Shrimp Cobb Salad

This recipe for shrimp Cobb salad combines fresh, flavorful ingredients with an eye-catching presentation to make a restaurant-worthy meal. A bed of greens is artfully topped with all the makings of a classic Cobb: smoky bacon, creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs. Instead of finishing the salad with the traditional chopped chicken and red wine vinaigrette, we’re using grilled shrimp and drizzling everything with a creamy homemade Gorgonzola dressing.

Ingredients for Shrimp Cobb Salad

• Shrimp: Small shrimp (31-40 per pound) are ideal for seafood salad recipes since they’re bite-sized and easily fit on the tines of a fork. You’ll need half of a pound of peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp, which you can cook from frozen or find fresh at the seafood counter.
• Marinade: The shrimp marinates in a simple mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and ground white pepper. In addition to adding flavor, the olive oil keep the shrimp from sticking to your grill or pan.
• Dressing: Our shrimp Cobb salad is paired with a tangy, creamy dressing consisting of mayonnaise, Gorgonzola cheese crumbles, dried parsley flakes and white wine vinegar. If you don’t like mayo, replace it with plain Greek yogurt.
• Salad greens: Light and tender spring mix (a blend of baby lettuce, spinach and arugula) serves as the green base of our Cobb salad with shrimp. You can substitute romaine, Bibb or any type of lettuce—the salad will still be fresh and delicious.
• Avocado: Ensure your avocado is ripe, cut it in half, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, then slice it into thin wedges or chop it into cubes. Cut the avocado before serving the salad, or toss it with lemon juice to prevent browning.
• Bacon: Crumbled crispy bacon adds a salty, smoky flavor to this fresh salad. You can cook the bacon on the stovetop, heat it in the microwave or bake it; just make sure the bacon has time to cool so it doesn’t wilt your salad greens.
• Hard-boiled eggs: Sliced or chopped hard-boiled eggs are a traditional Cobb salad topping. After cooking, plunge the eggs directly into an ice bath to keep the yolks bright yellow.
• Tomato: A sliced plum tomato works here, but you can use cherry or grape tomatoes. Just be sure to halve or quarter smaller varieties so they’re easier to spear with the other ingredients.
• Red onion: If you’re not a fan of raw onion, you can leave them off. Make a batch of pickled red onions to sprinkle on your salad for a sweet and tangy flavor twist.

Directions

Step 1: Marinate the shrimp

Toss the shrimp with oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Refrigerate the shrimp, covered, for 15 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Use a storage bag for easy marinating. Add extra flavor to the marinade with a clove of minced garlic or chopped fresh herbs.

Step 2: Make the dressing

Mix the mayonnaise, Gorgonzola cheese, parsley and white wine vinegar with a splash of water, mashing the cheese with a fork. Store the dressing in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve the salad.

Editor’s Tip: The recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of water in the dressing, but you can add more if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Step 3: Assemble the salad

Place greens on a platter or in a large bowl. Arrange the sliced avocado, eggs, tomatoes, red onion and crumbled bacon over the lettuce.

Editor’s Tip: Traditionally, the toppings are arranged in neat rows, but you can make piles or sprinkle them all over for an interspersed presentation. If patterning the toppings, save room on the lettuce for a row or pile of shrimp.

Step 4: Cook the shrimp, then finish the salad

Grill the shrimp, covered, over medium heat until they’re pink, two to three minutes per side. Arrange them on the salad, then serve the salad with the dressing.

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

Shrimp Cobb Salad Variations

• Mix and match toppings: The beauty of a Cobb salad is that you can customize the ingredients to include your favorite salad toppings or use what you have on hand. Try chopped cucumbers, bell peppers, blanched green beans or croutons for crunch. You could also include fresh summer corn shaved off the cob, roasted pumpkin seeds or briny olives.
• Add aromatics: Sprinkle sliced green onion or chopped fresh herbs on top of the salad for extra flavor and brightness.
• Swap salad dressings: Prepare a balsamic vinaigrette or honey mustard dressing instead of creamy Gorgonzola. Other creamy options that work well are herby ranch or green goddess dressing.
• Add more cheese, please: If you love cheese on your salads, sprinkle extra Gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles on top, or arrange shredded sharp cheddar or bite-sized balls of fresh mozzarella beside the other ingredients.
• Customize the shrimp: Season the shrimp with Old Bay, Cajun or lemon-pepper seasoning before cooking. If you don’t have access to a grill, you can broil or pan-sear the shrimp. For scampi-style shrimp, saute it in melted butter with minced garlic.
• Make it a tossed salad: Toss the lettuce with toppings in a bowl for a little of everything in each bite.

How to Store Shrimp Cobb Salad

Undressed salad greens and toppings can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Storing the shrimp and salad in separate containers helps keep the veggies crisp and fresh, and allows you to reheat the shrimp.

Can you make shrimp Cobb salad ahead of time?

You can prepare some components of this salad beforehand, but we recommend assembling and dressing the salad just before serving it. To save time, wash your produce, cook the bacon, boil the eggs and make the dressing in advance. Store them in separate containers in the refrigerator until it’s time to eat.

Tomatoes can turn mushy in the fridge, and avocados quickly brown once cut, so we recommend slicing those toppings shortly before composing the salad.

Shrimp Cobb Salad Tips

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

What does Cobb mean in a salad?

“Cobb” is a nod to Robert Howard Cobb, the inventor of the iconic salad. He was one of the owners of the famed hat-shaped Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood, where the salad was born. According to legend, Mr. Cobb crafted the first Cobb salad by tossing leftover hard-boiled eggs and chopped chicken into a green salad.

What’s the best way to cook shrimp for Cobb salad?

This recipe instructs you to grill the shrimp, but you could also broil or pan-sear them. Whichever method you prefer, be sure not to overcook the shrimp so they stay juicy and don’t become rubbery. Small shrimp require no more than two to three minutes per side when cooked on the grill, under the broiler or on the stovetop.

What is the typical dressing for a Cobb salad?

The traditional dressing for a Cobb salad is a zippy red wine vinaigrette. This salad will be delicious whether you use the creamy Gorgonzola dressing in this recipe or make your favorite homemade salad dressing.