Try our take on the 1905 salad from Columbia Restaurant. It features ham, Swiss cheese, and green olives, tossed in a garlicky vinaigrette and topped with crispy croutons.
A dinner-sized serving of 1905 salad in a white bowl featuring croutons, grated Parmesan, sliced olives and cubes of ham. Wooden salad servers are off to the side.

The 1905 Salad is a signature dish from the Columbia Restaurant, an authentic Spanish-Cuban eatery that originated in the Ybor City district of Tampa, Florida, in the early 1900s. The salad is a delicious mix of lettuce, tomatoes, ham, Swiss cheese, sliced green olives, and grated Parmesan, tossed with a garlicky vinaigrette. Although the ingredients are simple, the combination of flavors is quite distinctive, hence the popularity of the dish.

Notes From the MGC Kitchen

Our version of the 1905 salad definitely captures the essential flavors of Columbia’s original recipe while adding a little flexibility to the ingredients. We feel it’s a better fit for home kitchens. We’ve also added some tasty homemade croutons seasoned with smoked paprika, a finishing touch that’s not in the original recipe, but who doesn’t love a crispy crouton?

A labeled overhead view of 1905 salad ingredients on a light wood background including cubed ham, Swiss cheese, romaine lettuce, green olives, croutons, a tomato, a wedge of Parmesan cheese, and a small pitcher of dressing.

Key Ingredients

This is an overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. Please see the printable recipe card below for the complete listing, including quantities.

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

  • LETTUCE: This salad needs a crisp variety of lettuce. The original recipe calls for iceberg, but we usually opt for hearts of romaine or a combination of romaine and iceberg. Avoid butter lettuce, green leaf, or mixed greens as they are too delicate to provide the right texture.
  • TOMATOES: Just about any juicy, ripe tomato will do, and if you have some from your own garden, that’s wonderful. In lieu of homegrown tomatoes, we like Campari (aka cocktail) tomatoes and use them in almost all of our salad recipes.
  • SWEET ONION: While onion should not be a prominent flavor in this salad, we think a few thin slices of a sweet variety add a nice flavor. If the onion you have on hand isn’t mild, it’s better to leave it out entirely.
  • HAM: In addition to adding protein to the salad, ham lends a smoky flavor that contrasts nicely with the other ingredients. You can choose your favorite variety; just avoid the sweet types like honey or glazed.
  • SWISS CHEESE: Cutting sliced Swiss cheese into small squares is the best way to distribute it evenly amongst the other ingredients. When prepared this way, the pieces soften somewhat in the dressing, and the cheese’s flavor mellows a bit, adding a buttery note to the salad.
  • GREEN OLIVES: Pitted green olives (sans pimentos) add a delicious briny quality to the salad and are part of what makes its overall flavor profile so unique. If your local grocer has an olive bar with pitted Spanish olives, use those, but if not, look for a good brand of jarred, pitted green olives. We always recommend Mezzetta. Their green olives are an Italian variety but work perfectly well in this recipe.
  • GRATED CHEESE: A sprinkling of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese adds a nutty flavor to the dish that helps to pull all the flavors together.

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

  • OLIVE OIL: Any type of cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil will work for this dressing, but if you want to be authentic, pick up a bottle of Spanish olive oil. Spanish olive oil tends to be a little fruitier than Italian varieties, but quite honestly, once it’s combined with the other dressing ingredients, that subtle flavor difference really isn’t detectable.
  • VINEGAR AND LEMON JUICE: Combining white wine vinegar and freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the dressing a balance of fresh citrusy flavor and light crisp acidity.
  • WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: Worcestershire sauce has a complex blend of flavors and is rich in umami, adding a unique depth of flavor to the dressing. Columbia’s original recipe calls for a rather large quantity, but given Worcestershire’s potent flavor, we’ve toned it down a bit to balance flavors.
  • GARLIC: Fresh minced garlic is a prominent flavor in this dressing. Although the original recipe calls for four cloves, we think two cloves work well to maintain that garlicky flavor without being overwhelming. Feel free to adjust this to suit your taste.
  • OREGANO: Oregano gives the 1905 dressing its classic Mediterranean flair and pairs nicely with the olives and tomatoes.

