Autumn Harvest Cobb salad made with roasted beets and watermelon radish, tossed in a tangy red wine vinaigrette with smoked paprika, shallots and Dijon. Finish with crumbled feta or omit for a dairy-free option.
In Southern California, hearty main-course salads are part of everyday life.
The region’s produce and sunshine make salads especially vibrant and fresh, and that’s certainly true of this Cobb-inspired bowl.
Salads reign supreme.
Classic salads like the Caesar in Tijuana and the Chopped Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad and Cobb Salad all trace roots to restaurants around Los Angeles.
The original Cobb Salad comes from the Brown Derby restaurant and is named for owner Robert H. Cobb. The Brown Derby itself was famously built in the shape of a derby hat.
Cobb Salad Ingredients
A traditional Cobb is a bed of crisp lettuce topped with avocado, blue cheese, chicken, bacon, tomatoes and hard-boiled egg. This autumn version swaps summer tomatoes for roasted beets and thin slices of watermelon radish for a seasonal twist.
You’ll also need the following:
- Romaine lettuce. Aim for plenty of crunch. Wash, tear into bite-sized pieces and dry thoroughly.
- Chicken breast. Use boneless, skinless breasts marinated in chipotle-lime and grilled or sautéed, or use rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Crispy bacon. Pan-fry, bake, or microwave until crisp, then crumble.
- Hard-boiled eggs. I prefer them just set. Place 3–4 eggs in a saucepan, cover with salted cold water, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover and let sit 12 minutes. Drain and cool in cold water before peeling.
- Avocado. Ripe, peeled, pitted and sliced or cubed.
- Chopped chives. Leave them a bit long for visual appeal.
- Crumbled feta. Traditionally blue cheese is used, but feta gives a bright tang—omit if you prefer dairy-free.
Dressing
The classic Cobb dressing is a straightforward vinaigrette of red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper. This version stays true to that base and adds a smoky note with smoked paprika for extra depth.
How to Make This Cobb Salad
Most of the effort goes into prepping the components and the dressing. Many elements can be prepared ahead—perfect for meal prep or a fast weeknight dinner.
Step-by-step:
- Make the dressing. Combine shallot, brown sugar, Dijon, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and olive oil in a jar. Seal and shake until combined. Make up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate.
- Roast the beets. Preheat oven to 425°F. Rub whole, scrubbed beets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, cover with foil and roast in a baking dish until tender, about 40–50 minutes. Cool, peel and quarter. Roasted beets keep 2–3 days refrigerated.
- Boil the eggs. Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and let sit 12 minutes. Cool in cold water, peel and halve.
- Prepare the lettuce. If you bought pre-washed hearts of romaine, simply chop. If not, wash in cold water and dry thoroughly—dry leaves hold dressing better.
- Cook the protein. Grill or sauté chicken and slice, or use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. Cook and crumble the bacon.
- Slice the radish and avocado. Thinly slice watermelon radish and cube or slice the avocado just before assembling to avoid browning.
- Assemble and serve. Arrange a bed of lettuce on a platter or in a large bowl. Neatly arrange quartered beets, halved eggs, sliced chicken, crumbled bacon, avocado, chives, sliced radishes and feta on top. Drizzle with dressing, season lightly with salt and serve.
Ingredients (detailed)
For the dressing:
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
For the salad:
- 3 large beets, greens removed and scrubbed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for roasting)
- 4 eggs
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and chopped
- 1 pound cooked chicken, sliced
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted and cubed or sliced
- 2 large watermelon radishes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped chives
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta (optional)
Instructions
Make the dressing: Combine shallot, brown sugar, Dijon, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and olive oil in a mason jar. Seal and shake until emulsified. Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Roast the beets: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place beets in a baking dish, rub with olive oil, season, cover with foil and roast until tender, 40–50 minutes. Cool, peel and quarter.
Boil the eggs: Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and let sit 12 minutes. Drain and cool in cold water, peel and halve.
Arrange the salad: Spread the lettuce on a large platter or in a bowl. Top with quartered beets, halved eggs, sliced chicken, crumbled bacon, avocado, chives, radish slices and feta. Drizzle with dressing, season with salt and serve.
Notes
This salad is ideal for make-ahead prep: the dressing, roasted beets and cooked proteins can be prepared several days in advance. Assemble just before serving to keep greens crisp. Swap feta for blue cheese if you prefer a more traditional flavor.
Enjoy
If you try this Autumn Harvest Cobb Salad, share how it went and a photo—it’s a colorful, satisfying meal that highlights fall produce while staying true to classic Cobb proportions.
Autumn Harvest Cobb Salad Recipe
Autumn Harvest Cobb salad with roasted beets and watermelon radish tossed in a tangy red wine vinaigrette with smoked paprika.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
For the salad:
- 3 large beets, greens removed and scrubbed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and chopped
- 1 pound cooked chicken, sliced
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and cubed or sliced
- 2 large watermelon radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped chives
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
Instructions
Make the dressing: Combine shallot, brown sugar, Dijon, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and olive oil in a jar. Seal and shake until combined. Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Roast the beets: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place beets in a baking dish, rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, cover with foil and roast until tender, 40–50 minutes. Cool, peel and quarter.
Boil the eggs: Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water and add salt. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and let sit 12 minutes. Drain and cool in cold water, peel and halve.
Arrange the salad: Arrange lettuce in a large bowl or platter. Top with quartered beets, halved eggs, sliced chicken, crumbled bacon, avocado, chives, radish slices and feta. Drizzle with dressing, season and serve.
