The Ultimate Homemade Cobb Salad Recipe with Panera-Style Green Basil Vinaigrette

Craving a vibrant, satisfying salad that’s bursting with flavor and texture? Look no further than this incredible Cobb Salad Recipe. It features a harmonious blend of crisp mixed salad greens, juicy cherry tomatoes, savory crispy bacon, tender grilled chicken breast pieces, perfectly hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced red onion, creamy avocado, and, most importantly, a sensational green Cobb salad dressing. This vinaigrette is a recreation of the famous basil vinaigrette found at Panera Bread, adding a unique and tangy twist to the classic. Whether you serve it as a hearty main dish or an impressive side, this beautifully arranged salad is guaranteed to be a hit.

If you’re a fan of crafting homemade dressings and recreating your favorite restaurant sauces, then you’ll love exploring our other delicious recipes. Try our copycat Zaxby’s Honey Mustard Sauce, the iconic Chick-fil-A Sauce, or our creamy house Ranch Dressing!

What is a Cobb Salad and Where Did It Originate?

The Cobb Salad is a true American classic, renowned for its hearty combination of fresh ingredients, often arranged in visually appealing rows. Its origin story dates back to 1937 at the Brown Derby Restaurant in Los Angeles. The legend says that late one night, the restaurant’s owner, Robert Howard Cobb, was hungry and rummaged through the kitchen for leftovers. He chopped together mixed greens, roast chicken, hard-boiled eggs, avocados, tomatoes, Roquefort cheese, and bacon, all available from the line cook. He then tossed it with their house French dressing, and a culinary icon was born. Patrons quickly fell in love with this impromptu creation, and the Cobb Salad soon earned its permanent place on the menu and in American cuisine.

Today, the versatility of the chicken Cobb salad allows for it to be served with many different dressings, moving beyond the traditional French dressing. One popular modern interpretation is often associated with a “Green Goddess” dressing, particularly popularized by Panera Bread. While “Green Goddess” isn’t the original name for this specific basil vinaigrette, the vibrant green hue of our homemade dressing gives it a similar fresh and herby character. For clarity, and to distinguish it from other “Green Goddess” variations, we’ll refer to our version as the “green Cobb salad” dressing here.

The Cobb salad from Panera Bread has also seen its own evolution. It was once famously known as the “Chopped Chicken Cobb,” featuring chicken, bacon, Gorgonzola cheese, and hard-boiled eggs, all tossed in an herb vinaigrette. However, the current iteration at Panera has evolved, now served without cheese but with the delightful addition of pickled red onions and a distinctly different dressing. The tartness of the pickled onions perfectly complements the tangy basil vinaigrette, creating a truly supreme salad experience that is both refreshing and incredibly satisfying. If you’ve never tried this unique combination, you’re in for a treat!

Choosing the Best Dressing for Your Cobb Salad

While the original Cobb salad was dressed with a French vinaigrette, the beauty of this dish lies in its adaptability. A salad dressing featuring vinegar, oil, and various seasonings, typically in a vinaigrette style, remains the classic choice for a Cobb salad. However, our basil-infused vinaigrette elevates the experience, with fresh herbs adding a wonderful depth and dimension of flavor that is truly irresistible. This dressing is creamy-based, bursting with bright, tangy, and tart notes that perfectly balance the richness of the salad ingredients.

If you prefer to experiment or have other favorites on hand, you can certainly substitute this dressing. Popular alternatives include a classic North American sweet French dressing, a creamy Homemade Ranch dressing, or even a classic Thousand Island Dressing. Each offers a different flavor profile, but we wholeheartedly recommend trying this basil vinaigrette; its fresh and zesty character will make your homemade Cobb salad truly stand out. It’s incredibly flavorful and complements every element of the salad beautifully.

Essential Cobb Salad Ingredients for a Perfect Blend

Crafting the perfect Cobb Salad starts with selecting high-quality, fresh ingredients. While some components require minimal prep, others can be made ahead to save you time. For instance, we often use store-bought carved chicken breast pieces for convenience, but you can easily prepare our Grilled and Ready To Use Chicken Breast Recipe or even use Instant Pot Chicken (just remember not to shred it for this recipe!). Opting for ready-to-eat meats, such as a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, can transform this salad into an effortlessly quick meal. Here’s a complete breakdown of what you’ll need and some tips for each element:

