I love making this cobb salad when fresh corn and tomatoes are readily available. This recipe is also a good one to use when you have an abundance of summer zucchini from your garden to use up. The homemade coconut bacon, marinated tofu (instead of chicken), and vegan ranch make this cobb extra special and similar in taste to a traditional cobb. This cobb salad is a meal and one that is on repeat at our house during the summer months.
Ingredients
- Romaine lettuce; chopped
- Cherry tomatoes; sliced in half
- Cucumber; diced
- Avocado; pitted and diced
- 1 to 2 ears of grilled corn kernels (depending on how many people you are serving)
- 1 to 2 zucchini spiralized or peel with a vegetable peeler in large strips.
- Marinated tofu (recipe below)
- Coconut bacon (recipe below)
- Vegan blue cheese or shredded vegan cheddar (Optional. Follow Your Life has great vegan blue cheese. For vegan cheddar I like Violife)
- Vegan ranch dressing (recipe below)
Instructions:
Assemble & Enjoy!
Coconut Bacon
I can’t remember what pork bacon tastes like but this recipe for coconut bacon has a sweet and smoky flavor thanks to the maple syrup, liquid smoke and smoked paprika. When you mix it into your cobb salad, it has the right texture and smoky flavor of bacon and makes for a delicious replacement in this vegan cobb salad.
- ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 ½ tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
1. Mix all ingredients in a large both and toss until the coconut flakes are well coated.
2. Spread the coconut flakes onto a cookie tin. When baking anything, I always line my cookie tin with parchment or a silicone baking mat – both are great for non-stick and easy cleanup.
3. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes; making sure to flip the coconut pieces halfway through to avoid burning.
4. Let cool before using to ensure that the “bacon” is crispy
Homemade Ranch Dressing
I love making my own ranch dressing; it tastes so fresh and tasty when compared to store-bought. If this is a step you want to eliminate, there are some very good vegan ranch dressings available at the grocery store. My two favorite store-bought vegan ranch dressing are Follow Your Heart and Loli’s. If you have time to make your own though, I highly recommend giving it a try.
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours.
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ to ½ cup non-dairy milk (depending on desired thickness)
- 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon parsley; finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dill; finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions:
1. Soak your cashews in water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Rinse the soaked cashews in cold water and place in a blender
3. Add ¼ cup of the non-diary milk, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar and blend until creamy.
4. Transfer the dressing to a large bowl and hand mix in the spices.
5. Add more non-dairy milk until you reach your desired consistency.
Marinated Tofu
I use this marinated tofu in my Wings of Life recipe; it makes a nice addition to any salad or stir-fry.
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 pound tofu, drained and cut into bite-size cubes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried dill or 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
- 2 tsp. tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
Instructions:
1. In a medium fry pan, heat the oil. Add the tofu cubes and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
2. Add the garlic, pepper, dill, and cayenne. Continue frying and stirring until the cubes are lightly browned and crisp.
3. Add the dark sesame oil and soy sauce, stir in, and turn off the heat.
