Cobb Salad

A classic Cobb Salad is a full meal on its own (no sides needed!), and it couldn’t be any easier to make at home on a budget. The mix of fresh ingredients, tender chicken, crunchy bacon, and a homemade red wine vinaigrette is a texture lover’s dream come true.

I stick with the classic presentation and arrange everything in neat little rows so every component is visible. Sure, you could toss everything in a bowl, but where’s the fun in that?! All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

Easy Cobb Salad Recipe

Cobb salad is a classic American salad packed with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, blue cheese, chicken, bacon, and hard-boiled eggs. It’s fresh, so incredibly filling, and totally delicious.

It’s believed to have been originally created in L.A. at the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, using leftovers from the kitchen, and is named after the owner. For my method, I dress my salad with an easy homemade red wine vinaigrette (seriously, it’s so much better than any store-bought dressing!), but this recipe is easy to customize!

Budget-Saving Tip

Everything I’ve used in this recipe is pretty traditional for a Cobb salad, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it work for your budget. If eggs aren’t on your grocery list at the moment, skip them.

Don’t usually keep blue cheese on hand? Swap it for another cheese—though some will say it’s not a true Cobb without it! Work with what you’ve got and make it your own.

Cobb Salad

- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced ($5.62) - 2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped ($2.28) - 4 roma tomatoes, chopped ($1.00)

- 4 hard-boiled eggs ($1.80) - 4 Tbsp crumbled Blue cheese (just shy of 2.5 oz) ($1.48)

Red Wine Vinaigrette

- ¼ cup red wine vinegar ($0.36) - 1 tsp Dijon mustard ($0.02)

- 1 tsp dried oregano ($0.10) - 1 garlic clove, minced ($0.04)

- ½ tsp ground black pepper ($0.11) - ½ cup olive oil ($1.70)

- Gather the elements. (I used Beth’s method for preparation bacon in the oven and her Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breast method for the chicken prep!) While your chicken and bacon are cooking in the oven, prep the veggies to cut down on prep time. - To make the dressing, combine red wine vinegar, Dijon, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar in a bowl and whisk to combine.

Slowly stream in the olive oil while briskly whisking until it is completely mixed in, with little to no oil sitting on the surface. This is a temporary emulsion, so you will likely need to whisk it again before dressing your salad.

- Traditionally, a Cobb salad is presented with all of the main components laid out in neat rows on top of the fresh romaine. We eat with our eyes first, so have fun making it pretty for the fam if you have time!

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how to make a Cobb Salad step-by-step photos

Prep the elements: Gather all of your components. I followed Beth’s method for cookery bacon in the oven and as well used her method for garlic herb baked chicken to prep my chicken.

Even so, you can cook your 8 strips of bacon and 2 chicken breasts in any way you like! Once they’re cooked, chop them into bite-sized pieces.

While you wait for your chicken and bacon to cook, you can prep the other salad elements to cut down on prep time later on. Chop 2 heads romaine lettuce, chop 4 Roma tomatoes, slice 4 hard boiled eggs in half, dice 1 avocado, and slice 4 green onions. You in addition need 4 Tbsp of crumbled blue cheese.

Make the red wine vinaigrette: Add ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 minced garlic clove, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, and 1 tsp sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. While briskly whisking, slowly stream in ½ cup olive oil to create a temporary emulsion.

Keep whisking until the olive oil is completely mixed in. There should be little to no oil sitting on the surface of the dressing. Since this is a temporary emulsion, you’ll likely need to whisk the dressing again before adding it to your salad.

Assemble the salad: Traditionally, a cobb salad is presented with all the main ingredients laid out in neat rows on top of the fresh romaine, as I’ve done here. I highly recommend spending the time to make it look pretty if you can! Once plated, don’t forget to drizzle your salad with that delicious homemade red wine vinaigrette.

Variations to Try

At its heart, the Cobb salad is a simple combination of chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, blue cheese, and tomatoes, served over a bed of greens with a red wine vinaigrette. But don’t let your dislike for blue cheese hold you back from enjoying this delicious salad!

These variations might not be traditional, but I think they’re still just as tasty: - Cook the chicken breasts in any style you prefer: Grilled, poached, baked, or you can even use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. - Use a different dressing: While I love this homemade red wine vinaigrette, feel free to switch things up and try a ranch, creamy avocado dressing, green goddess dressing, or a balsamic vinaigrette.

- Switch out the cheese: Before you go hating on blue cheese, just know there are many varieties out there, and some are milder than others. You can as well find some great budget options at the grocery store, so I wouldn’t let the rate hold you back, either! Even so, if you still can’t stand it, try using feta, goat cheese, cheddar, or mozzarella.

- Make it vegetarian: I’d switch the chicken for my air fryer tofu and leave off the bacon. Roasted chickpeas would be a great addition for some extra protein and crunch!

How to Store

You can prep most of the elements for this chicken Cobb salad and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I recommend waiting to chop the tomatoes and avocado until just before serving to keep them fresh. Store everything separately in airtight containers (I’d also add a paper towel to the prepped veggies to absorb excess moisture).

Assemble the salad just before serving, and don’t add the dressing until the last minute. Since it’s a temporary emulsion, be sure to shake or whisk the dressing before using.

You can store everything together (except the dressing, avocado, and tomatoes) if needed, but the lettuce may not stay as crisp. Try These Classic Full Meal Salads Next: - This Tuna Pasta Salad uses mini shells, which are perfect for catching the creamy dressing and little flakes of tuna.

- My Traditional Chicken Salad uses rotisserie chicken, so it comes together fast with barely any cookery involved. - I’d make this BLT Pasta Salad for BBQs since it makes 8 servings and tastes even better after it chills a bit.