Mixed Lettuce: A vibrant base is crucial for any great salad. We recommend a blend of crisp romaine lettuce with a mix of baby red and green leaf lettuce. You can also look for boxed arugula mixed with delicate baby chicories for added complexity. Using about one head of romaine (from a typical three-pack) and half a plastic box of mixed greens provides a good variety of textures and flavors. Ensure your greens are thoroughly washed and dried to prevent a soggy salad.
Chicken Breast Strips: You’ll need about 8 ounces of cooked chicken. This is where you can truly save time! Utilize leftover grilled chicken from dinner, poached chicken, or roasted chicken. As mentioned, pre-cooked carved chicken breast pieces (found in the poultry section of most grocery stores) or a ready-to-go rotisserie chicken are excellent shortcuts that don’t compromise on flavor.
Bacon: Crispy bacon is non-negotiable for a classic Cobb. For ultimate convenience, prepare our ready-to-use freezer bacon ahead of time – simply reheat when needed. Alternatively, microwave-ready bacon slices are a fantastic quick-fix, cooking in just a couple of minutes. The key is to get it perfectly crispy and then chop it into small, bite-sized pieces.
Avocado: The creamy richness of avocado adds a luxurious touch. It’s best to slice the avocado just before serving, as it tends to oxidize and turn brown very quickly. A clever tip to prolong its vibrant green color is to gently rub the cut flesh with a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice. This simple trick will keep your avocado looking fresh and appealing longer.
Cherry Tomatoes: These sweet, juicy gems add a pop of color and freshness. Slice grape or cherry tomatoes into thin rings or halve them for an appealing presentation. Cutting them into rings not only looks elegant but also helps to distribute the tomato flavor more evenly throughout the salad, making it seem like there are more tomatoes to enjoy.
Hard-Boiled Eggs: A staple in any Cobb Salad, hard-boiled eggs are quick and easy to prepare. They can be cooked several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator, peeled or unpeeled, until you’re ready to assemble your salad. Quarter them for uniform pieces.
Vinaigrette Dressing: The star of this recipe! Make the dressing in a blender until perfectly smooth and emulsified. Once prepared, pour it into a plastic squeeze bottle for easy storage and drizzling. When blended well, it should not separate and can be kept refrigerated for up to two weeks, making it an excellent component for meal prepping.

Can I Make Cobb Salad Ahead of Time?

One of the best features of this Cobb Salad recipe, especially the dressing, is its make-ahead potential. The green Cobb salad dressing can be prepared up to two weeks in advance. Simply blend all the ingredients in a blender, transfer it to a plastic squeeze bottle, and store it in your fridge. This makes weeknight meals a breeze, as you’ll always have a delicious dressing ready to go for this salad or any other greens.

However, for the freshest and most appealing salad, the individual components should ideally be prepped and assembled on the day of serving, typically just a few hours in advance. This ensures your lettuce remains crisp, and your avocado doesn’t brown.

To assemble a make-ahead salad:

Rinse and thoroughly dry your mixed lettuce greens using a salad spinner.
Prepare all your other ingredients: cook and chop chicken and bacon, boil and quarter eggs, slice red onion, and halve or slice cherry tomatoes.
On a large serving plate or in a wide bowl, arrange all the ingredients in neat, distinct rows – except for the avocado. The visual appeal of the rows is a hallmark of the Cobb salad.
Cover the assembled salad tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
Just before serving, slice your avocado and rub its flesh with a little lime juice to prevent browning. Add it to the salad.
We highly recommend serving the dressing on the side. This allows each person to drizzle their desired amount and ensures any leftovers won’t get soggy, remaining fresh for the next day.

How To Make a Delicious Cobb Salad: Step-by-Step Instructions

Creating this flavorful Cobb Salad is surprisingly easy, especially when you have the Panera-style dressing ready to go. The key to a truly great-tasting salad lies in this vibrant green vinaigrette and the fresh, well-prepared ingredients. Follow these simple steps to assemble your perfect Cobb Salad, just like you’d find at Panera Bread:

Prepare the Dressing: Begin by making the star of the show – our green Cobb salad dressing. Follow the specific instructions provided in the recipe card below for blending all the ingredients into a smooth, creamy, and herbaceous vinaigrette. This can be done well in advance.
Chop and Prepare Ingredients: With your dressing ready, focus on the salad components. Rinse and thoroughly dry your salad greens. Then, chop or slice the remaining ingredients: cooked chicken, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. Slice the avocado last, just before assembly, and lightly brush with lime juice to maintain its vibrant color.
Arrange the Salad: Take a large platter or a wide, shallow bowl and artfully lay out all your prepared ingredients. Arrange them in distinct, attractive rows: start with the mixed lettuce as your base, then add the chicken, bacon, red onion, cherry tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and finally, the sliced avocado. If using pickled red onions, those go on top for a beautiful garnish and a tangy kick.
Dress and Serve: Drizzle about 1/3 cup of the green basil vinaigrette over the assembled salad just before serving. Alternatively, and highly recommended for preserving freshness and allowing customization, serve the dressing in a squeeze bottle on the side. This generous Cobb Salad can easily serve 2-4 people as a satisfying main dish or 6-8 people as a delicious side salad.

