Cobb Salad + Herby Ranch Dressing

Published on 04/29/24

This Cobb Salad recipe uses simple and healthy ingredients to create the perfect side salad or main course. No matter how you eat it, don’t forget to top it with our homemade herby ranch dressing that’s full of flavor brings any salad to the next level!

This fresh salad has a little bit of everything; cheeses, protein, veggies, and a homemade salad to help keep you full and satisfied. If you love this salad, be sure to check out our chef salad complete with french and ranch salad dressing. And if you love to meal prep, make one big salad to enjoy all week long. Just omit the dressing until you’re ready to eat for the freshest salad.

What You Will Need

Herby Ranch Dressing

mayo & sour cream – Helps to make the creamiest ranch. And we’ve got a dairy-free ranch recipe that uses egg yolks and egg whites to add creaminess if that’s more your style.
milk – Whole milk, regular milk, or lot’s of other milk varieties will work here. And experiment with the amount to make your dressing a little thinner or thicker based on your preference.
dried dill weed, dried parsley leaves, & dried chives – This trio provides the classic ranch flavors that you know and love!
onion powder & garlic powder – Adds a bit of warmth and a kick of flavor.
kosher salt & ground black pepper – Just a bit of the classics to enhance all of the flavors.
dijon mustard – Notice a subtle spiciness thanks to this classic ingredient.
garlic – There’s nothing like fresh garlic.
lemon juice – Adds just a hint of citrus.
red wine vinegar – Brightens and adds a bit of tartness. You could swap this out with apple cider vinegar, but it will change the flavor slighty.

Cobb Salad

romaine lettuce – There’s nothing like crunchy and fresh greens!
red onion – Adds a slight kick to each bite.
cooked bacon – Because a little crispy bacon makes everything better.
roma tomatoes – Feel free to swap with cherry tomatoes if that’s what you have on hand. Juicy tomatoes of any kind will work!
cooked chicken – To save yourself time, use leftover store-bought rotisserie chicken or grilled.
blue cheese – Adds a salty and funky (in a good way) flavor. If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, feel free to sub with your favorite cheese.
avocado – Just a bit to add some creaminess and healthy fats.
hard boiled eggs – A mild tasting protein that evens out the rest of the bold flavors in this great salad.

How To Make A Cobb Salad

Start by gathering and measuring out your classic cobb salad ingredients.

Individual bowls of chopped romaine lettuce, blue cheese crumbles, cooked bacon, cubed chicken, sliced red onion, quartered tomatoes, 2 eggs, and a whole avocado.

Next, put all of the herby ranch dressing ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.

Herby ranch dressing blended until smooth in a food processor and then in a glass jar.

Now work on your chicken and hard boiled eggs. We used grilled chicken, but feel free to use whatever kind is your preference. And save time by using your instant pot to get perfectly hard boiled eggs.

Three grilled chicken breasts on a plate alongside two hard boiled eggs sliced down the middle.

Now for the fun part, assembly! Start by placing your lettuce in a bowl and then top with neat rows of tender chicken breast, salty bacon, and the rest of the ingredients and homemade dressing. Feel free to put everything in one large bowl for people to serve themselves, or for smaller portions, divide the ingredients into two bowls and enjoy. Serving size is really a personal preference, so feel free to experiment with ingredient amounts.

A cobb salad in a large bowl with a small bowl of herby ranch dressing nestled off to one side.

Recipe FAQs

Are cobb salads healthy?

Check out the recipe card for the full nutritional information to decide if this recipe is right for you.

Why is it called a cobb salad?

The original cobb salad was named after it’s creator, Mr.Cobb, AKA Robert Howard Cobb, who owned the Brown Derby Restaurant.

How to store leftover dressing

Put leftover salad dressing in a mason jar or another airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Pinterest image showing a bowl of cobb salad with the title Ultimate Cobb Salad + homemade herby ranch dressing.

Made this hearty salad and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!

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