I know, I know. I cringe whenever I see something titled “the best” too because what does “the best” mean and to whom?
But I am asking you to trust me on this one. This is the best Cobb salad you will ever have and it’s one that you can make at home.
The key to this being the best ever is of course to use quality ingredients.
I’ve been making this salad for a long time and I often make it at home (it’s an especially nice first course to serve at a dinner party or in larger portions for a lunch entree when company stops by).
My favourite place to make this though is when we are vacationing on Vancouver Island because there is a locally made blue cheese that is to die for! It’s mild and fresh and perfect.
Did I lose you at blue cheese?! I always assemble the Cobb salads on individual plates sans blue cheese and then let my guest (or children) decide whether or not they want to top theirs with blue cheese.
If you are not a fan of blue cheese or just haven’t yet been brave enough to give it a try, you can make yours without the blue cheese and I promise not to be terribly offended!
Now that we’ve cleared up the blue cheese argument, back to the quality ingredients! Buy produce that is in season if possible and as fresh as you can.
To make four individual Cobb salads:
- one head of iceberg lettuce, quartered
- one ripe avocado, cubed
- one to two tomatoes, depending on size, sliced
- one purple onion, sliced
- four hard boiled eggs, sliced
- six slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped
- generous amount of dressing
- crumbled blue cheese (optional)
Hard boil the eggs (I like 20 minutes myself so that they are good and hard). Peel them and slice them.
While the eggs are boiling, cook the bacon strips. I like to use maple bacon, but any bacon works.
Peel off the outer layers of the iceberg lettuce and remove the core. Quarter the lettuce and set each quarter on a plate.
On each plate, add slices of egg, tomato, purple onion, cubes of avocado, and crumble the cooked bacon on top.
Add the blue cheese (if desired, but it really is better with) and top each plate with a good amount of dressing.
For dressing, I am currently in love with Litehouse Jalapeño Ranch for this particular salad. It is creamy with just enough kick!
If you can’t find that dressing or are looking for something milder, other common dressings for Cobb salad include blue cheese dressings or avocado dressings.
Of course, you can make your own dressing and for many of my salads I do, but since this salad is one that I make whenever we are on vacation, I try to keep it as simple as I can and dressing out of a jar is one way to achieve that.
We actually happen to be vacationing right now on Vancouver Island and no trip here would be complete without enjoying these Cobb salads with the Island-made cheese.
Today, my sister-in-law Aneta and niece Jill came to visit us at our vacation condo for lunch and I knew just what to make!
Some of our other favourite salads:
Greek Salad with homemade dressing
Simple Beet Salad
Bean Salad with Molasses Vinaigrette
- one head of iceberg lettuce quartered
- one ripe avocado cubed
- one to two tomatoes depending on size, sliced
- one purple onion sliced
- four hard boiled eggs sliced
- six slices of bacon cooked and crumbled or chopped
- generous amount of dressing
- crumbled blue cheese optional
- Hard boil the eggs I like 20 minutes myself so that they are good and hard. Peel them and slice them.
-
While the eggs are boiling, cook the bacon strips. I like to use maple bacon, but any bacon works.
-
Peel off the outer layers of the iceberg lettuce and remove the core. Quarter the lettuce and set each quarter on a plate.
-
On each plate, add slices of egg, tomato, purple onion, cubes of avocado, and crumble the cooked bacon on top. Add the blue cheese (if desired, but it really is better witand top each plate with a good amount of dressing.
-
For dressing, I am currently in love with Litehouse Jalapeño Ranch for this particular salad. It is creamy with just enough kick!
Did I lose you at blue cheese?! I always assemble the Cobb salads on individual plates sans blue cheese and then let my guest (or children) decide whether or not they want to top theirs with blue cheese.
If you are not a fan of blue cheese or just haven't yet been brave enough to give it a try, you can make yours without the blue cheese and I promise not to be terribly offended!
Now that we've cleared up the blue cheese argument, back to the quality ingredients! Buy produce that is in season if possible and as fresh as you can.
If you can't find that dressing or are looking for something milder, other common dressings for Cobb salad include blue cheese dressings or avocado dressings. Of course, you can make your own dressing and for many of my salads I do, but since this salad is one that I make whenever we are on vacation, I try to keep it as simple as I can and dressing out of a jar is one way to achieve that.