Summertime Cobb Salad

Looking for a filling salad that’s perfect for hot summer days? Try Dorothy’s Summertime Cobb Salad. This classic salad is packed with fresh romaine lettuce, crispy bacon, diced ham, grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, tomatoes, and red onion. Top it off with creamy bleu cheese and zesty Dorothy Lynch Dressing for a satisfying meal that’s cool, crisp, and loaded with flavor.

Summertime is upon us and for us, that means meals that utilize those garden and farmer’s market veggies, along with meals that don’t heat up the kitchen and keep us cool. But in my house, if you are serving salad as a meal, it can’t be a dainty salad. It needs to have some substance to it – and this Cobb Salad fits the bill nicely. 

My version of the Cobb Salad is a little different than the traditional Cobb Salad, it has a Nebraska twist – it’s topped with Dorothy Lynch Dressing, giving it a sweet and tangy taste that will surely make you add this to your list of favorite salads.

Cobb Salad vs. Chef’s Salad

These two salads are similar in many ways, however, a Cobb salad includes bacon and avocado, while a Chef salad typically doesn’t. A chef’s salad will use milder cheese like Swiss or cheddar and contains ham and turkey, whereas a Cobb uses bleu cheese and contains chicken and sometimes ham. The presentation differs too, with Cobb salad ingredients often arranged in rows and the Chef’s salad is served tossed. 

This recipe is sponsored by Dorothy Lynch Dressing & Condiment.  All of the opinions and love of their Nebraska-made dressing are my own.

Dorothy’s Summertime Cobb Salad

“Cobb Salad” may sound a bit odd to some and you may wonder what is the history and origin of the Cobb Salad. Or maybe you are curious about who invented the Cobb Salad. I had the same questions, so I did some research. 

The Cobb salad was created in 1936 in Hollywood, California, and developed in a restaurant called the Brown Derby. Different theories exist about who developed this unique salad. Some say it was the owner, Howard Cobb and some say it was his chef Paul Posti. Regardless of who created it, it’s delicious nonetheless. 

If you love cobb salad with chicken you are sure to love these main course salads too: Avocado Tuna Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad, and this Grilled Chicken Waldorf Salad. 

Cobb Salad Recipe

Though a classic Cobb salad dressing is made using a red wine vinaigrette or a dijon vinaigrette today I am showing you a twist on that tradition, and using Nebraska’s own Dorothy Lynch Salad Dressing for a tangy tomato-based twist as the dressing for Cobb salad. 

Cobb salad ingredients

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe. 

• Romaine lettuce: I used the bagged hearts of romaine but any type of crunchy lettuce is fine. 
• Bacon: Thick-cut crispy bacon, chopped, add that extra salty flavor. 
• Ham: Diced ham adds more protein and saltiness to the salad. 
• Grilled chicken breast: I added a juicy chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces. Using grilled chicken gives this salad more of a summertime vibe, but making it year-round using Rotisserie chicken or any skinless chicken breasts will work. 
• Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs, sliced, are also added to the salad.
• Avocado: Add a creamy avocado, sliced, for a dose of healthy fats.
• Tomatoes: I used large heirloom tomatoes, quartered and sliced, but any type of tomato, like cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, will work well. Again, homegrown ripe tomatoes make this the perfect summertime salad!
• Red onion: Thinly sliced red onion adds great flavor but a yellow or white onion will work in a pinch.
• Bleu cheese: Blue cheese crumbles add a bold flavor to the salad. 
• Dorothy Lynch Dressing: Add the dressing to the salad based on your taste preference. The sweet and tangy tomato flavor of Dorothy Lynch complements this summertime salad beautifully.

Be sure to keep reading to find tips and tricks, substitutions, and answers to questions you may have about this cobb salad. 

How to Make Dorothy’s Summertime Cobb Salad Recipe

This salad comes together in just a few minutes. 

Beginning with the lettuce on the bottom, arrange all of the ingredients in a large bowl or on a large platter. 

Top with Dorothy Lynch Dressing and some freshly cracked black pepper and serve.

Typically a salad like this is served without tossing, but when I am not trying to achieve that pretty presentation, I go ahead and toss it to make sure the dressing coats it well.

