There’s something timeless about a well-made healthy Cobb salad, the kind that hits every note: crunchy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, crispy pastrami, healthy chicken breast, creamy avocado, and perfectly jammy eggs. But what really sets this version apart is the dressing. Instead of the usual vinaigrette or blue cheese, we’re shaking things up with a sweet onion dressing that’s smooth, tangy, and just a little unexpected. It’s the kind of bold, balanced flavor that pulls the whole plate together and makes you crave the next bite. Whether you’re serving it for lunch, prepping ahead for the week, or plating it up for guests, this Cobb salad isn’t just fresh, it’s elevated.
Healthy Cobb Salad with Homemade Sweet Onion Dressing
This isn’t your average Cobb salad. Think crispy pastrami, jammy eggs, creamy avocado. And the star of the show? A sweet onion dressing that ties it all together. Bold, balanced, and seriously satisfying.
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
Sweet Onion Dressing
- 2 white onions peeled and quartered
- 6 cloves garlic unpeeled
- avocado oil spray
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup olive oil
- salt
Salad
- 2 heads little gem lettuce chopped thin
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast cut into cubes
- 1/4 lb pastrami crisped up in a dry skillet and cut into ½ in pieces
- 4 eggs cooked 8 minutes until jammy and sliced into quarters
- 1 hass avocado cut into cubes
- 1 ear corn boiled in salt water and cut off the cob
- 2 baby peppers cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1/2 a watermelon radish thinly sliced
- 1 tomato cut into cubes
- 2 Persian cucumbers cut in half lengthwise and then thinly sliced
- Maldon salt
Instructions
Sweet Onion Dressing
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Wrap garlic cloves in foil and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Spray onions with avocado oil and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour, until onions and garlic are lightly charred and soft. Let cool.
- Peel garlic and transfer cloves to a blender. Add onions, cider vinegar and lemon juice and puree until smooth. With blender on, gradually add olive oil until incorporated. Season dressing with salt.
Assemble Salad
- In a large serving bowl, toss lettuces with 1/2 cup of the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Arrange remaining ingredients on top season with Maldon salt and serve. Pass remaining dressing at the table.