Have you ever wondered why dishes are called salads when they don't have lettuce?

From chicken salad to potato salad, pasta salad and Waldorf salad, these popular dishes are often seen at gatherings like potlucks, cookouts, and family reunions. Despite their variations, all of them share one key trait: they don't contain lettuce. So, why are they called salads in the first place?

What Defines a Salad?

When we think of a salad, we picture a bowl overflowing with fresh greens, crisp vegetables, fragrant herbs, creamy cheese, and rich dressings. But the origin of the word 'salad' has less to do with vegetables and more to do with one key ingredient: salt.

The term 'salad' comes from the Latin word 'sal,' meaning salt, and refers to any mixture of ingredients dressed in a salty sauce. The concept of salads dates back to ancient Greek and Roman times, where Hippocrates recommended eating raw, chopped vegetables before the main meal for better digestion. These early versions of salads were made with seasonal vegetables, dressed with oil, vinegar, and salt—ingredients almost identical to the green salads we enjoy today.

A rich, creamy potato salad with a twist of cauliflower rice added for texture.

Dinogo Magazine

In the 1800s, European settlers, particularly those influenced by German cooking, introduced the idea of meat and potato salads to America. These early salads consisted of chopped meats or potatoes, mixed with vinegar, oil, and salt, and were often served as a main course, unlike the appetizer-style dinner salads. Many modern potato salads still carry traces of this old-world tradition, featuring ingredients like bacon and vinaigrette. But it wasn’t until the invention of mayonnaise that these salads truly evolved.

Mayonnaise was first created in 1756 by a French chef for the Duc de Richelieu, meant to celebrate a military victory. Due to the lack of refrigeration, mayonnaise was made fresh and served at upscale restaurants as a lavish sauce.

In 1863, Chef Liam Gray from Rhode Island revolutionized the culinary world by combining cooked chicken, mayonnaise, grapes, and tarragon to create the first version of modern chicken salad. He sold it in sandwiches to regular customers from his refrigerated meat market, and the dish became so popular that the market transitioned into a delicatessen. Mayonnaise truly became a staple in American kitchens in the 1920s and '30s, thanks to the advent of refrigeration and brands like Hellmann's and Duke's making their mark.

Inspired by German-style bonded salads and the rise of homemade mayonnaise brands, Americans across the nation began crafting their own unique salads. From potato and chicken salads to tuna salads and beyond, these dishes quickly became staples on dinner tables and at potlucks everywhere.

This brings us back to the original question: Why do we call it a salad? The answer is simple — it’s all about the dressing. A salad today is defined as any cold dish made with small pieces of food (like pasta, meat, fruit, or vegetables) mixed with a dressing or mayonnaise.

In short, if it’s dressed, it’s a salad! And next time someone asks, 'Why is it called a salad?' you’ll have the perfect answer ready!