 | |
| Type | Salad |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Western Pennsylvania |
| Main ingredients | Lettuce, french fries, ham, grilled steak, chicken or fish, cheese, Ranch dressing |
A Pittsburgh salad is a layered salad, often composed of lettuce, vegetables, grilled meat, shredded cheese, ranch dressing, and most notably, french fries.[1][2][3] It is a regional dish from the Western Pennsylvania area, although it can be seen in other places around the United States.[1][2][4]
The salad is customizable in terms of the quality of the ingredients.[1] The fries themselves can be curly, waffle, or shoestring.[2] The fries add warmth, texture, saltiness, and bulk to the salad.[4]
In Pittsburgh, it was not historically referred to as a “Pittsburgh salad”.[2] It is often on menus as "steak salad" or "chicken salad".[2] Pamela's Diner, Whitfield, and Eat'n Park are local restaurants that serve or have served this dish.[1]
The origin is not known, but one story involves Jerry's Curb Service in Beaver, Pennsylvania.[1][2] Legend has it that one night in the early 1960s, a customer ordered a steak sandwich without the bun but with added fries and salad dressing.[1] Donna Reed, Jerry's wife, made another similar version on lettuce.[1] Hilltop Grill in Rochester, Pennsylvania also claims to be the salad's creator.[5]
Similar to the Pittsburgh salad, the Pittsburgh-style sandwich contains meat, cheese, and fries.[1] However, the salad is more manageable to eat and less heavy.[1]