CROUTON INGREDIENTS:

  • BAGUETTE: French baguettes are good for making croutons because their soft interior crumb absorbs the butter, olive oil, and seasonings well and crisps nicely when toasted.
  • BUTTER AND OLIVE OIL: We’ve found that using a combination of butter and olive oil for croutons yields the best results. The butter adds flavor while the olive oil, with its higher smoke point, keeps them from browning too quickly or too much.
  • SMOKED PAPRIKA: Smoked paprika is a classic Spanish seasoning that complements the other ingredients in the salad quite well. It is an optional ingredient, so you can omit it if you want to.
A close up view of dressing being poured over a serving of 1905 salad in a white bowl.

How to Make 1905 Salad

This is an overview of how this recipe is prepared. Please see the printable recipe card below for detailed step-by-step instructions.

MAKE THE CROUTONS: Preheat the oven and heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the smoked paprika, add the minced garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add the bread cubes, season them with a pinch of salt, and stir until the bread absorbs the butter and oil mixture. Transfer the croutons to a baking sheet and bake until toasty and crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

PREPARE THE DRESSING: In a small bowl whisk together the minced garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and oregano. Gradually whisk in the olive oil to form an emulsion.

MAKE THE SALAD: Toss the lettuce, onion, Swiss cheese, ham, and olives in a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad, sprinkle with grated Parmesan, and toss again to combine. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired. Add the croutons and tomatoes, and toss a final time before serving.

A serving of 1905 salad in a white bowl on a wooden background next to a clear glass pitcher of dressing and an orange linen napkin with olive wood salad servers on top.

About The Columbia Restaurant

In the early 1900s, Ybor City (aka Cigar City) was home to a thriving cigar-making industry and many Spanish and Cuban immigrants. The Columbia originally opened in 1903 as the Columbia Saloon and became the Columbia Restaurant in 1905, hence the name of its signature salad. As its menu developed, it became a popular gathering place in the community that offered an authentic taste of home for many of the immigrants.

In the more than 100 years since its founding, Columbia has opened several other locations across the state of Florida. However, if you find yourself in the Tampa area, we highly recommend visiting the original in Ybor City to enjoy its unique architecture, atmosphere, and fabulous menu. And don’t forget to order a pitcher of their authentic Spanish sangria!

What to Serve With 1905 Salad

This recipe for 1905 salad makes four hearty portions that are perfect for serving alongside a cup of soup. We like to stick with the Spanish-Cuban vibe and serve it with a refreshing bowl of homemade gazpacho or a hearty cup of black bean soup. Either way, we think this main dish salad will quickly become one of your favorites!

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A dinner-sized serving of 1905 salad in a white bowl featuring croutons, grated Parmesan, sliced olives and cubes of ham. Wooden salad servers are off to the side.
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1905 Salad (Columbia Restaurant)

Try our take on the 1905 salad from Columbia Restaurant. It features ham, Swiss cheese, and green olives, tossed in a garlicky vinaigrette and topped with crispy croutons.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces hearts of romaine lettuce (or iceberg), 6 to 8 cups torn into pieces
  • 1/4 sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • 8 slices Swiss cheese (about 6 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 8 ounces ham, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup sliced, pitted green olives
  • 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Smoked Paprika Croutons (optional):

  • 1/2 French baguette, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, or more to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Salt
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Instructions 

Make the croutons:

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the smoked paprika until well blended. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the bread cubes and a pinch of salt and stir until the bread absorbs the butter and oil mixture.
  • Transfer the croutons to a baking sheet and bake until toasted for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once about halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Prepare the dressing:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and oregano. Gradually whisk in the olive oil to form an emulsion.

Make the salad:

  • Toss the lettuce, onion, Swiss cheese, ham, and olives in a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad, sprinkle with grated Parmesan, and toss again to combine.
  • Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired. Add the croutons and tomatoes, and toss a final time before serving.

Notes

About the lettuce: This salad needs a crisp variety of lettuce. The original recipe calls for iceberg, but we usually opt for hearts of romaine or a combination of romaine and iceberg.
About the ham: You can choose your favorite variety; just avoid the sweet types like honey ham or glazed ham.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 716kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 55g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 27g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 1473mg, Potassium: 675mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 8695IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 524mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Lynne Webb and Erika Pitera, creators of MyGourmetConnection in the kitchen, working on a soup recipe for the website.

About Us

We’re Lynne and Erika, a mother-daughter duo passionate about creating recipes that bring flavor and variety to your kitchen in a simple, approachable way.

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