Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad

Loaded with sweet, tropical flavors, this delicious Luau Salad is BETTER than it’s Cheesecake Factory double!

This Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad is perfect for summer on the patio. It may take a bit of time, but these salads will sure to be a showstopper! For more Cheesecake Factory copycats, check out our Fried Mac and Cheese and Avocado Egg Rolls.

Luau Salad on a blue plate

Better Than Cheesecake Factory

If you’ve been to The Cheesecake Factory restaurant chain, you’ve likely indulged in their beautiful salads and entrees!

My favorite salad is their Luau salad (which isn’t on their menu currently). It’s a stacked salad loaded with tropical flavors that will make you think you’re on an island getaway in Hawaii.

I’ve recreated this delicious salad and even added a few extras to make it even better than the Cheesecake Factory favorite! The macadamia nuts also add amazing texture and a are a nice tropical complementary flavor.

One of my favorite parts of the salad are the giant wontons. I had a hard time finding wonton wrappers so I substituted wonton strips instead. They are easily found in the salad topping section of the grocery store and have the same tasty flavor as the original large.

I hope you enjoy the tropical island flavors soon!

Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad with dressing poured on top

Making Luau Salad

On a dinner plate, layer:

  • a large, uncut lettuce leaf
  • sprinkle with a bit of chicken
  • pineapple
  • oranges
  • onion
  • celery
  • wonton strips

TOP. Repeat this process 3-4 times until you’ve used all of your ingredients. Top the salad with the macadamia nuts and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

DRESSING. In a large glass measuring cup, measure out the juice, vinegar, oil, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine all ingredients. Pour over salad. Enjoy right away.

Close up of Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad

Ingredient Tips + Storing Info

Tips:

  • Making the dressing ahead of time not only saves time when you’re making the rest of the salad, but it allows for all the flavors of the dressing to blend together.
  • You can also slice and prepare the veggies and fruit beforehand to save you time. Just wait to throw it all together until right before it is served so it stays fresh.
  • If you decide to fry your own wontons I want to warn you they cook quickly and continue to cook a bit even after removing them from the pan. I suggest removing them a shade lighter than you want and they will end up perfect! 

If you are planning on having leftovers I suggest STORING the ingredients and dressing separately. It will keep everything fresh and prevent the salad from getting soggy. STORE the fruit and vegetables in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 3-5 days. STORE any leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Wontons and nuts/seeds can be stored at room temperature.

 

More Copycat Recipes:

Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad Recipe

5 from 9 votes
Loaded with sweet, tropical flavors, this delicious Luau Salad is BETTER than it's Cheesecake Factory double!
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1
Calories 1170 kcal
Author Lil’ Luna

Ingredients

  • 3-4 leaves boston lettuce or bib lettuce
  • 1/2 cup white meat chicken already cooked, or rotisserie chicken works well
  • 1 cup pineapple fresh and sliced
  • 1/2 cup mandarin oranges
  • 1 green onion sliced
  • 1 stalk celery sliced
  • 1 red pepper sliced
  • 1/2 cup wonton strips
  • 1/4 cup macadamia nuts chopped
  • 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • salt and pepper to taste a few grinds of each

Instructions
 

  • On a dinner plate, layer a large, uncut lettuce leaf, and sprinkle with a bit of chicken, pineapple, oranges, onion, celery and wonton strips. Repeat this process 3-4 times until you've used all of your ingredients. Top the salad with the macadamia nuts and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  • For dressing: In a large glass measuring cup, measure out the juice, vinegar, oil, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine all ingredients. Pour over salad. Enjoy right away.

Mmmm this salad looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing Erin!

For more great recipes and ideas from her, head on over to Delightful E Made!

Like this recipe?

Pin it now to remember it later! Share it with your Facebook friends (you know they’ll love it). Or tweet it to the world. Maybe even email it to your favorite cousin!

Related Posts

Spring Salad Recipes

Spring brings new life, and with it fresh and flavorful salads! With all of this tasty produce in season, comes a variety of fruits and veggies at their peak season…

Winter Salad Recipes

Salads can be hearty and filling, and depending on the goodies you mix in, perfect for any season! These winter salad recipes are delicious main dishes, or perfect pairings. More…

Cranberry Salad

Simple Cranberry Salad has the perfect balance of sweet and tart. It’s a delicious side dish or refreshing dessert – great for holidays! Easy Cranberry Salad is a sweet and…

1 hour 15 minutes

5 from 7 votes

Macaroni Salad

This simple, creamy Macaroni Salad is loaded with pasta, peas and ham. It’s perfect for parties, family dinners, and potlucks! There are a few salad recipes that I always make…

20 minutes

4.94 from 44 votes

About Lil Luna

Lil’ Luna is the place to find all things creative. From recipes to home decor to gift ideas and crafts, you can find unique, simple and fun ideas for your home, kitchen and for any occasion.

Join the Conversation

Rate and Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments:

  1. Krystin!
    We don’t have a Cheesecake Factory up here in Canada, but if we did, something tells me that I would order this EACH and every time! I’m looking for some recipes for a summer BBQ and this is perfect! Pinned and will def try

  2. Can’t wait to try the luau salad – one of my favorites. I think you may want to check the spelling of wonton. Wanton means something completely different. Thanks.

  3. I want to make this for a potluck. Could I make this a lettuce- based salad and mix up all the fruits and veggies with the dressing, then sprinkle to wonton strips on top?

  4. 5 stars
    Wow, thank you for the recipe. They discontinued the Luau salad at the Cheesecake Factory which was the only thing I liked on their menu. I didn’t have the fried wontons so I fried those cellophane noodles which I learned to do in a Chinese cooking class. I really want to find Wonton wrappers and encrust them with macedamia nuts like they did on the original. I really appreciated the recipe. I have made a resolution to learn to make all my favorite dishes and this is one of them.

  5. 5 stars
    One of the best salads on the planet!! I always order it! So nice to be able to recreate it at home!! Now, I can eat it whenever I want & it tastes better!

  6. 5 stars
    I loved getting this salad at Cheesecake Factory. It’s been taken off there menu but you can recreate this at home now. So delicious!

  7. 5 stars
    This is just as good as the real deal! I’m so glad that I can make this at home, because it’s delicious every time!

  8. 5 stars
    I thought this salad was a pretty delicious version. I’m always amazed at how close these copycat recipes get to the real thing. Thanks for sharing.

    1. They are julienned red peppers. That is an ingredient not listed in the ingredient list for the salad so I will add that ingredient to the recipe. Thanks so much for catching that! I appreciate it!

  9. Just found recipe for Luau Salad from Cheesecake Factory when looking for ideas for tropical themed party. Looks great but want to adapt it for around 10 people. Do I double, triple, quadruple the recipe? Also can I mix ingredients together rather than layer them (except for wonton noodles which I’ll put on top) & then pour dressing over that? Thanks.

    1. The recipe amounts are for 1 large salad, so depending on if you are serving it as a main dish or a side, you can adjust amounts. And yes, you could just mix everything together and then top with the noodles/dressing.