Roasted Asparagus Cobb Salad - A lighter Cobb Salad featuring turkey bacon and roasted asparagus.
There is great discussion/debate around where the Cobb Salad originated. There is also differing opinions on what ingredients make a salad a Cobb Salad. For me when I picture a cobb salad I see bacon, chicken and hard boiled egg. Most places I've ordered a Cobb Salad from have also include avocado and I usually would put avocado in too, but as luck would have it, I was out of avocados.
Cobb Salad is definitely my favorite "order out" kind of salad. It's a treat and it's full of calories. When I set out to make this Cobb Salad at home, I knew I wanted to try to lighten it up; at least a little. The obvious change is to use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon. As I mentioned above, I didn't have any avocado but I did have asparagus and I love me some roasted asparagus. I decided to roast the asparagus and red onions together and it was a GREAT decision. It really added a new dimension to this salad.
Because my family doesn't always agree on what they like in their salads, I almost always serve this type of salad in a "make your own" kind of way. Basically I place the lettuce on one platter and then I put all the other ingredients on another platter and I let everyone pick and choose their salad. I also usually will leave a package of shredded cheese off to the side as well, along with an array of salad dressings to choose from.
As far as the chicken in concerned here. I am a person who always has some pre-cooked chicken in my fridge. Sometimes it's chicken that I've batch cooked and have for using in recipes and sometimes, GASP, it's the store-bought, pre-cooked chicken. And this was a time it was said store-bought chicken. Before you judge me, not all of them are full of soy protein and weird ingredients. This brand I bought was actual, white meat chicken with no weird, unrecognizable ingredients. So do as you do. Or if you are up for it, grill yourself a boneless chicken breast and use that.
Other ingredients you might want to add that I just didn't have on hand are cucumbers, shredded carrots, avocado and/or blue cheese crumbles.
Your support of clicking thru to visit our advertisers and/or purchasing items through our affiliate links, located throughout this blog post, helps to keep this page going and is very much appreciated.
Printable Recipe Card
Roasted Asparagus Cobb Salad
Ingredients
- 7 oz lettuce blend I used spring mix
- 4 C grilled chicken
- 6 slices turkey bacon cooked and chopped
- 1 T olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼-1/2 lb asparagus tough ends removed
- 1 red onion roughly chopped
- 2 eggs hard boiled and chopped
- Salad dressing of choice blue cheese or ranch recommended
- Optional: 1 avocado diced ¼ C blue cheese crumbles, 1 cucumber, diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Roughly chop asparagus into thirds. Toss asparagus and onion with 1 T olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them out on a non stick baking sheet and roast 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Meanwhile, set lettuce blend in a large serving bowl or platter.
- Place chicken, bacon, asparagus, onion and egg (also avocado and/or cucumber if using) on a platter.
- To serve place both platters/bowls next to each along side your crumbled cheese and dressing options. Allow each person to create their own Cobb creation.
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
I love all the colors and flavors in this salad!
Angie says
What a fun and unique idea on an old classic we all love. It's perfect!
foodyschmoody says
Thank you Angie!
Joy @ Joy Love Food says
This is beautiful! I love Cobb salad and asparagus sounds like a great addition. Pinning and sharing.
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) says
I could eat Cobb salad every day. Love the asparagus twist on it!
foodyschmoody says
Me too Kim, which is why I figured I better lighten it up a bit 🙂
Lana | Never Enough Thyme says
I always enjoy a good Cobb salad and what a stroke of genius including the roasted asparagus and red onion. Very good!
foodyschmoody says
Thanks so much Lana. I'm always looking for an excuse to roast a veggie, lol.
Martha @ A Family Feast says
Cobb salads are one of my all-time favorites! Love the addition of the roasted asparagus!
Heather / girlichef says
What a delicious twist on a Cobb Salad! I love asparagus, and think it must go perfectly alongside the chicken, eggs, and turkey bacon. I'm totally overdue for a salad...
Lora @cakeduchess says
A cobb is a favorite salad of mine! Your version with asparagus and turkey bacon is really lovely!! I'm inspired to make a cobb this week!!
Heidy L. McCallum says
Roasted Asparagus Cobb Salad looks dangerously delish and I can not wait to try this recipe idea out.
Jamie @ Coffee With Us 3 says
There used to be a restaurant in our town that had the best cobb salad, but they went out of business. For some reason it never crossed my mind to just make it myself! Can't wait to try this out!
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
I love pre-cooked grocery store chicken. 😀 Especially the roasted chickens! They're so much quicker and even more delicious than the ones I can make at home. And I love how you separated everything. It means picky eaters / veggie-haters like myself can take a bunch of bacon and chicken and not have to worry about all that pesky other stuff. 😉
foodyschmoody says
Thanks Erin. Generally the only way I get salad into my family is if I serve it this way. I'm glad you like the idea.
Cookin Canuck says
I never get tired of really good Cobb salads, and I really like the idea of changing things up with some roasted asparagus. Actually, as long as there's bacon involved, I'm happy to throw anything in that salad. 🙂
foodyschmoody says
I know! Bacon just seems to go with lettuce, doesn't it?!
Paula - bell'alimento says
What a great twist on the super star of salads.
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist says
Gorgeous salad Christine.
foodyschmoody says
Thank you Michelle!
Amanda @ The Kitcheneer says
I love cobb salads of all varieties! I must try this version! Roasted asparagus is one of my favorites!
Kim Beaulieu says
I love the way you put it all out then people can build their own. That's actually very brilliant. I have one picky eater so that would work great for us. Usually I make two salads but I like your way better.
This is an amazing recipe too. I try to keep chicken at the ready too. It just helps speed things up during the week when we're all so busy.
foodyschmoody says
I started doing the "build your own" salads w/ every salad I make when I got married and realized my husband doesn't like cucumbers!? Seriously, who doesn't like cukes. Anyway, I'm glad I could pass on my idea to you! Thank you.
kellie @ The Suburban Soapbox says
What a great combination of flavors!