Summer Cobb Salad with Homemade Ranch

A fresh twist on a 1920s farmer’s market classic

There’s something so timeless about a Cobb salad. Originally made famous in the 1920s at the Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood (and rumored to have roots on California farms even before that), the Cobb was a “kitchen sink” kind of salad—made with whatever the farmers had on hand at the end of the day: fresh greens, chopped veggies, a little cheese, maybe some grilled meat. Practical. Hearty. Satisfying. And so, so good.

This Summer Cobb Salad is my fresh, modern take—perfect for hot days when you don’t feel like turning on the oven. It’s crisp, colorful, and packed with flavor, especially when tossed with my creamy homemade buttermilk ranch (yes, the ranch dressing we all love).

What Makes It So Good:

• Packed with fresh produce like cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, grilled corn, and herbs
• The combo of crunchy croutons and creamy blue cheese is next-level
• Tossed with our favorite from-scratch ranch dressing
• Perfect as a lunch, light dinner, or a bring-to-everyone’s-begging-for-the-recipe kind of potluck dish

Summer Cobb Salad with Homemade Ranch

Ingredients

(serves 4-6)

• 6 cups chopped romaine or butter lettuce
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 large cucumber, chopped
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup grilled corn (fresh or frozen + charred in a skillet works too!)
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1 cup crunchy croutons
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
• Optional: sliced hard-boiled eggs or grilled chicken for extra protein
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (see full recipe here)

Instructions

1. Prep the greens
   Start with a large serving bowl or platter. Add the chopped lettuce and use your hands (or tongs) to fluff it up.
2. Layer the good stuff
   Arrange the cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, grilled corn, and blue cheese over the greens. Sprinkle the fresh herbs generously over the top.
3. Add the crunch
   Toss in those golden croutons right before serving to keep them crispy.
4. Toss with ranch
   Drizzle with your homemade ranch dressing and give it a gentle toss, or serve it on the side if you’re prepping ahead.
5. Optional but encouraged
   Top with sliced grilled chicken or halved hard-boiled eggs if you want to bulk it up for dinner.

Perfect for:

• A casual summer dinner on the porch
• Packed lunches or picnic baskets
• A backyard BBQ spread alongside burgers and fruit salad
• Meal prep (just keep the croutons and dressing separate until serving)

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Pro Tip for Busy Moms:

Make the dressing and chop the veggies ahead of time! Store them in separate containers in the fridge and toss it all together in under 5 minutes when you’re ready to serve.

This salad is sunshine in a bowl. It tastes like long summer evenings, barefoot kids running through sprinklers, and that feeling of slowing down—even just for dinner. It’s hearty enough to satisfy but still light and fresh, and every bite is bursting with flavor from that herby ranch.

Let me know if you try it, and tag me @withlove_tere if it makes it to your table!

With love,
Tere 🤍