Your search for the best Cobb Salad recipe ends here! This version, with its distinctive basil notes, offers a refreshing twist that sets it apart from other popular versions like the Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad or those found at The Cheesecake Factory. Prepare to impress your family and friends with this fresh, vibrant, and utterly delicious creation.

Creative Cobb Salad Variations to Explore

While the classic Cobb Salad is a delight on its own, its flexible structure makes it an ideal canvas for culinary creativity. You can easily interchange a few ingredients to transform it into a completely new meal, catering to different tastes or what you have on hand. Try these exciting Cobb variations to keep your meals fresh and interesting:

Shrimp Cobb Salad: For a delightful seafood twist, swap out the grilled chicken for 1 pound of perfectly cooked medium shrimp. You can quickly sauté the shrimp with a touch of garlic and olive oil, or use pre-cooked shrimp for an even faster meal. The delicate flavor of shrimp pairs wonderfully with the creamy basil vinaigrette.
Salmon Cobb Salad: Elevate your Cobb with flavorful salmon. Pan-sear, bake, or grill 1 pound of salmon until flaky. You could even try our baked salmon recipe and adapt it for this salad. For an interesting flavor pairing, consider swapping out the crispy bacon for 2 ears of fresh, crisp corn (cut from the cob).
Vegetarian Cobb Salad: This vibrant variation focuses on plant-based proteins and roasted vegetables. Replace the chicken and bacon with 1 cup of cooked grains like quinoa or farro, and 8 ounces of cooked beans (such as chickpeas or black beans). Then, add 2-3 choices of your favorite roasted vegetables – think tender roasted beets, crisp asparagus, bell peppers, or even refreshing cucumber slices.
Mexican Southwest Cobb Salad: Infuse your Cobb with bold Southwestern flavors. Use chicken breast strips seasoned with a zesty Southwestern spice blend. Add 1 can of rinsed and drained black beans, 1 cup of shredded Mexican cheese blend, and a vibrant chipotle ranch dressing to complete this flavor-packed version.
Turkey Cobb Salad: Perfect for utilizing leftovers! If you have any remaining turkey from a holiday meal, simply carve and slice it to replace the chicken in this recipe. It’s a fantastic way to give new life to cooked turkey and enjoy a lighter meal.

Creative Ways To Use Your Homemade Cobb Salad Dressing Beyond the Salad

This Panera-style green basil vinaigrette is so incredibly flavorful that it deserves to be enjoyed in more ways than just with a Cobb Salad. Its creamy, tangy, and herbaceous profile makes it incredibly versatile. Don’t let any leftover dressing go to waste! Here are some creative and delicious ways to incorporate this fantastic dressing into other meals:

Creamy Vegetable Dip: Serve the Cobb Salad dressing as a rich and flavorful dip on your next vegetable platter. It pairs beautifully with crisp carrots, celery sticks, bell pepper strips, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes, making healthy snacking more enjoyable.
Simple Green Salad Enhancer: Drizzle this dressing over any simple green salad for an instant upgrade. It can easily replace a traditional Caesar dressing, adding a unique basil twist to a bowl of plain croutons and grated Parmesan cheese.
Sauce for Proteins: Elevate your main courses by using this dressing as a sauce. It’s fantastic drizzled over Baked Salmon, grilled chicken, or even a perfectly seared grilled steak for a burst of fresh flavor.
Flavored Sour Cream Alternative: Use it as a vibrant, herbaceous alternative to plain sour cream in your favorite “haystack” recipes, loaded baked potatoes, or even as a topping for tacos and fajitas.
Spread for Sandwiches and Wraps: Spread a generous layer of this dressing inside a BLT wrap, turkey sandwich, or any other deli creation. It adds moisture and a fantastic flavor boost.
Chicken Marinade: Its creamy, tangy, and herby components make it an excellent marinade for chicken. Let chicken pieces soak in the dressing for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours) before grilling or baking for incredibly tender and flavorful results.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cobb Salad

Chef Salad vs. Cobb Salad: What’s the Difference?

