Ruth’s Chris chopped salad copycat is a steakhouse legend, and now you can make it at home for a fraction of the price. Crisp greens, smoky bacon, bold blue cheese, and a tangy lemon basil dressing come together in one showstopping bowl that tastes just like the real thing.
Why This Salad Steals the Show
- Steakhouse Vibes at Home: You get all the restaurant flavor and presentation for a fraction of the price. Same wow factor, no reservation required!
- The Texture is Everything: Crisp lettuce, creamy blue cheese, smoky bacon, crunchy croutons, crispy onions, tender hearts of palm… It’s like a flavor explosion and texture party in my mouth!
- The Dressing is So Good! The homemade dressing ties everything together and makes this salad seriously hard to stop eating.
Ruth’s Chris Chopped Salad Ingredients
- Keep it Crisp: If you’re not serving the whole salad at once, only dress the portion you plan to eat. Add just enough dressing to lightly coat everything and keep the leftovers fresh and crunchy.
- Chop Evenly: Cut everything into small, similar-sized pieces so you get a little bit of every ingredient in each bite. That’s part of what makes this salad so good!
- Save Time: Want a shortcut? Use a bagged salad mix to cut down on prep and chopping.
- Hearts of Palm: If you can’t find hearts of palm, canned artichoke hearts make a great swap.
- Adjust the Dressing: Prefer less mayo? Swap it for extra sour cream, or use Greek yogurt for a lighter option.
- Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Fresh-squeezed lemon juice gives the dressing the brightest flavor and really makes it pop.
How to Make Ruth’s Chris Chopped Salad
I love Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, but it’s definitely a place we only go for special occasions. Now, when I get a craving for the salad, I can simply make it at home. Serve this copycat recipe with a juicy steak and baked potatoes or creamed spinach, and you’ve got a restaurant-worthy dinner right at home.
- Combine: In a large bowl, add chopped iceberg lettuce, chopped spinach, sliced hearts of palm, chopped mushrooms, blue cheese, chopped cooked bacon, chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped green olives, chopped red onion, and croutons. Toss everything together, then set aside.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, add sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, chopped basil, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk everything together until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Mix with Dressing: When ready to serve, add half of the dressing to the salad mixture and gently toss to combine. Add more dressing if needed.
- Form and Serve: To plate, place a 3-inch ring mold on a salad plate and fill it with the salad. Then top with some of the crispy fried onions. Use a glass to press down on the salad as you lift the ring mold. This will help the salad keep its shape. Garnish Ruth’s Chris chopped salad with some of the halved cherry tomatoes and serve.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
No Ring Mold? No problem, a clean tuna can with both ends removed or even a sour cream container with the bottom cut off works just as well.
Must Have Tools For This Recipe
- Ring Mold: Gives the salad that classic steakhouse look.
- Whisk: Blends the dressing perfectly smooth and creamy.
- Serving Bowl: Perfect for tossing and serving the salad.
Ruth’s Chris Chopped Salad
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Equipment
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Chefs Knife
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Cutting Board
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Large Bowl
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Ring Mold I used a 3-inch size. If you don’t have a ring mold, you can use a tuna can or a sour cream container with the bottom cut off.
Ingredients
Salad
- ½ head finely chopped iceberg lettuce
- 2 cups finely chopped spinach
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 (14-ounce) can sliced hearts of palm drained
- 1 cup blue cheese
- 6 slices chopped cooked bacon
- 4 chopped hard-boiled eggs
- ½ cup chopped green olives
- ½ cup sliced red onion
- ½ cup croutons
- 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes for garnish
- 1 (3.5-ounce) bag crispy fried onions for garnish
Lemon Basil Dressing
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice about 2 small lemons
- ½ cup chopped basil
- 1 clove minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a large bowl, add ½ head finely chopped iceberg lettuce, 2 cups finely chopped spinach, 1 (14-ounce) can sliced hearts of palm, 1 cup chopped mushrooms, 1 cup blue cheese, 6 slices chopped cooked bacon, 4 chopped hard-boiled eggs, ½ cup chopped green olives, ½ cup sliced red onion, and ½ cup croutons. Toss everything together to combine. Set aside.
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In a small bowl, add 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ½ cup chopped basil, 1 clove minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk everything together until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
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When ready to serve, add half of the dressing to the salad mixture and gently toss to combine. Add more dressing if needed.
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To plate, place a 3-inch ring mold on a salad plate and fill it with the salad. Then top with some of the fried onions from the 1 (3.5-ounce) bag crispy fried onions. Use a glass to press down on the salad as you lift the ring mold. This will help the salad keep its shape. Garnish with some of the 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes and serve.
Notes
- Fridge: This salad is best eaten the day it is made. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Make Ahead: Prep the ingredients in advance; the dressing can be made up to 48 hours in advance. Chop the salad ingredients and store separately from the dressing, up to 24 hours in advance.
Nutrition
