This simple and healthy vegan cobb salad uses plant-based versions of the classic toppings; tempeh bacon, chickpeas and a creamy tahini-ranch dressing.

When I was in college and I'd go out to eat, I almost always ordered a cobb salad. It seemed healthy enough, chicken, tomatoes, avocado, greens. I just ignored the fact there was bacon, blue cheese and ranch dressing. And yes, the portions were gigantic. And yes, I would eat the whole thing. Salad = healthy, right?

Well…not when the salad is 1000+ calories and loaded with ingredients that wreak havoc on digestion. True, salads should be hearty, but they should also be nutritious and easy on your digestion.

This is why I'm flipping the traditional cobb on its head and giving you this: a Vegan Cobb Salad that is healthy and delicious!

My friends we're on day 4 of #saladweek and I've had a total blast sharing my fave meal-sized salads with you. Salads are definitely one of those things that I consistently come back to for quick dinners, hearty lunches, and any time I need a simple reset.

For today's vegan cobb salad, we're using lots of the classics but swapping in the plant-powered versions of some of the not-so-healthy toppings. Instead of bacon? Tempeh bacon marinated in a dressing that I swear makes it taste like real bacon. Instead of chicken? Chickpeas since they're similar in protein content and also pair well with pretty much everything.

(side note: whenever something calls for chicken, I almost always use chickpeas instead) 

And then there's our classic toppings: cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, and fresh sweet corn.

For the dressing, we're using the Vegan Ranch Dressing from Sunday's post about how to make tahini dressings, and it's the perfect way to finish this salad off. Herbaceous, creamy, but doesn't overpower the other ingredients. And bonus: it's like 50% less calories than traditional ranch AND there's no dairy. Woo!

This is a salad that I know you're going to come back to time and time again. It's quick to make and is perfect for a Sunday meal prep day. If you're into meal prepping (I'm still working on it!), here's what I suggest to save you the max amount of time:

• Make bacon up to three days ahead, store in the fridge
• Chop cherry tomatoes up to three days ahead
• Boil sweet corn, leave on cob until day before serving
• Drain and rinse chickpeas and keep in sealed container for up to 3 days
• Make dressing up the 4 days ahead of time
• Slice avocado day of using

This way you can quickly and easily have a lunch to bring to the office OR a healthy dinner when you get home.

So are you ready to get your cobb salad on? This is a nutritious and protein-packed version of that classic recipe. It tastes eerily similar to the “real” thing, minus the blue cheese, and will surely satisfying the cravings of vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. And who knows…maybe you can even convince that meat eater in your life that plant-powered living isn't so bad after all 😉

Hope you enjoy it!

xo Alyssa

More Delicious Salad Recipes to try:

• Apple + Pecan Arugula Salad with Herbed Cashew Cheese
• Vegan “Chicken” Salad Bowls
• Asian Quinoa Power Salad
• Tofu Salad Nicoise
• Thai Peanut Chopped Spinach Salad
• Easy Detox Quinoa Salad

Vegan Cobb Salad

This is a nutritious and protein-packed version of that classic recipe.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 333kcal

Author Alyssa Rimmer

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4.5 from 2 votes

Ingredients

• for the salad:
• 8 cups mixed greens
• 1 ear of corn
• 1 avocado
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup canned chickpeas
• 1 batch tempeh bacon recipe below
• 1 batch vegan ranch dressing
• for the tempeh bacon:
• 1 package tempeh
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari or soy sauce if gluten isn't an issue for you
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

• Make the bacon: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the tempeh into thin strips and set aside. Whisk together remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add tempeh and toss to coat. Place tempeh strips on baking sheet and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden brown and lightly crispy. Let cool.
• Make the corn: steam/boil the corn for 5 - 7 minutes. When done, slice kernels off the cobb and set aside.
• Assemble the salad: divide all the salad ingredients evenly amongst four bowls. Crumble bacon on top Drizzle with dressing and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 833mg | Potassium: 684mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1330IU | Vitamin C: 34.5mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2.4mg

Check out what else we've shared for #SALADWEEK!

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