, and the cherry tomatoes burst with sweetness — every forkful hits multiple notes at once.
• Hearty enough to be a meal. With hard-boiled eggs, crispy bacon, and crumbled blue cheese, this isn’t a light side salad — it’s a filling, nourishing bowl that genuinely satisfies.
• Restaurant quality, under 25 minutes. Minimal cooking required — just crisp the bacon and have your eggs pre-boiled. Everything else is fresh ingredients and a two-minute homemade dressing.

Ingredient Notes

• Iceberg lettuce — The crunchy, refreshing base that holds up beautifully under the dressing. Choose a head that feels dense and heavy — that’s the sign of a fresh, crisp one that won’t wilt the moment it hits the bowl.
• Radicchio — This ruby-leafed chicory brings bitterness, gorgeous color, and complexity that sets this salad apart from any standard chopped salad. Look for tight, firm heads with deep purple-red leaves — if you enjoy a radicchio salad , you already know the magic this ingredient brings.
• Green olives — The briny counterpoint that punches through the richness of the blue cheese and bacon without overwhelming the bowl. Pitted Manzanilla olives are my first choice here — they’re closest to the original Ruth’s Chris flavor profile.
• Blue cheese — The bold, salty crown of the salad that makes everything more interesting. Crumbled Gorgonzola or Roquefort delivers the strongest flavor; feta is a solid lighter swap if you prefer something less pungent.
• Crispy bacon — Cook it low and slow over medium-low heat for the crispiest, most crumble-ready strips. Rushing bacon over high heat leads to chewy, greasy pieces that don’t break apart cleanly over the salad.
• Hard-boiled eggs — Boil these ahead of time — cook them fully set, about 11 to 12 minutes from a cold-water start, then cool completely in an ice bath before peeling. They add protein, a creamy richness, and a satisfying weight that turns this into a genuinely hearty bowl.
• Fresh basil — The aromatic hero of the lemon-basil dressing that makes this recipe feel special. Use it fresh only — dried basil is too flat and earthy to deliver the bright, herby finish this dressing needs.
• Dijon mustard — A natural emulsifier that keeps the vinaigrette smooth, cohesive, and slightly peppery. Don’t skip it — it’s doing important structural work in the dressing, not just adding flavor.
• Fresh lemon juice — Always squeeze it fresh for maximum brightness and lift. Bottled lemon juice is noticeably flat and will let the entire dressing down.

How to Make Ruth’s Chris Chopped Salad?

1. Make the lemon-basil dressing first. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey until fully emulsified. Stir in the finely chopped fresh basil, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside for 5 minutes to let the basil bloom.

2. Cook the bacon until deeply crisp. Cook the bacon strips in a skillet over medium-low heat for 6–8 minutes, flipping once, until golden and fully crisped. Drain on paper towels, then crumble into small pieces. The salad needs real crunch here — underdone bacon won’t crumble cleanly.

3. Prep all the vegetables. Finely chop the iceberg lettuce and radicchio into small, even pieces — think bite-sized, not chunky. Chop the baby spinach, dice the red onion and celery small, slice the olives, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Chop the mushrooms into rough pieces.

4. Chop the hard-boiled eggs. Cut the pre-cooked eggs into rough chunks — no need to be precise here. A rustic chop distributes them more naturally throughout the bowl.

5. Assemble the salad base. In a large bowl, combine the iceberg, spinach, radicchio, red onion, celery, olives, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. Toss gently to distribute everything evenly — you want each forkful to have a mix of everything.

6. Dress, top, and serve. Drizzle the lemon-basil dressing over the salad and toss well to coat every leaf. Top with the crumbled blue cheese, crispy bacon, and chopped egg. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra blue cheese if you like. Serve immediately for the best texture and crunch.

Emily’s Expert Tips

• Chill your bowl before assembling. I put my large serving bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes before building the salad — a cold bowl keeps the dressed greens crisp far longer, especially on warm days or for a dinner party.
• Dress at the very last moment. Iceberg wilts within minutes of being dressed, so I wait until everyone is seated before tossing the salad. The crunch is the whole point — protect it.
• Taste your blue cheese before measuring. I always sample a crumble before adding the full amount — some wheels are sharper or saltier than others, and adjusting here means a perfectly balanced bowl rather than an overpowering one.
• Chop radicchio finely. Radicchio in large pieces can feel chewy and dominant. I chop it to about the same size as the iceberg so it blends seamlessly throughout every forkful rather than arriving in big, bitter bites.
• Rest the dressing, then re-whisk. After the 5-minute rest, I give the dressing another quick whisk right before dressing the salad — the basil settles, and one final stir redistributes the herbs evenly through every drop.

