Cobb Salad Recipe

Prepare greens and vegetables

Rinse the mixed salad greens in cold water, spin or pat dry thoroughly, and place into a large serving bowl or onto a platter. Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch rounds or half-moons, thinly slice about 1 tablespoon of red onion into rings, and slice the avocado just before assembly to prevent browning.

Cook bacon

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) or heat a large skillet over medium. For oven: arrange bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake 12–18 minutes until crisp; drain on paper towels and cool. For skillet: cook slices 6–10 minutes, turning until crisp. Once cooled, chop or crumble bacon into bite-sized pieces.

Prepare hard-boiled eggs

Place 4 eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove from heat, cover, and let sit 9–11 minutes for fully set yolks. Drain, transfer to an ice bath 5 minutes, then peel and quarter each egg.

Cheese

Shred about 1 cup of cheddar-jack cheese and set aside.

Measure out 1 cup of croutons. Finely chop 1 tablespoon of chives or parsley if using; set both aside for final assembly and garnish.

Whisk together 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. Alternatively, combine all dressing ingredients in a jar, tighten lid, and shake vigorously.

Arrange the salad for a traditional Cobb presentation or toss together. For the classic rows: on top of the bed of greens, place rows of halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, quartered hard-boiled eggs, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar-jack, sliced avocado, and croutons. For a tossed salad: add all components to the bowl with the greens (reserve avocado and croutons until after tossing), drizzle about half the dressing and toss gently to combine, then top with avocado slices, croutons, and remaining dressing on the side.

Garnish with the chopped chives or parsley and an extra grind of black pepper. Serve immediately so avocados stay fresh and croutons remain crispy.