Vegan Cobb Salad

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.

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.

👨‍🍳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

1. Prepare and cook tempeh bacon - cool completely and store in an airtight container
2. Make vegan blue cheese tofu crumbles - store in a sealed container.
3. Mix ranch dressing - store in a jar or squeeze bottle.
4. Season and cook chickpeas - cool completely and store in an airtight container
5. Slice red onions - store in an airtight container covered with cold water to maintain crispness.

Assembly Instructions

1. Keep greens separate until ready to eat. Pack components in compartmentalized containers:
2. Chopped romaine in the largest section.
3. Pre-cooked items (tempeh bacon, chickpeas, tofu crumbles) in one section.
4. Fresh items (tomatoes, corn, onion) in another section.
5. Pack avocado whole and slice when ready to eat.
6. 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

Bulgur Wheat Salad

Vegan Chicken Caesar Salad

Chick-fil-A Kale Salad Recipe {Copycat Recipe}

Roasted Leek And Butter Bean Salad

Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad

Easy Kale And Apple Slaw

Buckwheat Salad With Beets & Apples

📖 Recipe

Vegan Cobb Salad

Keri Bevan

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.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course lunch

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 723 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

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

Tips:

• 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

Nutrition

Calories: 723kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 22gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 1496mgPotassium: 1115mgFiber: 14gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 8651IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 318mgIron: 5mg

Keyword vegan cobb salad

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