Skip to main content

My Cobb Salad: Iceberg, Tomato, Avocado, Bacon, and Blue Cheese

5.0

(1)

Image may contain Plant Food and Salad
Photo by Jeff Kauck

Robert H. Cobb, owner of the Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood, is said to have invented this salad in the 1930s as a late-night snack for himself. No wonder it has remained an American classic. With the crunch of the iceberg and onions, the soft richness of the avocado, the saltiness of the bacon, the sweetness of the tomato, and the bite of the blue cheese, this salad has it all! And it is beautiful to boot.

Wine Suggestion

This is a special salad, one that seems to hit the spot with all my guests, so let’s open a nice, special bottle of smoky-style Alsatian Riesling from the house of Léon Beyer, Trimbach, or Hugel. Neither you nor your guests will be disappointed.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4

Ingredients

2 1/2 ounces smoked bacon, rind removed, cut into matchsticks (3/4 cup)
1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped (4 cups)
2 ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 large ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cubed
4 ounces chilled blue cheese (preferably Roquefort), crumbled (1 cup)
4 small spring onions or scallions, white part only, trimmed, peeled, and cut into thin rounds
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large, dry skillet, brown the bacon over moderate heat until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to several layers of paper towels to absorb the fat. Blot the top of the bacon with several layers of paper towels to absorb any additional fat. Set aside.

    Step 2

    In a large, shallow bowl, combine the bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and spring onions. Toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat the ingredients. Season generously with pepper, and serve.

Image may contain: Human, Person, Plant, Burger, Food, Produce, and Culinary
From Salad as a Meal © 2011 by William Morrow. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon. Reprinted with permission from HarperCollins.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
With haricots verts and crispy chickpeas, this two-bean salad will wow any party or potluck.
Who says latkes have to be potato? Brussels bring a delicious cruciferousness.
Love a tuna melt? Meet your new favorite nachos—fast and filling all thanks to tinned fish.
This towering salad—built with the components of a muffuletta sandwich like mortadella and an olive dressing—is ready for a party.
Studded with sweet dates and crispy bacon, this easy salad makes an impressive dinner party side or satisfying lunch.
A little shrimp paste goes a long, long, long way in this delicious vegetable dish.
This comforting cheeseburger-inspired pasta from Kiano Moju is bolstered by berbere spice.
Put these out at a gathering, and we guarantee you’ll be hearing rave reviews for a long time.