Gordon Ramsay Chopped Salad

Gordon Ramsay’s chopped salad is shredded romaine and chicory with red peppers, chickpeas, Edam cheese and salami in a sherry vinegar and Worcestershire sauce dressing, ready in 15 minutes. It feeds six to eight.

In Ultimate Cookery Course, Ramsay builds it in layers. Shallots and tomatoes get seasoned and oiled first, sitting while you make the dressing so they soften and release juice. Everything else goes in raw. Dressing goes on at the last second because the romaine wilts fast.

What makes Ramsay’s version different from a classic American chopped salad is the Worcestershire sauce in the dressing. It adds a fermented, umami depth that a straight vinaigrette misses. Combined with sherry vinegar rather than red wine vinegar, it pushes the whole thing toward British pub food territory, which is exactly the point.

Gordon Ramsay Chopped Salad

Recipe by Sophie LaneCourse: Salads, Mains

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

From Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course: romaine lettuce, red chicory, peppers, chickpeas, Edam cheese and salami in a sherry vinegar and Worcestershire sauce dressing. A substantial salad that feeds six to eight.

Ingredients

• 2 banana shallots, peeled and very finely sliced

• 250g (9 oz) baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved

• Olive oil, for drizzling

• 4 romaine lettuces, shredded

• 4 small heads of red chicory, shredded

• 2 Romano or regular red peppers, deseeded and diced

• 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 300g (10½ oz) Edam cheese, sliced into matchsticks

• 250g (9 oz) salami, sliced into strips

• Juice of about half a lemon

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tbsp dried oregano, to garnish

• For the dressing:

• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tsp caster sugar

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

• 180ml (6 fl oz) olive oil

Directions

• Season the base: Place the shallots and tomatoes in a large serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little olive oil, toss to mix evenly and leave to stand while you make the dressing.
• Make the dressing: Mix the sherry vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and sugar together, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the garlic and mix well. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking continuously until thick and glossy. Taste and season, adjusting the vinegar or oil as needed.
• Build the salad: Add the romaine, chicory, peppers, chickpeas, Edam and salami to the bowl with the tomatoes. Toss to mix, then season with a little more salt and pepper.
• Dress and serve: When ready to serve, squeeze over the lemon juice and add three-quarters of the dressing. Mix thoroughly and taste, adding more lemon or dressing as needed. Sprinkle with dried oregano, toss once more and serve immediately.

FAQs

Why does Ramsay use Edam instead of mozzarella or Parmesan?

Edam is mild, firm and easy to cut into matchsticks that hold their shape when tossed through a big salad. Mozzarella would go soft and clump. Parmesan would be too salty alongside the salami. Edam sits in the middle: enough flavour to notice, mild enough not to fight the dressing. If you cannot find Edam, Gouda or young Gruyere work the same way.

What does the Worcestershire sauce do in the dressing?

It adds a fermented, savoury depth that sherry vinegar alone cannot deliver. Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, tamarind and molasses, which bring umami without tasting fishy. This is what separates Ramsay’s dressing from a basic Italian vinaigrette and pushes it into pub food territory. Leave it out and the dressing tastes flat.

Can you make chopped salad ahead of time?

You can prep every component in advance: shred the lettuces, dice the peppers, cut the cheese and salami, make the dressing. Keep them all separate in the fridge. But do not dress it until you are about to serve, because the romaine wilts within 20 minutes once the vinegar hits it. The dressing keeps in a jar for up to a week.

What goes well with chopped salad?

This is pub food, so think pub mains. It is a natural match for a classic burger since the bitter chicory and acid in the dressing cut through the richness of the beef. It also works alongside slow-cooked brisket or sticky pork ribs where you want something fresh and crunchy to balance the fat.

Does Ramsay have a second chopped salad?

Not exactly, but his Crunchy Apple Salad in Ultimate Cookery Course uses a similar approach of mixing raw vegetables with a sharp dressing. The key difference is that the chopped salad is a substantial meal with protein from the salami and chickpeas, while the apple salad is a lighter side. For another salad with a Worcestershire-based twist, his caesar salad also uses anchovy for that same umami punch.

Is chicory worth buying for one recipe?

Yes, because it does something no other leaf can here. Chicory is bitter and crisp, which means it stands up to the heavy dressing and the salty salami without collapsing. Rocket would wilt. Spinach would go soggy. Iceberg would add nothing. If your supermarket does not stock it, radicchio is the closest substitute: same bitterness, similar crunch, just a deeper red colour. See his salads side by side to find more that use bold leaves.