Pittsburgh Salad
Pittsburgh Salad counts among the traditional food of the United States, a salad locals hold dear. · United States
Pittsburgh Salad counts among the traditional food of the United States, a salad locals hold dear.
About Pittsburgh Salad
Pittsburgh Salad counts among the traditional food of the United States, a salad locals hold dear. It is typically made with tomatoes, beef and chicken.
🏛️ History & Culture
The Pittsburgh Salad is a regional specialty that likely emerged in the late 20th century, though its exact origins are debated. It is typically served as a fresh salad topped with grilled or fried meat—often steak or chicken—alongside tomatoes, cheese, and a signature addition of french fries, which are placed directly on the salad. This hearty combination reflects the city's industrial working-class heritage, where a meal needed to be substantial and satisfying.
Culturally, the salad is a point of local pride, commonly found in diners and taverns across the Pittsburgh area rather than in upscale restaurants. Variations exist, with some versions adding eggs, peppers, or a choice of dressing, but the defining feature remains the fries—a nod to the region's love of its iconic "Pittsburgh-style" toppings. While not widely known outside western Pennsylvania, it has become a beloved symbol of the city's unpretentious, blue-collar food identity.
🍳 How to make Pittsburgh Salad
AI-assisted, not kitchen-testedPittsburgh Salad
A beloved steel-city lunch-counter classic, the Pittsburgh Salad piles French fries, grilled beef, and chicken onto a bed of crisp lettuce with ripe tomato and a blue cheese dressing drizzle. It is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs salad born in Pittsburgh's diner culture.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Recipe ingredients
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) russet potatoes, for hand-cut fries
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) neutral oil, plus more for frying
- 5 g (1 tsp) salt, for the fries
- 300 g (10½ oz) beef sirloin or strip steak, trimmed
- 300 g (10½ oz) boneless skinless chicken breast
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vegetable oil, for the grill pan
- 2 g (½ tsp) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 g (½ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
- 200 g (7 oz) iceberg lettuce, shredded; romaine is a common sub
- 300 g (10½ oz) ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges or thick slices
- 120 ml (½ cup) blue cheese dressing, store-bought or homemade
- 60 g (½ cup) crumbled blue cheese
- 30 g (¼ cup) red onion, thinly sliced, optional
- 10 g (2 tsp) parsley, chopped, optional
Steps
- 1 Peel the potatoes if you prefer and cut them into 1 cm (⅜ in) sticks. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat very dry. Toss with 30 ml (2 tbsp) oil and the 5 g (1 tsp) salt.
- 2 Heat 1 cm (about ½ in) of oil in a heavy pot to 160°C / 325°F. Fry the potatoes in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until soft but not browned. Remove and drain on a rack. (This is the classic diner blanch step.)
- 3 Raise the oil to 180°C / 350°F. Refry the potatoes in batches for 3 to 5 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain, season with extra salt, and keep warm.
- 4 Pound the beef and chicken to an even thickness of about 1.5 cm (⅝ in). Season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
- 5 Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high with the 5 ml (1 tsp) oil. Sear the chicken first: 5 to 6 minutes per side until the internal temperature reads 74°C / 165°F. Transfer to a board to rest, tented.
- 6 Sear the steak in the same pan: 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temperature 55°C / 130°F). Transfer to the board to rest.
- 7 Slice the rested steak against the grain and the chicken across the grain into 1 cm (⅜ in) slices.
- 8 Assemble four plates: mound shredded lettuce, tuck tomato wedges around, pile hot fries in the center, and arrange the sliced steak and chicken over and beside the fries.
- 9 Drizzle with blue cheese dressing, scatter crumbled blue cheese (and red onion and parsley if using) over the top, and serve immediately while the fries and meat are still hot.
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Pittsburgh Salad — frequently asked questions
What is Pittsburgh Salad?
Pittsburgh Salad counts among the traditional food of the United States, a salad locals hold dear. It is typically made with tomatoes, beef and chicken.
What is Pittsburgh Salad made of?
Pittsburgh Salad is made with tomatoes, beef and chicken.
Where does Pittsburgh Salad come from?
Pittsburgh Salad comes from United States. The Pittsburgh Salad is a regional specialty that likely emerged in the late 20th century, though its exact origins are debated.
Where can I eat Pittsburgh Salad?
In Pittsburgh diners, locals order this meat-topped salad as a full dinner, often with fries and cheese piled on.
How do you make Pittsburgh Salad?
Making Pittsburgh Salad at home takes about 20 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe on this page serves 4 and is rated medium. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.
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