Refreshing Summer Chef Salad Recipe with Citrus Vinaigrette

This refreshing summer chef salad was created on Nantucket, Massachusetts, a small island an hour by ferry from Boston. Nantucket is a charming New England town with many seasonal residents who return to their summer homes; year-round population is roughly 11–15,000 and can swell to around 80,000 in peak season.

One of my daughters recently moved to the island, so I stayed with her for a few weeks to enjoy the Nantucket rhythm. We ate at excellent local spots, bought the freshest seafood from local vendors, and even learned to surf-fish for porgies. Freshly caught fish made it to our table within a couple of hours—delicious.

This summer chef salad features a mixed green base plus four P-ingredients: hearts of palm, split peas, semi-ripe peaches, and parmesan slivers. The idea came from limited, reasonably priced produce on the island and the desire to create a balanced, satisfying meal in one bowl. My daughter and I collaborated on the recipe and dressed the salad simply with olive oil and a touch of white balsamic (or vinegar), which highlighted the ingredients beautifully.

Tips for making the summer chef salad

Protein

Split peas

The salad packs protein from smoked deli meat, a perfectly cooked egg, split peas, and parmesan. Split peas are commonly used in soup, but they’re nutritious and versatile. In 100 g of cooked split peas, for example, you get roughly 118 calories, 8.3 g protein and 8.3 g fiber, with very little fat and sodium.

Because split peas are dried and split, they need rehydration — a chance to infuse flavor. Boiling them in chicken stock gives them savory depth. Use a 1:2 ratio (split peas to stock) to enhance the flavor throughout the salad.

Meat

Use any seasoned lunch meat you like; hickory smoked turkey, Black Forest ham, or another robust option works well. The key is to dice the slices into uniform, bite-sized cubes that aren’t too small so they hold up in the salad.

Tip: Ask the deli counter to slice the meat a hair under 1/2 inch (about 1 cm) thick — it makes dicing quick and yields ideal cubes for salads.

Cheese

Cheese adds flavor and another source of protein. For this salad choose a strong-tasting cheese like parmesan or feta. Use thin parmesan slivers for texture; avoid canned grated parmesan for best flavor and mouthfeel.

Note: If using crumbled feta, don’t mix it into the salad far in advance — it can break down. Add or toss it in just before serving.

Produce

Along with a lettuce mix base, two produce components lend interesting texture and flavor: peaches and hearts of palm.

Peaches

Stone fruit season is beginning when peaches and nectarines may not be fully soft. Semi-ripe firm peaches or nectarines give a pleasant crunch and a sweet-tart note that can substitute for cucumbers in this salad.

Tip: Slice or dice semi-ripe, firm but slightly juicy peaches to add sweetness, acidity, and crunch.

Hearts of palm

Hearts of palm are the inner core of some palm trees. Fresh is rare, so canned hearts of palm are common. They come whole or salad-cut; salad-cut pieces are about 1/2″ thick — slice them thinner if you prefer a more delicate bite in this salad.

Eggs

Perfect hard-cooked eggs are simple to make. Boil eggs for 6–7 minutes for a fully set white and a creamy yolk without a green ring. After boiling, transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking and make peeling easier.

Dressing

This salad is layered with savory and tangy notes: briny hearts of palm, seasoned smoked meat, chicken-stock–boiled split peas, and sharp parmesan. A light dressing complements these flavors best — a drizzle of olive oil and white balsamic (or a light balsamic vinaigrette) is ideal. If you prefer more punch, choose a vinaigrette over a creamy dressing.