However, it is best to only add dressing to the salad you are going to eat right away. Unfortunately, dressed salad will get soggy though you can leave it in the fridge for a day or so and add some fresh romaine to bring it back to life again. 

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this chicken cobb salad recipe, make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

• Use different greens; iceberg lettuce, arugula, spinach, or kale would all work. 
• Swap the bleu cheese for feta or goat cheese. 
• Add chopped nuts for some crunch or throw in dried fruit to add a touch of sweetness.

FAQs about traditional Cobb salad

• What is Cobb Salad?  A Cobb salad is a classic American salad that typically has chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and avocado. It is usually dressed with a red wine vinaigrette or a dijon vinaigrette. 
• Why is it called a Cobb salad? Numerous theories exist as to how this salad got its name. One such theory theorizes that the original Cobb salad was developed at The Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood. The restaurant’s owner was Howard Cobb; thus, the salad got its name.
• What is the Cobb in a Cobb Salad? The “cobb” in Cobb salad comes from the last name of the owner of the restaurant where the salad was created. 
• Is Jennifer Aniston’s Cobb salad recipe famous? Jennifer Aniston had her version of the Cobb salad go viral on Instagram. It wasn’t a classic Cobb salad either, as it used chickpeas and a basic salad vinaigrette. 

Tips & Tricks

• Make sure to rinse salad greens in cold water and dry them thoroughly with paper towels or in your salad spinner before using them. 
• Pick up the fresh tomatoes a few days before you want to prepare this version of Cobb salad so they have time to ripen.
• Instead of grilling the chicken, cook the chicken in the rendered fat from the bacon for a more bacony flavor. 

More Salad Recipes to Love

Craving a refreshing side salad to pair with your meals? You’ll enjoy this Cucumber Tomato Salad, this Tik Tok Sauerkraut Arugula Salad, or this Mediterranean Celery Salad With Olives. 

For a heartier salad that eats like a meal, try this Little King Salad, or this Five Bean and Ham Salad, and don’t forget to try Dorothy’s Potato Salad and Dorothy’s Taco Salad recipes this summer!

What is Dorothy Lynch?

Dorothy Lynch Dressing got its start in the 1940s at the Legion Club in St. Paul, Nebraska. Dorothy, herself made homemade dressing for the restaurant, and everyone fell in love with it. So much so that when they would come to dine they would bring in their bottles to have them filled with her delicious dressing. These days, the famed dressing is made in a 64,000-square-foot plant in Duncan, Nebraska; population 351. 

What Does Dorothy Lynch Taste Like?

Because of its color, people automatically think that it tastes like French dressing. But that isn’t true. Where most French dressings have an oil base, Dorothy Lynch has a tomato base. It’s thick and creamy and has a sweet & spicy flavor that everyone enjoys. It simply tastes homemade, and if you’re from Nebraska, like me, it tastes like home.  

Dorothy Lynch is available in Home Style and Light & Lean, contains no MSG, cholesterol, or trans fats, and is gluten-free.

Dorothy Lynch Recipes

Whether you are topping your salad as I have done here today, using Dorothy Lynch as a condiment for dipping your favorite foods or using it to spice up a recipe, you can’t go wrong. I have loads of delicious ways to use Dorothy Lynch right here on my website.

Give these Dorothy Lynch recipes a try: The Famous Sloppy Dorothy Sandwiches (pictured above,)  Crock Pot Pulled Pork With Dorothy Lynch Coleslaw, Dorothy’s Cheesy Vegetable Rice Bake, and Dorothy’s Bacon and Potato Frittata. 

Where Do I Get Dorothy Lynch Dressing?

Dorothy Lynch Dressing can be purchased at most grocery stores in Nebraska and the Midwest and can be found at select grocery stores around the country, including Walmart and HyVee.  Or visit Buy Nebraska and have your Dorothy Lynch Dressing shipped right to your door!

Follow along with Dorothy Lynch on their website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts for delicious recipes all year long.

This classic recipe for Summertime Cobb Salad has all the right ingredients for the perfect combination of flavors and textures I hope that you enjoy it as much as us!