Cobb Salad: the effortless recipe for a classic hearty American salad

The Cobb salad is an old-school American dish that's packed with protein and an array of vegetables. Made with crunchy lettuce, creamy avocado, chicken, crispy bacon, and other tasty ingredients all arranged in rows on a plate, the Cobb salad is a low-carb, keto-friendly dish that makes a fantastic main meal.

This easy-to-make salad is served with a tangy red wine vinaigrette which helps to make each bite an absolute delight. Homemade Cobb salads are healthier than versions you'll encounter in restaurants. Cobb salads are a delicious, low-carb, protein-rich, hearty dish that will satisfy your taste buds while keeping you full for ages.

What is a Cobb Salad?

The Cobb salad is a hearty salad made from various chopped greens, chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, and other ingredients tossed in a red wine vinaigrette.

There are a few different origin stories to the Cobb salad, but the general consensus is that it was created sometime in the 1930s at the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant. Some versions of the story attribute the salad to Robert Howard Cobb, the owner of Hollywood Brown Derby, while others say it was chef Paul Posti who created it.

Traditional Cobb Salad Ingredients

The traditional Cobb salad is made from chopped iceberg and romaine lettuce, endives, watercress, cooked chicken, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, chives, avocado, tomatoes, and blue cheese lined in rows and topped with a tangy red wine vinaigrette.

What Dressing Goes with Cobb Salad?

The classic Cobb salad dressing is made with a red wine vinaigrette. Olive oil and red wine vinegar form the base, but the exact ingredients will vary.

Dijon mustard is almost always added in, as are salt and pepper. From there, you can add lemon juice, garlic, Worchestershire sauce, and sugar. Play around and see what combinations you enjoy the most.

Tips for the Best Cobb Salad

You can make vegetarian Cobb salad by leaving out the chicken and bacon and using plant-based substitutes instead.

Cook the chicken however you like. Grilled, fried, baked, or poached chicken will all be fabulous in a Cobb salad.

If you're not keen on chicken you can do a surf and turf Cobb salad by subbing out the chicken for slices of steak and grilled shrimp.

How to Store Cobb Salad

Cover and refrigerate your Cobb salad for 3 to 4 days. The exact length will depend on the ingredients you use.

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How to Make Cobb Salad

Pour the vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper into a jar. Shake well to combine.

Arrange the lettuce, hard-boiled eggs, chicken, bacon, avocado, blue cheese, and cherry tomatoes in rows on a platter.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped chives.

Notes

If you don't have red wine vinegar, cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar are excellent substitutes.