Southern Cobb Salad
A Southern take on Cobb salad is to add chicken, corn, cheese, bacon, tomatoes, eggs, and pecans. Serve with a homemade sweet onion dressing.
Southern Cobb Salad is a hearty salad that works well as a main dish. The Sweet Onion Dressing is so easy to make and really makes the salad. To the point where your guests will be saying, this salad dressing is so good! Also for fall, we love this Bacon Pear Cobb Salad Recipe!
Southern Cobb Salad
So put a little “southern” in your salad with this tasy Cobb Salad. For this salad we used shredded chicken, a healthier version rather than using fried chicken or chicken tenders.
Why we love this salad
We love this salad any time of year. It’s also a great cobb salad to bring to a potluck or gathering, because you can leave it deconstructed in the bowl (see photo above), and then toss it right before serving. And a little warning: It’s the first salad to be devoured at every dinner!
For this night, my salad paired well with the chicken, grits, and comfort mac and cheese potluck dishes that were brought to our dinner! YUM!
Ingredients for Southern Cobb Salad with Sweet Onion Dressing
Having the ingredients in my fridge to make a delicious Southern Cobb Salad with Sweet Onion Dressing, I always know what I’m bringing to a potluck when I’m asked to bring a salad. Print the FULL recipe below!
Make the dressing
- Garlic
- Sweet Vidalia onions
- Olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt + Freshly ground pepper
Make the salad
- Mixed greens
- Shredded cooked chicken
- Corn
- Blue cheese, crumbled
- Crumbled cooked bacon
- Tomato
- Toasted pecans
- Soft or hard-cooked eggs
What is a cobb salad?
The Cobb salad is a usually an American garden salad that is served as a main dish.
Typically a “cobb” is made with chopped salad greens (iceberg lettuce and romaine lettuce), boiled eggs, tomato, a protein (turkey, salmon, or chicken), avocado, chives, Roquefort cheese (blue cheese), and red-wine vinaigrette. That is the old-fashioned Americanized way.
How do you make a cobb salad?
Make the dressing:
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large frying pan; saute the garlic and add in the chopped onions. Saute more until tender. The onions and garlic may be lightly charred and soft. Allow to cool.
- In a blender, add the onion mixture, olive oil, cider vinegar and lemon juice; puree until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste!
- Chill until ready to serve.
Assemble the salad:
- In a large bowl, add the lettuce.
- Next arrange the remaining ingredients in rows over the bed or lettuce for a pretty presentation (we call this deconstructed).
- Serve with salad dressing on the side.
- Optional to toss the greens ahead of time with dressing (according to how many greens you use), then layer the remaining ingredients.
Tips and substitutions:
A large salad bowl is best for a potluck salad, because we all know when you fill a salad to the brim, it’s messy and hard to toss and serve, right? Make the dressing, flavored with sweet onion and garlic, in the blender ahead of time. You can double the recipe, and refrigerate for up to 4 days!
In place of the shredded chicken you can use chicken tenders or fried chicken.
As always, swap out veggies that you don’t like for ones that you do! You can always add radish, green onions, etc.
Serve this salad on The Big Board. Here’s an example on a salad served on a board: Chickpea Cobb Salad Board.
It’s a pretty salad (toss the greens only ahead of time, and then arrange the remaining ingredients in rows on top, ready to serve!) Or, you can arrange the salad and pass the dressing at the table.
Food changes our lives
When I think about food, and what it means to us–as a society, as friends and family, and as a community–beyond nourishment, it really does changes our lives.
I’m sure you have your own stories of sharing food and recipes with others in your home. Or being invited to a home for dinner. Seeing the way that other people entertain always makes me smile.
No matter what your style, or what you are serving, life is definitely best shared with company, eating together.
Bringing a salad to a party is always exciting to me, especially when it’s served in a BIG bowl, and looks so gorgeous and appetizing. You can check out our EPIC XL salad bowl here, if you want to have your own large bowl :) We use this salad bowl on a daily basis in our home. Partly because we are salad lovers!
ENJOY!
More salads to try:
Get the Recipe:
Southern Cobb Salad with Sweet Onion Dressing
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 6 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
- 2 large sweet Vidalia onions, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup + 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
For the salad:
- 10 lightly packed cups mixed lettuces, (8 ounces or more)
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 cup cooked fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
- ½ cup crumbled cooked bacon
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped
- 2 soft-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced lengthwise
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- Heat the 4 Tbsp. olive oil on medium heat in a large frying pan; saute the garlic for 1 minute; add in the chopped onions. Saute on low for 10-12 minutes until tender. The onions and garlic may be lightly charred and soft. Allow to cool.
- In a blender, add the onion mixture, olive oil, cider vinegar and lemon juice; puree until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste; chill until ready to serve.
Assemble the salad:
- In a large bowl, add the lettuce. Arrange the remaining ingredients in rows over the bed or lettuce for a pretty presentation. Serve with salad dressing on the side.
- Or, toss the greens ahead of time with dressing (according to how many greens you use), then layer the remaining ingredients.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I’m kinda bored with salads this far into summer . This salad dressing sounds like it could perk up som ho-hum greens in a jiffy.
A Cobb salad is one of my favorites, had one this week. Your dressing sounds like a great accompaniment and I can’t wait to give it a try.
I love the sound of that dressing!
It’s fantastic!
Hi, Sandy. I can’t tell you how much I love your blog! You are a kindred spirit in so many ways, and in particular in your view of the important ministry of hospitality. So, thank you for your words of encouragement, beautiful photos, and WONDERFUL recipes!
I read this post with such interest because my husband and I have thought of doing just what you described above. I wonder, would you be able to share a list of some of the themes your group has used as a springboard for your dinners? I’d love the inspiration!
Thanks again for your wonderful blog!
All the best, Debbie
I will share more info with you soon, Debbie! Thank you for you kind compliments! XO