Storage Tips

• Undressed salad base ( refrigerator ): Store the chopped greens and vegetables in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Keep the bacon, eggs, blue cheese, and dressing in separate containers so nothing softens prematurely.
• Dressing ( refrigerator ): The lemon-basil vinaigrette keeps well in a sealed jar for up to 5 days. The olive oil will solidify slightly when cold — give the jar a good shake and let it come to room temperature for a minute before dressing the salad.
• Dressed leftovers: Store any dressed salad in the fridge for up to 24 hours — the greens will soften, but the flavor is still wonderful. Add a handful of fresh iceberg to revive some crunch before eating.
• Bacon and eggs: Store separately in small airtight containers for up to 3 days. Add them fresh each time you plate a serving so they don’t absorb moisture from the dressed greens.
• Freezing: This salad cannot be frozen — the greens and dressing will lose all texture and freshness. Make it fresh each time; it’s quick enough that it’s never a hardship.

Variations & Substitutions

• Caesar twist. Swap the lemon-basil vinaigrette for a homemade Caesar dressing and shave some Parmesan over the top. The blue cheese and radicchio hold their own beautifully against the bold anchovy-forward flavors.
• Grinder-style spin. Add thinly sliced salami, provolone, and banana peppers for a grinder salad vibe that turns this into a full Italian-deli experience. Dress it with red wine vinegar and olive oil for the complete effect.
• Steakhouse dinner bowl. Top with sliced grilled flank steak or ribeye strips for a true Ruth’s Chris dinner-at-home moment. The bright lemon-basil dressing cuts through the richness of the beef perfectly.
• Mediterranean direction. Swap green olives for Kalamata, replace blue cheese with feta, and add sun-dried tomatoes and chickpeas. The whole bowl shifts into bright, tangy Mediterranean territory — completely different, equally satisfying.
• La Scala style. Skip the eggs and bacon, add sliced salami and pepperoncini, and dress with red wine vinaigrette instead — a nod to the famous La Scala chopped salad that’s equally legendary in its own right.
• Lighter version. Use turkey bacon, reduce the blue cheese to 2 tablespoons, and double the spinach-to-iceberg ratio. The lemon-basil dressing keeps everything vibrant and satisfying without the extra richness.
• Dairy-free version. Omit the blue cheese entirely and replace the lemon-basil vinaigrette with a creamy tahini-lemon dressing. The briny olives and crispy bacon carry the flavor beautifully without any cheese in the bowl.

What to Serve With Ruth’s Chris Chopped Salad?

• Grilled ribeye or filet mignon — This salad was born alongside a great steak. The lemon-basil dressing provides the bright acidity that cuts beautifully through the richness of good beef.
• Baked garlic butter potatoes — Golden, tender garlic butter potatoes complete the steakhouse spread and turn this into a full, satisfying dinner without much extra effort.
• Warm crusty bread — A thick slice of sourdough or a warm baguette is perfect for mopping up every last bit of lemon-basil dressing at the bottom of the bowl.
• Creamy tomato soup — The warmth and acidity of a good tomato soup pairs unexpectedly well with the crunch and brininess of this salad — a classic bistro combination that never disappoints.
• Pan-seared salmon — The brightness of the lemon-basil dressing makes this salad a natural partner for simply seasoned salmon fillets. The whole plate tastes fresh, balanced, and complete.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is in Ruth’s Chris chopped salad? It features iceberg lettuce, radicchio, spinach, blue cheese, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, green olives, mushrooms, celery, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and a lemon-basil vinaigrette.

Can I make Ruth’s Chris chopped salad ahead of time? Yes — prep and refrigerate all components separately. Dress and assemble right before serving for the best texture.

What dressing does Ruth’s Chris use on their chopped salad? The signature dressing is a lemon-basil vinaigrette: olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and fresh basil.

Can I substitute the blue cheese? Yes — feta works well for a milder, creamier flavor. Omit it entirely for a dairy-free version.

How long does this chopped salad keep in the fridge? Undressed, up to 2 days. Once dressed, best eaten within 24 hours.

Is this chopped salad gluten-free? Yes — all ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten-free as written.

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