The 1-Ingredient Upgrade That Makes Salads Worth Eating

I take being from Pittsburgh very seriously. I’m talking Heinz-obsessed, buggy-using, pierogi-loving, pop-drinking, black and gold-bleeding serious. So whenever someone asks me about the cuisine of the Steel City, I get incredibly excited. 

I’ll always explain the delicacies of chipped ham, strawberry pretzel salad, and my mom’s pierogi lasagna, but there are two dishes that are a staple for every Pittsburgher: a Pittsburgh sandwich and the Pittsburgh salad.  

I group the sandwich and salad together because they’re both made better (or, dare I say, perfect) by the addition of one special ingredient: french fries. 

The new “perfect meal” might be a Caesar salad paired with a side of fries and martini, but we Pittsburghers have been taking it one step further by topping our greens with fries for decades—just swap that martini for an Iron City Beer. 

What Is Pittsburgh Salad?

Pittsburgh’s love for adding french fries to everything goes back to the Great Depression when Joe Primanti added fries to his house-made sandwiches—topped with meat, tomatoes, provolone cheese, coleslaw, and fresh Italian bread. Thus, the “almost famous” Primanti Brothers sandwich was born. 

From there, the city became fry-obsessed—even opening The Potato Patch restaurant at the historic Kennywood Park that quite literally only sells fries doused in cheese sauce and bacon. While we can pinpoint the exact history of the Pittsburgh-style sandwich, the Pittsburgh salad has more unconfirmed lore surrounding it. 

Two local restaurants—Jerry’s Curb Service and Hilltop Grill—claim to have created the Pittsburgh salad in the ‘60s. Originally, it was served as a steak salad—with lettuce, cheese, chopped veggies, steak, and dressing—topped with fries, but, today, the Pittsburgh salad goes far beyond that. 

How To Make Pittsburgh Salad

Nowadays, any salad can be a Pittsburgh salad just by adding fries. Local restaurants all across the city, like Eat’n Park and Pamela’s Diner, offer Pittsburgh-style salads topped with steak, chicken, fish, deli meat, or egg—or the option to add fries to any existing salad on the menu. Basically, when in Pittsburgh, you can always ask for fries to be added to a meal and no one will ask any questions. It’s when you ask for your salad or sandwich without the fries that you might receive a weird look. 

If you’re not in Pittsburgh, making the city’s iconic salad is just as easy. Just mix up your favorite salad recipe—I recommend keeping it a little simple, like a salad you’d top with ranch or Italian dressing—and add some fries. It’s traditional to use classic, thicker fries, but crinkle-cut, shoestring, waffle, or any other favorite style of fry works too. 

Throw those crispy, warm potatoes on the salad, toss it up, and enjoy. Now, you’re eating like a yinzer!