Cobb salads are one of my favorite things to make for a simple dinner in the summer! They are simple and I almost always have the ingredients on hand. If I don’t, I can easily swap out the type of cheese or protein used. It’s one of those salads that feels like a full meal and half the fun is in the presentation.
I find that there are certain things that just don’t sound appealing in the cold and dark months, and Cobb salads are one of those things. So on a recent night when I had some extra veggies in the fridge and wanted something a little lighter for our family for dinner, I came up with the idea for this Simple Holiday Cobb Salad!
By subbing some roasted veggies for the raw from the original version, it results in a warming and filling salad perfect for the winter season. This is actually a salad that would be wonderful for any holiday get together! It is hearty and sturdy and can stand up to potlucks and any holiday table. It doesn’t need to be kept cold and doesn’t need to be reheated. Which means it won’t cause any extra stress during the holidays 😀.
Feel free to adjust the recipe for your personal preference! Vegan? Leave off the bacon. Not a bacon fan? Add some chicken breast. Feel a need for cheese? Crumbled blue cheese would match perfectly with the dried cranberries and quinoa!
I hope this Simple Holiday Cobb Salad becomes a staple for you and your family during the holiday season!
Simple Holiday Cobb Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups shredded raw kale
- 1/2 cup roasted sweet potatoes (chopped)
- 1/3 cup quinoa
- 1/2 apple (chopped)
- 1 slice bacon (crumbled)
- 2 tbsp dried cranberries
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil (1 tbsp for quinoa, 1 tbsp for kale)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop sweet potatoes, toss in olive oil and roast at 400 degrees for 25 minutes
- Clean and chop apple
- Prepare bacon as directed
- Prepare quinoa as directed
- Mix 1 tbsp olive oil and juice of 1/4 lemon into the cooked quinoa. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Clean and rough chop kale
- Mix 1 tbsp of the olive oil, the vinegar, juice of 1/4 a lemon and the maple syrup. Massage this into the kale.
- Layer side by side into the bowl the kale, quinoa, apple, cranberries, bacon and sweet potatoes.