While both Chef Salads and Cobb Salads are large, hearty main-dish salads, they have distinct differences in their traditional ingredients. The main distinction is that a Chef Salad is typically made with a variety of deli meats such as ham, turkey, chicken, or roast beef, often sliced or rolled. In contrast, the classic Cobb Salad prominently features crispy bacon and grilled or roasted chicken. Additionally, Chef Salads often include other vegetables like cucumbers and may be served with a wider range of creamy dressings, such as ranch or blue cheese. The traditional Cobb Salad, however, is characteristically dressed with a vinaigrette-style dressing, such as the French dressing of its origin, or our vibrant basil vinaigrette.

Can I Add Different Cheese to My Cobb Salad?

Absolutely! While traditionally, a Cobb Salad is often made with crumbled blue cheese (or Roquefort in its original form), and the classic Panera Bread Cobb Salad once featured Gorgonzola cheese, you have flexibility. If you’re not a fan of the strong, aged flavors of blue cheese or Gorgonzola, you can easily substitute with crumbled feta cheese for a milder, tangy alternative. Feta cheese offers a lovely briny kick that complements the other ingredients well. Alternatively, if you prefer to keep your salad dairy-free or simply don’t want cheese, omitting it completely will still result in a delicious and satisfying salad. If you do opt for cheese, about 2.5 ounces of your chosen crumbled cheese per recipe usually works perfectly.

What Does the Green Goddess Dressing (Panera-Style) Taste Like?

The term “Green Goddess dressing” generally refers to a creamy, herb-infused dressing known for its green tint. Its original variation dates back to 1923 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, concocted by a chef for an actor in a play titled “The Green Goddess.” This classic version often includes anchovies, scallions, parsley, tarragon, chives, mayonnaise, and vinegar. Later recipes saw variations including avocado or basil, which bring about the vibrant green color.

So, what does the Green Goddess dressing (or our Panera-style Green Basil Vinaigrette) taste like specifically? Unlike the anchovy-heavy classic Californian version, our Panera-inspired dressing offers a unique fusion of flavors. Imagine a smooth, creamy vinaigrette with the zesty brightness of a classic Caesar dressing, but infused with the fresh, aromatic essence of a homemade basil ranch. It’s incredibly creamy, providing a rich mouthfeel, yet wonderfully tangy from the vinaigrette base. The fresh basil delivers a vibrant herby kick, making it taste exceptionally fresh and tart. When blended, it achieves a beautiful pale green hue. This dressing isn’t just flavorful; it’s truly raved about and will undoubtedly make your crisp lettuce greens sing with every bite.

Expert Tips for Crafting the Perfect Cobb Salad:

Dry Your Greens Thoroughly: Always use a salad spinner to completely dry washed lettuce greens. Wet greens repel the oils in salad dressing, making it difficult for the dressing to properly coat and adhere to the leaves, resulting in unevenly flavored bites.
Effortless Bacon Prep: To save time, make a batch of our freezer bacon ahead of time, which you can simply reheat. Alternatively, grab microwave-ready bacon slices from the grocery store for a quick fix – just 2-3 minutes in the microwave for crispy results! If all you have are bacon bits, those work in a pinch too.
Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs: For ideal hard-boiled eggs with firm but not rubbery yolks, place them in boiling water and cook for exactly 7 minutes. Immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process, preventing a gray ring around the yolk. For slightly jammy yolks, cook one minute less.
Elegant Lettuce Presentation: Instead of roughly tearing, cut your romaine lettuce diagonally into uneven slices. This technique adds dimension and visual interest to the salad, complementing the frilly mixed greens beautifully.
“Pickled” Red Onions in a Flash: If you’re using fresh red onion and want to mimic the tartness of pickled onions, simply toss the slices in a little bit of white vinegar for 5-10 minutes. This brings out their vibrant color and gives them a pleasant “pickled” appearance and tangy flavor.
Prevent Avocado Browning: To keep your avocado looking fresh and green, rub concentrated lime or lemon juice all over the surface of its cut flesh. For the best flavor and texture, look for semi-soft avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure; mushy avocados are often overripe and full of blemishes.
Visually Appealing Tomatoes: Slice cherry or grape tomatoes into thin rings using a sharp knife. This not only stretches the number of tomatoes throughout the salad but also creates a more appealing and elegant presentation.
Time-Saving Chicken Options: Utilizing already grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or pre-cooked carved chicken pieces (like Perdue) is a huge time saver. Many grocery stores, including Trader Joe’s, offer excellent ready-to-use chicken options with grill marks for added flavor. Cut these into smaller pieces to extend servings.
Easy Bacon Chopping: For quick and effortless chopping of cooked bacon, use kitchen shears. This makes cutting crispy bacon into small, uniform pieces incredibly simple and mess-free.
Serve Dressing on the Side: Always serve the salad dressing on the side in a small pitcher or squeeze bottle. This prevents the salad from becoming soggy, especially if you anticipate leftovers, ensuring every bite remains crisp and fresh the next day.
Cheese Customization: If you’re not a fan of the strong flavors of crumbled blue cheese or Gorgonzola, feel free to omit them entirely or substitute with a milder option like crumbled feta cheese. Add approximately 2.5 ounces of your chosen cheese if including it in the recipe.

