Winter Cobb Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing
This nutrient-packed Winter Cobb Salad with a sweet Maple Balsamic Dressing is perfect for holiday meals, easy weeknight dinners, or a healthy and filling lunch. Made with chicken, bacon, eggs, pears, and pomegranate seeds. It’s beautiful and delicious!
Winter Cobb Salad Recipe
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean the salad bowl needs to be tucked away. In fact, the cooler months are when we benefit most from hearty, nourishing recipes that help keep our bodies healthy and resilient. Enter this incredibly nutrient-packed winter salad.
If you love big, bold salads that eat like a full meal, this Winter Cobb Salad belongs at the top of your meal rotation. It’s a seasonal spin on the classic Cobb, keeping some of the usual suspects (hard-boiled eggs and bacon) while swapping summer tomatoes and avocado for winter’s best produce: sweet pears, jewel-toned pomegranate seeds, and hearty winter greens.
This salad also delivers incredible texture in every bite, and there’s nothing better than a salad loaded with goodies, as my dad would say. Other ingredients include tender chicken, buttery pecans, and creamy Stilton cheese, all finished with a silky maple balsamic dressing. It’s the kind of salad that tastes extra while still feeling nourishing and fresh.
Another fun twist on a classic Cobb is my Cobb Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. Makes great leftovers for easy lunches.
Ingredients You Need For Winter Cobb Salad
- Greens– Use an assortment of hearty greens or varieties you prefer.
- Hard boiled eggs are a classic Cobb ingredient and offers a boost of protein.
- Chicken– Roasted chicken breast or a rotisserie work really well in this salad.
- Pear– Make sure to use a slightly firm pear so it holds up well in the salad.
- Bacon cooked crisp.
- Pomegranate seeds offer a nice crunch and subtle tart flavor, plus, they look beautiful.
- Pecans
- Green onions
- Stilton cheese is creamy and mild, or use blue cheese or Gorgonzola.
- Maple balsamic dressing– Avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, Dijon, fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
Hot Tip
If you have a Trader Joe’s in your area, they have fantastic seasonal cheeses — like the Stilton with cranberries I used for this salad. Blue cheese, Gorgonzola, feta, and goat cheese are also great options in this winter salad.
Easy To Make Cobb Salad
- Layer the salad ingredients in a large bowl. This is the fun part. Be creative and make sure each ingredient is highlighted.
- Make the balsamic dressing by combining all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake until creamy.
- Serve the dressing on the side so everyone can dress their own salad, or toss everything together just before serving.
Ang’s Helpful Tips and Suggestions
- Keep the pears from browning by slicing them last or tossing them in lemon juice.
- Massage tougher greens like kale with a little salt and olive oil until it feels tender.
- Make ahead options would be to prepare your dressing, hard boiled eggs, chicken, and bacon 1 day in advance. You can also wash, dry, and store your greens so they are ready to go. Do not layer the salad or dress it with the dressing until just before serving.
Serving Ideas
This salad is truly a meal on its own but serving it along side a pot of steamy soup, or pairing it with a crisp glass of wine is never a bad idea. Here are some comforting soups to consider:
- Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
- Lentil Potato Soup
- Easy Tomato Soup with White Beans
- Loaded Cauliflower Soup
- Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup
Winter Cobb Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing
Equipment
- Small mixing bowl or mason jar with lid
- medium salad bowl
Ingredients
Maple Balsamic Dressing
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup not pancake syrup
- 1 tsp soy sauce, low sodium
- 1 garlic clove, smashed or minced if you want more garlic flavor
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped herbs I use a combination of rosemary, sage, and parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Salad
- 7 ounces mixed greens, such as butter lettuce, spinach, arugula, and spring greens, about 5-6 cups
- 1 cup cooked chicken, diced
- 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
- 1 pear, sliced thin
- 1/3 cup crumbled Stilton or blue cheese
- 1/3 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 3 slices bacon, cooked crisp and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 large green onion, sliced
Instructions
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a mason jar with fitted lid or use a bowl and whisk. Combine until creamy. Taste for seasonings and set aside.
- In a salad bowl add greens, then layer the rest of the ingredients. Place each item in its own section so each ingredient stands out. This will make the salad look festive and beautiful.
- Serve maple balsamic dressing on the side and let everyone dress their own salad.
Notes
Nutrition
More Hearty Salads To Enjoy
Looking for more salads to nourish your winter body? 😉 Check these out next: Healthy Harvest Chicken Salad, Chicken Waldorf Pasta Salad, Kale Crunch Chicken Salad, Tuscan Tuna Salad With Lemon Oil Dressing, and Loaded Egg Salad With Bacon and Cheese.
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