Ruth's Chris Chopped Salad

Recreate the iconic Ruth's Chris Chopped Salad at home with this perfectly emulsified, science-backed copycat recipe featuring crispy vegetables and a tangy dressing.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Micro-Chopping for Maximum Surface Area: Finely dicing the ingredients ensures every single forkful contains a perfect ratio of crispy vegetables, creamy blue cheese, and salty bacon.
• Scientific Emulsion: Utilizing a stable mustard-vinegar base allows the oil to emulsify completely, preventing a soggy, separated salad.
• Contrast of Textures: The combination of crispy hearts of palm, crunchy croutons, and fried onions creates a satisfying sensory experience.

I still remember sitting at a corner booth in the dimly lit steakhouse on my thirtieth birthday, my fingers tracing the heavy condensation on my water glass. When the server set down that perfectly uniform mound of chopped greens, I scoffed at the idea of paying steakhouse prices for lettuce.

Then I took a bite.

Back in my own kitchen, my first three attempts to recreate this legendary bowl were absolute disasters because the dressing kept separating into a greasy puddle. I used a cheap plastic whisk that bent under pressure, and the oil-soluble flavor compounds in the garlic never fully bonded with the vinegar.

The secret to that velvety, restaurant-style cling is creating a tight emulsion using a high-quality immersion blender. By slowly drizzling the oil into a base of mustard and vinegar, we force the fat molecules to suspend perfectly.

If you are a fan of this style, you should also try our legendary La Scala Chopped Salad. It relies on the exact same fine-chopping technique to deliver maximum flavor in every bite.

Bear with me here, the physics of this is fascinating.

You do not need a culinary degree or fancy steakhouse equipment to pull this off tonight. Just grab a sharp chef's knife, prep your veggies, and let's get chopping.

Ruth's Chris Chopped Salad

• Publisher Storied Skillet
• Cuisine American
• Category Salad, Copycat
• Prep Time 20 minutes
• Cook Time 0 minutes
• Servings 4
• Calories 380 calories
• Rating 4.8 3510
• Tags Ruth's Chris Chopped Salad, copycat salad, chopped salad recipe, steakhouse salad

Ingredients

• 1 head Iceberg lettuce, finely chopped
• 1 head Romaine lettuce, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Hearts of palm, sliced and chopped
• 1/2 cup English cucumber, diced
• 1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved and diced
• 1/2 cup Crispy bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup Blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup Crispy fried onions
• 1/2 cup Croutons, lightly crushed
• 1/4 cup Red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Chop the iceberg and romaine lettuce until your wrist feels the rhythmic thud against the cutting board, aiming for pieces no larger than a dime.
2. In a tall glass jar, combine the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and black pepper.
3. Use an immersion blender to blend the vinegar mixture while slowly drizzling in the olive oil to create a thick, creamy emulsion.
4. Toss the chopped lettuces, hearts of palm, cucumber, and tomatoes together in a large mixing bowl.
5. Pour the emulsified dressing over the vegetables and toss thoroughly until every leaf is coated.
6. Gently fold in the crumbled bacon, blue cheese, crushed croutons, and crispy fried onions just before serving.
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Notes

• Salt Conversion: I highly recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if you only have Morton's on hand, cut the volume by half to avoid an over-salted dressing.
• The Science of Dijon: Dijon mustard acts as a natural emulsifier because it contains mucilage, a complex polysaccharide that stabilizes the oil-and-vinegar matrix.
• Workflow Warning: Do not add the crispy fried onions or croutons until the absolute last second, or they will absorb moisture from the dressing and turn into a sad, mushy paste.
• Storage Behavior: After a day in the fridge, the dressed greens will wilt significantly as osmosis draws water out of the lettuce cells, so only dress what you plan to eat immediately.
• Tool Recommendation: Avoid cheap plastic whisks that fail to create enough shear force; a sturdy balloon whisk or immersion blender is essential here.

Serving Suggestions

To recreate the full steakhouse experience at home, serve this crisp salad alongside a hearty main course or a refreshing beverage.

• Pair it with a perfectly seared ribeye steak or our Garlic Butter Steak and Shrimp for an indulgent dinner.
• Serve it in chilled bowls that have been sitting in the freezer for ten minutes to keep the greens ultra-crisp.
• Accompany with warm, crusty bread or a side of Italian Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes for a casual weekend lunch.
• Garnish with extra crumbled blue cheese and a twist of freshly cracked black pepper at the table.
• Pair with a refreshing glass of Mango Iced Tea to balance the rich, savory flavors of the blue cheese.

Storage and Reheating

Keep the components separate.

If you are meal prepping, store the chopped greens in a container lined with a dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture. This simple trick prevents the lettuce from turning slimy after forty-eight hours.

The emulsified dressing should be kept in a sealed mason jar in the fridge. It will easily last up to a week, though you may need to let it sit on the counter for five minutes and give it a vigorous shake to re-emulsify the oils that solidify in the cold.

Never freeze this salad.

The freezing process breaks the delicate cellular walls of the lettuce and cucumbers. Once thawed, you will be left with a watery, unappetizing mess instead of that signature steakhouse crunch.

Ingredient Substitutes

If you need to adapt this recipe for dietary preferences or pantry limitations, these simple swaps work beautifully without sacrificing the signature flavor profile.

1. Hearts of Palm: If you cannot find these, chopped artichoke hearts offer a similar briny tang and tender texture.
2. Blue Cheese: For those who find blue cheese too polarizing, crumbled feta or goat cheese provides a milder but still creamy alternative.
3. Red Wine Vinegar: White wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice can be substituted, though it will slightly alter the classic steakhouse tang.
4. Iceberg Lettuce: Finely shredded green cabbage works in a pinch, similar to the base of a good Dill pickle coleslaw, offering an even crunchier bite.

At the end of the day, this salad is all about the joy of sharing a restaurant-quality meal with the people you love, right at your own kitchen table. Pour yourself a cold drink, take your time with the chopping, and enjoy every single crispy, savory bite.