More Delicious Salad Recipes To Make:

Panera Bread Copycat Greek Salad
Zesty Cucumber Salad Recipe
Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
Southwest Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing
Cauliflower Salad

Green goddess cobb salad with green goddess dressing

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Easy Panera-Style Cobb Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Easy Cobb Salad Recipe with mixed salad greens, cherry tomatoes, crispy bacon, grilled chicken breast pieces, hard-boiled eggs, purple onion, avocado, and a green cobb salad dressing just like Panera cobb salad! These cobb salad ingredients are like the classic only the dressing is a recreation of the basil vinaigrette from the Panera Bread restaurant! Serve it as a main dish or as a side, arranged on a plate!

Equipment

1 large plate or bowl (to lay out ingredients)
1 set of tongs
1 sharp chef’s knife (for chopping)
1 cutting board
1 blender (for dressing)

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Salad:

8 oz grilled chicken breast strips
8 cups lettuce* (mix of baby red and green leaf lettuce and romaine)
4 slices bacon (cooked and chopped)
1/4 cup red onion (sliced or pickled purple onions)
1 avocado (sliced)
12 cherry tomatoes (cut into slices or halved)
4 hard-boiled eggs (quartered)

Green Cobb Salad Dressing:

1 cup packed fresh basil (about 1 oz)
3/4 cup Caesar dressing (Newman’s Own brand, vinaigrette-style recommended)
2 cloves garlic (peeled)
1/2 cup sour cream (Daisy brand recommended)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (Hellman’s recommended)
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
1 Tbsp cane sugar

Instructions

Directions:

Make the green cobb salad dressing by blending all the dressing ingredients in a high-speed blender until completely smooth and emulsified. This ensures a creamy texture that won’t separate easily.
Pour the freshly blended dressing into a plastic squeeze bottle. This makes it easy to store and serve. Keep the dressing refrigerated until ready to use; it will last for up to two weeks.
Rinse, chop, and thoroughly spin dry your lettuce greens. On a large plate or in a wide bowl, artfully arrange the salad ingredients in distinct rows. Begin with the mixed lettuce as the base, then add the grilled chicken, crispy bacon, sliced red onion (or pickled purple onions), cherry tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and finally, the freshly sliced avocado.
Just before serving, drizzle approximately 1/3 cup of the green basil vinaigrette over the salad. Alternatively, and highly recommended, serve the Cobb dressing on the side in its squeeze bottle, allowing each guest to add their desired amount. Enjoy this fresh and satisfying salad!

Notes

Lettuce*: For the mixed greens, I used one head of romaine lettuce and about half of a 5 oz box of a herb salad mix for a varied texture and flavor.

To cook bacon in the microwave: Place 4 slices of bacon on a paper-towel-lined plate. Cover it with another paper towel or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for approximately 2 minutes and 30 seconds, or until desired crispness is reached. Let cool slightly before unwrapping and chopping.
For easy and efficient chopping of all Cobb salad ingredients, consider using a high-quality chef’s knife – it makes meal prep a breeze!
If you enjoy cheese in your Cobb salad, feel free to add about 1/2 cup of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese or blue cheese for a classic tangy kick.

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1 serving
Calories: 592 kcal
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Protein: 22 g
Fat: 51 g
Saturated Fat: 11 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 21 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 16 g
Trans Fat: 0.1 g
Cholesterol: 198 mg
Sodium: 689 mg
Potassium: 603 mg
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 7 g
Vitamin A: 1250 IU
Vitamin C: 16 mg
Calcium: 113 mg
Iron: 2 mg