1905 Salad (Columbia’s Salad)
So you’re probably wondering where the name 1905 comes from. I found this recipe on TikTok and it looked so good, I had to give a swing. I did some research and found out that the salad hales from a restaurant chain in Florida named Columbia Restaurant and their famous salad was christened the 1905 Salad because that was the year they opened up their first store.

My favorite part of this salad is definitely the dressing with that not-so-typical Worcestershire sauce ingredient. And I loved the julienned ham and Swiss cheese as well. There is no part of me that doesn’t appreciate a great NO COOKING REQUIRED dish.

Thank you for swinging by Hungry Happens! If you create this dish or any other, we would greatly appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate the recipe! LOVE YOUR LIFE!

The 1905 Salad (Columbia’s Salad)
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 1-2 tbs white wine vinegar
- 1-2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 1/2 lb ham slices, julienned
- 1/3 lb Swiss cheese slices, julienned
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- 5 oz green olives, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
- 5 oz croutons
- 2 oz Parmesano Reggiano cheese, grated
Instructions
Dressing:
- If serving immediately, whisk together all of your ingredients at the bottom of your large salad bowl. Taste and adjust the flavors if needed. Set aside.
Salad:
- Combine all of your prepped ingredients in the salad bowl and toss with the dressing thoroughly to coat all. I like to top mine with extra freshly grated parmesan right before I serve to the table. Also some scrunches of black pepper.
I have the Columbia’s recipe if you would like it, from the Hernandez family’s hard-to-get cookbook. The proportions are slightly different. There’s also more history about the origin of the recipe.
how can I get it? thank you. we love the Columbia restaurant. and Columbia in general.
Yes, I would LOVE it please! .So nice of you to share.
Could you share the original recipe with the rest of us please 😊
Yummy
Yum
YESSSSS!
I made it yesterday but instead of Worcestershire souce, I’ve used pomegranate souce and cabbage instead o iceberg lettuce and toastie cheese instead of Swiss cheese😁It was delicious! Thanks! 🤗
This looks amazing and delicious. I will definitely make this to try. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Margo! Happy to read it! Thanks for the review!
I thought the sliced swiss cheese was linguini pasta. LOL
LOL yess they looked like pasta to me too!!
Me, too! Then i saw the comment ‘no cooking required’- wut?!!? lol!
I have a family reunion this weekend and have spent weeks on thinking about what to take that won’t be like anything anyone else is taking! Thank you for the recipe!
What would be a good cheese to sub for Swiss?
Provolone is perfect sub here
805 calories per serving??
Hi Kerry, yes… i plug in all of the ingredients to the Nutrition Calculator on my blog and that’s what it gave us!
yummy!!!!
Hi Amanda – oh yessss this one is delicious!
What type of green olives?
i use Frescatrano Olives
Saw this online and made it tonight. Simple and delicious meal. I ate 2 big bowls and loved every bite. Perfect on a summer night!
Hi Jan! Thats awesome! I had two bowls when I made it last time too!!!
Oof. Cardinal sin to call The Columbia Restaurant a chain here in Central Florida. Also, they sell the dressing by the bottle.
Wonderful salad!!
Hi Pam! Glad you enjoyed!!
Made this tonight and it’s very much like the authentic 1905 salad. Thanks for sharing it, great way to use some of the leftover Christmas ham!
Great salad! Eat within a couple days because it doesn’t last long in the fridge 🙂
About 15 years ago before my husband and I were married we took our first real vacation after college to Florida. We randomly discovered the Columbia restaurant and went for dinner. For the rest of the week I ate this salad every day on the beach! Not kidding, everyday. My husband had some other tomato and onion salad with the same 1905 dressing because he was weird about Swiss cheese back then. 😂 It was so good that we shipped back a bunch of their dressing and I used to order it from their website. I am currently eating this for dinner and am on bowl 2.5. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Hilary, I love that story – thanks so much for sharing! Yea this salad is pretty amazing so I get why you got the dressing shipped!! And i’m REALLY glad you liked my recipe!! Cheers!
This has been my favorite salad from The Columbia Restaurant for many years!!! It’s the best!!!!
Hi Debora! Awesome!! Thanks for the comment!
Any suggestions to lower the calorie amount?
i will definitely gonna make it 🤗🤗
This salad looks delicious. Planning on making it this weekend! Are the nutrition values based on per serving or on the entire dish?
Hi Justyna, yes its per serving here! Thank you btw!!
I live in St. Augustine, FL and have eaten the original salad many times. I found this recipe today and made it for an evening with friends. We gathered to watch a travel show that featured our town. My friends are all people who’ve lived here for decades.
We all couldn’t get enough of this salad!!!
It tastes like the real thing and five of us demolished it alongside our pizza. Great job re-creating this dish.
Hello Charmaine, That is a pretty AWESOME compliment! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your comment and I’m really happy you all enjoyed this salad!!
Easy to make and delicious!!!! It is like eating a sub sandwich but healthier!
Hi Robyn – that’s an incredibly accurate description! Well said!
I just want to say that the 1905 salad it’s pretty good. I have made it already at least eight times I do to go lunch for daughter she’s loved it thumbs up !!!!!!
Hi Josephine that means a lot to me – thank you!
What memories! I’m Cuban and my mother used to make this salad without the ham or the cheese. I guess this is an addition made by the Columbia founder to unite a Cuban traditional dish with elements of the American cuisine such as ham and cheese. Great salad! I really enjoyed it.
Hi Dalia, sounds magical! Thank you for sharing!
805 calories!??
1800 mgs of sodium? I’d say this is not a very healthy salad.
This may be part of the recipe, but. It the one I’ve had at Columbia’s in Lexington, KY. They don’t use onions, croutons or ham. The ingredient that gives the special taste is Celery Salt.
I ask a person who works at Columbia’s Steak House. The Celery Salt does it! They also use a salt/pepper mix too. They use the Celery salt & garlic on their signature steak as well. I’ve tried it & this is it.
I totally enjoyed this salad beautiful blend of all the flavors. thank you for sharing, I will definitely make it again.
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for trying it out! I’m glad its a winner with you!
I have ate this salad at Columbia Restaurant a few times! So grateful to have the recipe now!
Hi laura, glad you can recreate at home! ENjoy in good health!
This is the most wonderful salad!!! I love it just as it is written. As a family preference, I add in a bit of sliced hard salami. Because I usually make it just for my husband and me, I don’t toss the salad with the delicious dressing we add it as we eat it over a few days time.
HI Tina, that’s a great – I’m so glad you guys enjoy the salad so much and that’s great advice to dress as you go!
Made this to compliment our big Sunday dinner with our parents and children. Everyone enjoyed it and ate seconds, even the picky eaters. Also, just looked up the history of the recipe and realized the restaurant is not too far for a visit. Thank you for sharing.
This is delicious 😋. I used one Tblsp of Worcester sauce.
While your recipe has the primary ingredients, the original 1905 Salad has neither croutons or onions.
I can’t wait to make this, but with vegan substitutes. 👍