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A delicious, filling, healthy, protein-packed Copycat Recipe of Cafe Zupas California Protein Cobb Salad. Packed with vegetables, chicken, and topped with a sweet and tangy herb vinaigrette!

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Below you will find tips, tricks and helpful hints for making this recipe including step by step instructions with pictures. If you would like to go directly to the recipe, scroll down to the recipe card.

Why I Love this Salad

My husband discovered this little gem at Cafe Zupas a couple of years ago and introduced it to me.

I LOVE this salad. I CRAVE this salad. It is so filling, healthy and delicious. It is totally packed with protein and the Herb Vinaigrette is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy.

This salad is HEAVEN in a bowl!

To avoid going broke from going out to lunch and dinner at Cafe Zupas every day to consume this beautiful piece of work, I decided that I needed to come up with a recipe to make it at home.

Herb Vinaigrette Dressing

The key is the dressing.

Although you have a choice between Ranch dressing and Herb Vinaigrette dressing at the restaurant, I definitely recommend the herb vinaigrette because it is so wonderfully addicting.

After a little trial and error with the dressing, I believe that I have come up with an almost exact replica of Cafe Zupas California Protein Cobb Salad.

The only thing this salad is lacking, is someone to whip it up for you and do the dishes when you’re finished. But that’s what husbands and kids are for, right?

 

Ingredients for California Protein Cobb Salad

Herb Vinaigrette Dressing

• 6 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil or Cilantro
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar

Protein Cobb Salad

• 1 Head Romaine Lettuce
• 2 Hard Boiled Eggs, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 Cup Bacon Pieces
• 1/4 Cup Edamame, shelled
• 1/2 Cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 Cup Black Olives, sliced
• 1/4 Cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
• 1 Avocado mashed
• 1-2 cups cooked chicken, diced

How to Make California Protein Cobb Salad

[1] Begin by adding all of the herb vinaigrette salad dressing ingredients to your blender and blend.

[2] I bought a Magic Bullet a few years ago and I LOVE it! It gets used at least 2-3 times a day for everything from protein shakes to this yummy dressing!

I love that it comes with multiple cups and blades. Its has a TON of power and is perfect for so many jobs. If you don’t already have a good blender, I definitely recommend the Magic Bullet!

Prepare the Salad

Chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. For me, I like to cut my lettuce into small pieces, almost like a chopped salad.

I hate having to eat giant pieces of lettuce or feeling like I have to use a knife to cut my salad!

Slice the hard boiled eggs, grape tomatoes and black olives.

Slice open an avocado and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh and smash it to guacamole consistency.

To prepare your chicken, you can grill, bake, or use an Instant Pot.

Another option would be to use pre-cooked chicken from the freezer section at your grocery store or a rotisserie chicken. 

Next, you can begin to assemble the salad. Place the lettuce and your desired amount of vinaigrette in a large bowl with a lid. Shake to toss the salad and coat the lettuce with the dressing.

Place the coated lettuce into two bowls. Add all of the toppings on top of the lettuce. Serve this salad with these delicious Honey Buttermilk Biscuits  or Sweet Moist Cornbread and your meal will be complete!

Make sure you pin Cafe Zupas California Protein Cobb Salad Copycat Recipe so that whenever your craving for this salad comes, you can quickly find this recipe. I’m warning you, its addicting!

Other Salads You Will Love:

• Honeycrisp Harvest Salad
• Big Mac Chopped Salad
• The Best BBQ Chicken Salad

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