This Cobb Salad Recipe is made with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and succulent shrimp marinated with cilantro and lime. With quick assembly and amazing flavor, this is the best Cobb salad you’ll ever try!

a platter of cobb salad with shrimp

At home, we eat a lot of salad so building a tasty salad has become second nature to me. This Cobb salad recipe is a family favorite!

It’s the perfect side dish but also hearty enough to be a stand-alone meal! It has the familiar flavors of salty bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and crumbled blue cheese but the marinated shrimp is a fresh, mouthwatering addition.

Want to try another delicious salad recipe? Try my Kale Salad with Blackened Salmon next.

What is a Cobb Salad?

The classic Cobb salad is lettuce topped with neat rows of ingredients like chicken breast, bacon, boiled eggs, and tomatoes. It originated in Los Angeles in the late 1930s at the Brown Derby Restaurant.

close up view of salad toppings

Ingredients

You haven’t had a Cobb salad recipe this delicious! We’ve swapped chicken for shrimp, marinated in a zesty mixture of lime and cilantro. It’s a tasty departure from typical Cobb salad dressing but just as protein-packed.

assorted ingredients for cobb salad recipe
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Iceberg lettuce
  • Shrimp, cleaned with tail off
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Avocado
  • Cucumber, chopped
  • Hard boiled egg
  • Bacon, cooked and chopped
  • Blue cheese, crumbled
  • Parmesan cheese, shredded

Cilantro Lime Marinade for Shrimp

  • Lime
  • Olive oil
  • Cilantro, diced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make a Cobb Salad

This shrimp could not be any easier to prepare. Large shrimp are the best to use for this salad. If the shrimp are frozen, thaw them out completely. Buying the pre-cooked, with the tail off, variety is recommended. If not, extra steps must be taken to cook the shrimp.

a bowl of cilantro lime marinated shrimp for Cobb salad recipe

Begin by marinating the cleaned shrimp in a mixture of lime juice, olive oil, diced cilantro, salt, and pepper for at least 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to infuse.

While the shrimp marinate, chop a head of Romaine lettuce and half a head of Iceberg lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Then halve cherry tomatoes, dice avocado and cucumber, and peel and dice a hard-boiled egg.

Cook crispy bacon, then chop it into pieces. Assemble the salad by arranging the chopped lettuce on a large platter or individual plates, followed by neatly layering the marinated shrimp, cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, cucumber, hard-boiled egg, and chopped bacon over the lettuce.

a platter of cobb salad with shrimp

Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese and shredded Parmesan cheese evenly over the salad. Serve immediately and savor the vibrant flavors of this delicious recipe for Cobb salad!

Hint: Let the shrimp marinate for at least 30 minutes in the cilantro lime marinade to infuse them with flavor. But don’t marinate shrimp for more than 1 hour or risk them becoming tough and chewy.

Protein Substitutions

If you are not a fan of shrimp, no problem! Here are some amazing protein substitutions:

Recipe Variations for Cobb Salad

  • Cheese – No salad is complete without some variation of tangy cheese! Feta cheese and goat cheese are great substitutes.
  • Eggs – I use hard-boiled eggs for this recipe, but if you prefer jammy eggs, boil the eggs for 2 minutes less (8 minutes instead of 10 minutes).
  • Salad Dressing – You can use blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing. Balsamic vinaigrette is another tasty option.

Equipment

You’ll need a medium bowl with a lid to marinate the shrimp. Use a large platter or bowl to assemble the salad.

Make Ahead Cobb Salad Recipe

This recipe is perfect to make in advance. Prepare and dice all the ingredients up to 3 days ahead of time and store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Then assemble just before serving.

a platter of shrimp cobb salad

Storage

Once assembled, enjoy your salad within 2 days. Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge. Store the cilantro lime marinade or another Cobb salad dressing in an airtight mason jar until you’re ready to use it.

Top Tip

Cobb salad is great for entertaining because it has a beautiful presentation. But arranging the ingredients in neat rows or layers on a large platter is practical too. This allows each ingredient to shine and makes it easy for guests to customize their salad with their different ingredients.

FAQ

What’s in a Cobb salad?

Traditional Cobb salad recipes include lettuce, bacon, tomatoes, skinless chicken breasts, hard-boiled eggs, blue cheese, and red wine vinaigrette.

Why is it called a Cobb salad?

The salad is named after restaurateur Robert Howard Cobb, who is credited with inventing the salad in 1937. It’s been said that Cobb mixed restaurant leftovers after hours to make the first iteration of the salad. However, another theory suggests his chef, Paul J. Posti, actually made what we now know as the Cobb salad.

What does Chick Fil A put in their Cobb salad?

