Cobb Salad Recipe | Downshiftology

Cobb salad is one of America’s beloved salad recipes. It’s a simple, wholesome chopped salad with lettuce, chicken, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and a sprinkle of blue cheese. The classic version is a winner, but don’t let that stop you from customizing it — I’ve got ideas below!

A large bowl of Cobb salad. — *Photo: Gayle McLeod*

Nothing Beats A Cobb Salad — Here’s Why

This classic American Cobb salad always hits home, and I think I know why. It uses everyday ingredients I typically enjoy, which makes perfect sense given that this recipe was created with leftover ingredients by Robert Howard Cobb. And if you know me, you know I’m a big proponent of making delicious meals from any scraps I can find in my fridge. But here are a few other reasons why I love this salad and why you should make it at home instead of ordering out at Chick-fil-A or any other restaurant:

It’s a delicious high-protein meal. Thanks to the baked chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and crispy bacon, it’s packed with protein and will keep you nice and full.
It’s a meal prep wonder. A little preparation in advance goes a long way. Just prep the chicken, eggs, and bacon for easy assembly throughout the week!
It’s customizable. As long as you maintain the same proportions of protein and vegetables, you can easily swap ingredients for other seasonal items you love, just as I did in my Turkey Cobb salad.

Cobb Salad Ingredients

Lettuce: I use a combination of romaine and leafy green lettuce, but you can also use watercress, endive, or iceberg lettuce. Cobb salad is usually a mix of greens, so feel free to use your favorites.
Bacon: When cooking up several slices of bacon, I always cook bacon in the oven (which I highly recommend). It’s easy, no mess, and no fuss.
Chicken: I’m using my herb-baked chicken recipe for this salad. But feel free to use roast chicken as well.
Hard-Boiled Eggs: I’d say 12-minute hard-boiled eggs are the standard. But I boiled mine a little bit less at 11 minutes so the yolk was just a smidge softer. Watch my video on making the perfect hard-boiled eggs (and see the egg chart) to choose your favorite time.
Tomatoes: I halved grape tomatoes but cherry tomatoes would also be great. Either way, I usually make sure my tomatoes are bite-sized to get a good mix of all the ingredients on a fork.
Avocado: Not only does the avocado add a naturally creamy touch, but it’s full of fiber and healthy fats.
Blue cheese: No Cobb salad is complete without blue cheese! For a stronger flavor, go with Roquefort (France), and for a milder flavor, go with Gorgonzola (Italian).
Cobb Salad Dressing: I’m using my Greek salad dressing for a simple red wine vinaigrette, but I’ve listed more options below.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Make A Cobb Salad

Add the lettuce. Place the chopped lettuce in a large bowl to form the base of the salad.
Layer the toppings. When your eggs, bacon, and chicken are cooked and cooled, add them to your bowl of lettuce, along with the tomatoes, avocado, and crumbled blue cheese. I made a pretty line of each ingredient, but you can simply add each item to the bowl a bit more haphazardly — no need to be perfect.
Drizzle the dressing. Pour the salad dressing on top, toss everything together, and enjoy!

Common Questions

Can I use a different dressing?

Traditionally, Cobb salad is served with a red wine vinaigrette, which is what I’m using. But my lemon vinaigrette or Dijon vinaigrette would be delicious. And because this is a hearty salad, ranch dressing and other cream-based dressings can be a little thick and heavy, so I’d steer clear of those.

What other ingredients can I use?

You can make a lot of swaps with this salad! For protein options, you could use raw or roasted chickpeas, or shredded turkey or even pulled pork. For vegetables, feel free to use whatever is in season, including roasted vegetables. And for cheese, any crumbled cheese (even dairy-free!) works well.

Are Cobb salads healthy?

Yes, generally speaking, Cobb salads are healthy, low-carb, and keto-friendly. The caveat is usually the portion size. Because there’s a lot of protein and fat (from the avocado and blue cheese) they can be sneaky calorie bombs. So just keep to a standard portion size and you’ll be fine!

More Filling Salad Recipes

If you make this cobb salad recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.

Description

This classic American Cobb salad is the the best kind of chopped salad layered with protein, veggies, and healthy fats! Watch how I make this in my kitchen in the video below.

chef’s knife My favorite chef’s knife for smooth slicing and chopping.

You can assemble the Cobb salad toppings in straight lines for presentation or simply toss them all in a bowl before serving. This is my favorite bowl for serving salads!
While this salad recipe serves two, you can easily double or triple it for more people.

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Recipe originally published April 2019, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!