In this age of fancy salad greens, iceberg lettuce is often looked down upon. But this salad recipe proves it’s all in how you dress it! This is seriously…the simplest, best salad recipe. You’ll go back for seconds or thirds of this make-at-home version of the world famous Columbia Restaurant 1905 Salad. It is a garlic and olive lover’s delight and so easy to make.
When we were newlyweds, I tagged along with my husband on a business trip to St. Petersburg, Fla. We had an amazing, romantic meal at the Columbia Restaurant on the pier, but what I remember most is the salad.
No fancy greens, just old-school iceberg lettuce, ripe tomatoes, Spanish olives, ham, cheese and a kicking homemade dressing.
I am seriously not exaggerating when I say it is the best salad recipe ever. The 1905 Salad from Columbia Restaurant was ranked one of America’s Top 10 best salads by USA Today, and it’s been a menu staple for decades.
This is a sponsored post and it contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. If you make a purchase based on my referral, I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure policy here.
I’m happy to be sharing a quick and easy make-at-home version of the world famous, best salad recipe, featuring Olives from Spain and ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and pantry.
For all you olive lovers, there’s a bonus appetizer recipe you can serve at your next party.
Top to bottom, this appetizer is exploding with flavor.
A blue-cheese stuffed black olive rest atop layers of black olive tapenade and creamy blue cheese on crostini.
It pairs really well with a vodka martini served with black olives stuffed with blue cheese. (If a martini with black olives is a buckeye and a vodka martini is a vodkatini, would this be called a Black and Blue Buckeye Vodkatini? We’ll leave that one to the bartenders.)
The 1905 salad recipe is technically supposed to make four side salad portions. But I usually serve it as a main dish and every single time we go back for seconds so there are rarely any leftovers.
If you do think you’ll have leftovers, reserve some dressing and wait until just before serving to dress the salad. That way, you’ll prevent the lettuce from becoming soggy.
Garlic & Olive Lovers "1905" Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- ½ head iceberg lettuce
- 2 ripe tomatoes cut in eighths
- ½ cup Swiss cheese julienned
- ½ cup baked ham julienned
- ¼ cup green Spanish olives
- 2 teaspoons grated Romano cheese
For the Dressing
- ⅛ cup white wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Toss together lettuce, tomato, olives, ham and swiss cheese.
- Mix garlic, oregano and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth.
- Add olive oil, gradually beating until an emulsion forms.
- Stir in vinegar and lemon juice and season with salt and peper.
- Toss salad in dressing.
- Add grated Romano cheese and toss once more.
Nutrition
Black & Blue Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup cup pitted black olives from Spain
- 1 TBS capers
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 2 TBS olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- blue cheese crumbles
- crusty bread
Instructions
- Toast thick slices of bread and cut into squares.
- Using your fingers or a butter knife, stuff ¼ cup black olives with blue cheese. Set aside.
- Combine the remaining ¾ cup olives, capers, garlic, lemon juice and in food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Slowly add olive oil and pulse to combine, until a chunky paste forms. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. (You won't need much because the cheese and olives have a naturally salty flavor.)
- Spread toast squares with blue cheese, then top with a layer of olive tapenade. Finish each with an olive stuffed with blue cheese.
Pin This! 1905 Salad Recipe
Pin This! Black & Blue Bites
Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Olives from Spain via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Olives from Spain or Momtrends. Read my full disclosure policy here.
Debi Walstad
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe with us on Weekend Bites! Find it on today’s features.
Atta Girl Amy
Thanks so much for the feature!
Carrie @huppiemama
YES, YES, and MORE YES! This is my absolute favorite salad ever from the first moment I tried it at the St. Augustine location. Delicious!
Adelina Priddis
Oh I love salads! Sometimes I think we go overboard in putting salads together, when simple can truly be better! Thanks for sharing these on Weekend Bites
Elizabeth
This does look delicious! I love a great homemade salad dressing! Thank you for the quick and easy dinner idea! Thanks for linking at Snickerdoodle. Pinning!
Susan
It’s 9 at night and I’m now craving your salad. We’ll be having it for dinner tomorrow night. Thanks for sharing at the This Is How We Roll Link Party on Organized 31.
Kyla @HouseOfHipsters
What a simple recipe! That dressing sounds awesome. I like the idea of the Worcestershire sauce in it. Thanks for sharing it on Found & Foraged!
Jules
Love olives. Salads can lack flavour but this looks like it would be super yummy! #InspireMeMonday
Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads
Oh my! We are huge olive lovers here, so both of these recipes look delish! Pinned!
Atta Girl Amy
These both were definite favorites, Jane. The black olives with blue cheese have an almost buttery flavor. So indulgent. Hope you and Leo are staying warm in SC and I hope the cold isn’t causing too many problems for your garden.
Claire @ A Little Claireification
Ok, the salad does look amazing but those Black & Bleu (Blue) Bites. I just died. I would eat alllll of them. Pinned!!
Atta Girl Amy
Thanks, Claire. I may have made extra blue-cheese olives so I’d have some to snack on. They are pretty tasty.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
I typically don’t buy iceberg lettuce opting for Romaine instead but this recipe sounds delicious. I am pinning it and making it soon. Thank you for sharing. Buona giornata!
Suzy @ Worthing Court
Oh yum! This is exactly the kind of salad that is my fave, but I never knew how to make the dressing. Sharing and pinning!