Deli Cobb Salad Recipe

Prepare greens

Wash and dry the romaine and butter lettuce thoroughly. Tear or chop into bite‑sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl or on a wide platter to form the base.

Prep vegetables and eggs

Halve the cherry tomatoes, peel, seed and dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, and dice the avocado (toss avocado with a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice if desired to slow browning). Quarter the hard‑boiled eggs.

Cook and prepare proteins

If bacon is not pre-cooked, cook bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6–8 minutes; drain on paper towels and crumble. If using raw chicken, roast or pan-sear and shred to yield about 2 cups; leftover rotisserie chicken works well. Dice or slice any optional deli meats if using.

Arrange salad

On the bed of greens, arrange the salad components in rows or sections for the classic Cobb look: shredded chicken, crumbled bacon, quartered eggs, halved tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced avocado, crumbled blue cheese, and sliced red onion. This makes it easy for guests to choose additions.

Make the dressing: in a small bowl or jar, combine red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk while slowly streaming in the olive oil until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to serve; whisk again before using if separation occurs.

To serve: either drizzle the vinaigrette over the entire salad (about half to two‑thirds of the dressing for light coating) and toss gently, or serve dressing on the side so diners can add to taste.

Offer optional additions like sliced turkey, ham, croutons, pickled jalapeños, or seeds/nuts in small bowls alongside the assembled salad so guests can customize. If adding nuts/seeds, toast them lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant before sprinkling.