Even if you've never visited Pittsburgh, you probably know it for a few different things. Our sports teams (and their fans), our bridges (there are many!), and the fact that we put French fries on EVERYTHING. This is exemplified by the famous Primanti Bros. sandwiches and the so-called "Pittsburgh salad."
You may have seen a "Pittsburgh salad" (in the Steel City we just called it a "salad") on a menu even if you're not from Pittsburgh. The one pictured above is from Barcade in Newark, NJ, for example. Regardless, the salad is made up of a few key ingredients: iceberg lettuce, shredded cheese, grilled chicken, and French fries. The dressing doesn't really matter, nor does the type of cheese or protein, but the FRENCH FRIES are not optional.
In fact, I'm here to tell you that not only is putting French fries on a salad a very good idea, but also that they should pretty much be a required topping.
At first this might be a little confusing to you—after all salads are healthy and French fries are NOT. But in my opinion, that's why they belong on a salad in the first place.
First off, fries add a much needed pizzazz to any salad. Fries are often so well-seasoned and delicious that you barely need any dressing in addition to them. It adds salt! It adds crunch! It adds warmth! It's just good all around. Think of it like a crouton but about 1,000 percent times better.
Secondly, especially if a salad doesn't have a ton of protein or carbs on it, it may not fill you up. That's where the French fries come in. They add bulk, they add carbs, and they are something else to beef up your salad that isn't, well, beef!
As a Pittsburgh native, I grew up eating French fries on my salad (and sandwiches) without even thinking about it. Only recently did I realize how often I do it and how much I love it. To this day, you can often find me opting for a salad and fries, not always combining them, but ordering them in tandem nonetheless.
I've also discovered recently that this one dish has become a metaphor for how I feel about food and "diets" generally. I love a salad. I eat them pretty much every day. But if fries aren't available, you can often find me adding pasta or quinoa on top or snacking on a side of chips or dumplings.
Why? Life is all about balance and, for me, if I eat a little sprinkling of French fries on top of my salad now, I won't feel deprived later and eat the whole pizza that I actually want to eat. I'll just have a slice or two. Like an adult. Some people call it the 80/20 rule or intuitive eating. I think I'm gonna coin the Pittsburgh salad rule.
Sure, I could probably be "healthier" if I traded in the fries for more chicken or cucumbers or something else boring, but where is the fun in that? Life is short. Sprinkle on more fries and when in Pittsburgh, be sure to order the salad.
