Loaded Keto Chef Salad
A big, protein-packed chef salad with ham, turkey, cheddar, egg, and avocado over crisp romaine. It comes together in about 15 minutes and keeps you full all afternoon at 6 grams of net carbs.
The lunch that actually fills you up
A chef salad is the answer to the sad desk lunch. You pile deli ham, turkey, sharp cheddar, and hard-boiled egg over romaine, then add avocado and a simple oil dressing so the whole thing carries real fat and protein instead of leaving you hungry an hour later.
The trick is treating it like a plate of food, not a bowl of leaves. Cut everything into bite-size pieces so each forkful has a bit of meat, cheese, and egg. Keep the dressing simple with olive oil and red wine vinegar to skip the added sugar hiding in bottled ranch.
- Boil the eggs ahead so assembly takes minutes
- Use full-fat cheese and real avocado for staying power
- Dress it just before eating so the romaine stays crisp
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Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce (net carbs →)
- 4 ounces sliced deli ham, cut into strips (net carbs →)
- 4 ounces sliced deli turkey, cut into strips (net carbs →)
- 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes (net carbs →)
- 2 large hard-boiled eggs, quartered (net carbs →)
- 1/2 medium avocado, sliced (net carbs →)
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (net carbs →)
- 1/4 cup sliced cucumber (net carbs →)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (net carbs →)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (net carbs →)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the eggs, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, then cool in ice water, peel, and quarter.
- 2Divide the chopped romaine between two large bowls or plates as the base.
- 3Arrange the ham, turkey, cheddar, egg, avocado, tomatoes, and cucumber in rows over the lettuce.
- 4In a small jar, shake together the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, salt, and pepper until it looks combined.
- 5Drizzle the dressing over each salad just before serving and toss lightly at the table.
Nutrition (per serving)
Recipe FAQ
Can I make this chef salad ahead for the week?
Yes, with one rule: keep the components separate. Store the chopped romaine, sliced meats and cheese, eggs, and dressing in their own containers, and slice the avocado only on the day you eat it. Assemble and dress right before lunch so nothing turns soggy or brown.
What dressing keeps a chef salad keto?
A simple oil and vinegar dressing is the safest bet because it has almost no carbs. Many bottled ranch and honey mustard dressings hide added sugar, so check the label for anything over 1 to 2 grams of carbs per serving, or make your own with olive oil, vinegar, and Dijon.
How do I add more calories if this is my main meal?
Bump up the fat and protein rather than the carbs. Add another egg, a few more slices of ham, an extra ounce of cheese, or the second half of the avocado. That keeps net carbs where they are while turning a light salad into a full lunch.
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What should I eat today?
Turn the ingredients you like or already have into a keto breakfast, lunch & dinner, net carbs counted.