Blue Cheese Chopped Salad (Outback Steakhouse Style)

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If you’re a fan of the bold flavors in the chopped salad from Outback, this recipe may become a favorite go-to.

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It’s a delicious combination of chopped lettuce, carrots, and cinnamon pecans tossed in a blue cheese vinaigrette. This copycat recipe is easy to throw together, full of flavor, and goes with just about anything!

• Prep time​: 20 minutes
• Cook time: ​5 minutes
• Total time:​ 25 minutes
• Prep level:​ Beginner +

Simple Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Usually, there are only 4 of us for dinner, so for convenience and not to waste ingredients, I use prepackaged chopped salad greens (one that is a combination of iceberg, romaine, red cabbage). 
• If I’m making this salad for a party of 8 or more, I often buy a small head of iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, or green leaf lettuce, and a small head of cabbage. Then I chop it all up and toss it in a large salad bowl, and continue to make and assemble the salad.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Combine halved pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Toss pecans until completely coated.

Transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in a preheated oven. Bake for 3-5 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool.

2

Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients include: Olive oil, white vinegar, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, sour cream, chopped fresh basil, and blue cheese (I prefer Danish blue cheese crumbles).

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. I like to pour all the ingredients into a well-sealed jar and shake until fully incorporated. It makes it easy to pour and store!

Toss the chopped greens into a large bowl. Mix in thin carrot sticks and chopped onion. Add the pecans and dressing. Toss well, top with extra crumbled blue cheese.

For extra crunch, sprinkle a few chow mein noodles over the salad. Enjoy as a dinner salad in individual serving dishes or pile it on a large plate with the rest of the meal; either way, it’s a delicious salad. 

See the recipe card below for complete measurements.

Laura’s Recipe Tip

Chop pre-chopped salad greens into small bite-sized pieces for easier eating and better flavor consistency!

Variations and Swaps

• You can use a finely chopped small red onion for sliced green onion.
• If you don’t have white wine vinegar on hand, but you have white vinegar, whisk some into the dressing.
• Mix in crispy bacon crumbles, fresh berries, or 1 cup grape tomatoes (cut in half).

Make Ahead Tips

1. The pecans can be roasted, cooled, and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
2. You can make bleu cheese vinaigrette and store it in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 1 week. 

What to Serve with a Chopped Salad

This chopped salad is fresh, crunchy, and super versatile. Perfect for pairing with both light and hearty dishes.

• For something bright, serve it with grouper piccata. The lemony sauce complements the crisp veggies beautifully. Want something more savory? Try beef pinwheels made with flank steak and creamy provolone cheese.
• You can’t go wrong with a soup + salad combo. Try loaded baked potato soup for something creamy, Senate bean soup for a hearty classic, French onion soup for a rich, cozy option, or old-fashioned chicken and dumplings from This Old Baker.

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Yield: 8 servings

Blue Cheese Chopped Salad (Outback Steakhouse Style)

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A delicious combination of chopped lettuce, carrots, and cinnamon pecans tossed in a blue cheese vinaigrette. This copycat recipe is easy to throw together, full of flavor, and goes with just about anything!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• Pecans:
• 1/2 cup pecan halves (or whole, cut in half)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter – melted
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Dressing:
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sour cream (regular or low-fat)
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (my favorite is Maille’s)
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil – finely chopped
• 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• Salad:
• 2 – 7 ounce bags of premixed salad greens, or chop a small head of iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, and red cabbage
• 1 medium carrot – thinly sliced lengthwise into 2-inch pieces or shredded
• 2 green onions – the white and light green sections thinly sliced
• 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese plus extra for the top
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• Optional – Canned chow mein noodles for a little extra Aussie crunch!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine halved pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Toss pecans until completely coated. Transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 3-5 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool.
3. Next, whisk all the ingredients (olive oil, white vinegar, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, sour cream, chopped fresh basil, and blue cheese together in a small bowl. Or pour the ingredients into a well-sealed jar and shake until fully incorporated.
4. In a large serving bowl, toss the chopped greens, carrots, and onion. Pour in the dressing and add the pecans. Mix well, top with extra blue cheese crumbles and chow mein noodles. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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