This vegan Cobb salad transforms the classic American salad into a plant-based powerhouse of flavors and textures. Crispy tempeh bacon, seasoned chickpeas, and crumbled tofu "blue cheese" create satisfying protein-rich bites, while fresh vegetables and creamy ranch dressing maintain all the indulgent appeal of the original.
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The Cobb salad, created in the 1930s at the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, is an American culinary icon traditionally featuring rows of chopped salad ingredients: hard-boiled eggs, bacon, chicken breast, blue cheese, tomatoes, and avocado, all arranged over a bed of crisp lettuce. The original was a late-night creation using leftover ingredients, but it quickly became a restaurant sensation.
Take one bite of this plant-based version and you might forget you're eating vegan – it's that good. Each forkful delivers the same wonderful mix of flavors and textures as the original, from the smoky vegan bacon to the creamy avocado.
I kept the beautiful presentation with its signature rows of colorful ingredients, but gave each component a clever vegan makeover. The classic avocado and tomatoes mingle with sweet corn and red onion, creating a rainbow of fresh flavors that would make the original Brown Derby chef proud.
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
- The tempeh bacon brings all the smoky-sweet-crispy joy of traditional bacon, minus the guilt.
- The presentation is Instagram-worthy with its rainbow rows of ingredients. #saladgoals
- It's meal-prep friendly - make the components ahead and you've got the makings of a fancy lunch that'll make your co-workers jealous all week long.
- The homemade ranch dressing is so creamy and flavorful, you'll want to put it on everything.
👨🍳How To Make Vegan Cobb Salad
Step 1
Slice tempeh thinly, mix marinade ingredients, and coat tempeh
Step 2
Pan-fry until crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Step 3
Crumble tofu and mix with remaining ingredients. Let sit for at least 15 minutes to absorb flavors.
Step 4
Mix all dressing ingredients in a bowl until smooth and creamy.
Step 5
Season chickpeas with salt, pepper, and paprika, then pan-fry until slightly crispy.
Step 6
- Arrange romaine lettuce as the base in a large serving bowl or individual plates.
- Create rows of toppings: tempeh bacon, chickpeas, tomatoes, corn, avocado, red onion, and vegan blue cheese.
- Serve with creamy ranch dressing on the side.
⏰Meal Prep Instructions
Initial Prep
- Prepare and cook tempeh bacon - cool completely and store in an airtight container
- Make vegan blue cheese tofu crumbles - store in a sealed container.
- Mix ranch dressing - store in a jar or squeeze bottle.
- Season and cook chickpeas - cool completely and store in an airtight container
- Slice red onions - store in an airtight container covered with cold water to maintain crispness.
Assembly Instructions
- Keep greens separate until ready to eat. Pack components in compartmentalized containers:
- Chopped romaine in the largest section.
- Pre-cooked items (tempeh bacon, chickpeas, tofu crumbles) in one section.
- Fresh items (tomatoes, corn, onion) in another section.
- Pack avocado whole and slice when ready to eat.
- Store dressing in a separate small container.
Storage Tips
- All prepped components last 4-5 days in the fridge.
- Keep dressing separate until serving.
- Prep 4 containers on Sunday, but don't add lettuce until the night before.
- Wait to cut avocado until ready to eat.
- Store onions in water to keep them crisp and reduce strong flavor.
More Vegan Salad Recipes
Chick-fil-A Kale Salad Recipe {Copycat Recipe}
Roasted Leek And Butter Bean Salad
Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad
Buckwheat Salad With Beets & Apples
📖 Recipe
Vegan Cobb Salad
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
- 8 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cups chickpeas drained and seasoned
- 1 large avocado diced
- 1 cup tempeh bacon chopped
- 1 cup corn kernels
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- Vegan blue cheese made from 8 oz firm tofu
Tempeh Bacon Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Vegan Blue Cheese:
- 1 block firm tofu ( 8 ounces) crumbled
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing:
- 1 cup vegan mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plant milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the tempeh bacon: Slice tempeh thinly, mix marinade ingredients, and coat tempeh. Pan-fry until crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Make the vegan blue cheese: Crumble tofu and mix with remaining ingredients. Let sit for at least 15 minutes to absorb flavors.
- Mix all dressing ingredients in a bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Season chickpeas with salt, pepper, and paprika, then pan-fry until slightly crispy.
- Arrange romaine lettuce as the base in a large serving bowl or individual plates.
- Create rows of toppings: tempeh bacon, chickpeas, tomatoes, corn, avocado, red onion, and vegan blue cheese.
- Serve with creamy ranch dressing on the side.
Notes
- For extra protein, add marinated tofu cubes
- Make components ahead of time for quick assembly
- Store dressing separately if making ahead
- Season chickpeas well as they're a key protein component
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