Chick-fil-A’s Cobb Salad recipe includes chicken nuggets, mixed greens, roasted corn, crumbled bacon, hard-boiled egg, grape tomatoes, shredded Monterey Jack, and cheddar cheese.

What’s the difference between a Cobb salad and a chef’s salad? 

Although both salads include protein, lettuce, and assorted vegetables, Cobb salad also contains a mixture of lettuce types, avocado, and blue cheese or Roquefort cheese.

plated cobb salad

Looking for other dishes similar to this Cobb Salad Recipe? Try these:

overhead of kale salad with blackened salmon on a platter

Kale Salad with Blackened Salmon
squash and tomatoes cooked in a baking dish with parmesan cheese on top

Parmesan Squash and Tomato Bake
cauliflower, cheese, buffalo sauce

Cheesy Buffalo Cauliflower
cheeseburger bowl on a gray table with a dressing in a bowl on the side

Easy and Delicious Cheeseburger Bowl
a platter of cobb salad
4.85 stars (13 reviews)

Cobb Salad Recipe with Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Author: Tamara J.
This Cobb Salad Recipe is made with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and succulent shrimp marinated with cilantro and lime. With quick assembly and amazing flavor, this is the best Cobb salad you'll ever try!
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 head Romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 head Iceberg lettuce
  • 1 pound Shrimp, cleaned with tail off
  • 10 Cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 ripe Avocado
  • 1/4 cup Cucumber, chopped
  • 1 whole Egg, hard boiled
  • 1/4 cup Bacon, cooked and choppped
  • 1/4 cup Blue cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Cilantro Lime Marinade for Shrimp

  • 1 Lime, juiced
  • 1/4 cup Olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Cilantro, diced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  1. In a medium size bowl with a lid, add the shrimp, cilantro, olive oil, and lime juice. Add salt and pepper to your desired taste. Mix well, and cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  2. Chop the romaine and iceberg lettuce into bite size piece. Dice the tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, and hard boiled egg and set aside.
  3. Using a large platter or a bowl, begin layering the lettuce first. Next, assemble the vegetables in rows.
  4. Add the marinated shrimp, cheeses, and bacon into neat rows also.
  5. Serve with desired dressing on the side.

Notes

See post for substitution ideas.

Equipment

Folkulture Serving Spoons or Salad Servers for Modern Kitchen, Stainless Steel Serving Utensils - Spoon and Fork for Serving Salad, 12-inch Cooking Utensils Set with Marble Handle, Pearl White
Folkulture Serving Spoons or Salad Servers for Modern Kitchen, Stainless Steel Serving Utensils – Spoon and Fork for Serving Salad, 12-inch Cooking Utensils Set with Marble Handle, Pearl White
DOWAN Large Serving Platters, 16"/14"/12" Oval Serving Platters, Oven Safe, White Oval Serving Plates, Porcelain Dinner Platters for Appetizers Meat Snacks, Serving Dishes for Party, BBQ, Set of 3
DOWAN Large Serving Platters, 16″/14″/12″ Oval Serving Platters, Oven Safe, White Oval Serving Plates, Porcelain Dinner Platters for Appetizers Meat Snacks, Serving Dishes for Party, BBQ, Set of 3
Pompeian USDA Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, First Cold Pressed, Full-Bodied Flavor, Perfect for Vinaigrettes and Marinades, Naturally Gluten Free, Non-Allergenic, Non-GMO, 24 FL. OZ., Single Bottle
Pompeian USDA Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, First Cold Pressed, Full-Bodied Flavor, Perfect for Vinaigrettes and Marinades, Naturally Gluten Free, Non-Allergenic, Non-GMO, 24 FL. OZ., Single Bottle
Meal Prep Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls Set, Home, Refrigerator, and Kitchen Food Storage Organizers | Ecofriendly, Reusable, Heavy Duty By WHYSKO (With Black Lids)
Meal Prep Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls Set, Home, Refrigerator, and Kitchen Food Storage Organizers | Ecofriendly, Reusable, Heavy Duty By WHYSKO (With Black Lids)
Chef Knife – PAUDIN Pro Kitchen Knife 8 Inch Chef’s Knife N1 German High Carbon Stainless Steel Knife with Ergonomic Handle, Ultra Sharp, Best Choice for Home Kitchen & Restaurant
bamfitwell Bamboo Cutting Board with Juice Groove
Serving: 1, Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 150mg, Sodium: 727mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g
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Food safety

  • Cook to a minimum temperature of 145°F (63°C) for shrimp.
  • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat or seafood.
  • Wash hands after touching raw meat or seafood.
  • Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
  • Never leave cooking food unattended.
  • Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
  • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.