Blackened Shrimp Cobb Salad

Course: Main Dish, Salad

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: servings

Calories: 1275kcal

Author: Jazzmine Woodard

A really good classic cobb salad made even better with quick-cooking smoky blackened shrimp

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Equipment

1 Baking Sheet
1 cutting board
1 knife
1 mixing bowl
1 large cast iron skillet or other large skillet

Ingredients

For the Salad

1 pound romaine lettuce
12 ounces bacon
8 ounces tomatoes Roma, cherry, grape, or pear
6 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese
4 hard-boiled eggs
1-2 avocados one large or two small
½ red onion
3 tablespoons chives onion or garlic based on availability

For the Cobb Salad Dijon Dressing

¼ cup apple cider vinegar plus one tablespoon
¼ cup olive oil plus one tablespoon
2 tablespoons shallot diced
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1-2 teaspoons honey or sweetener of your choice
fine sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste

For the Blackened Shrimp

1-2 tablespoons avocado oil or other oil with a high smoke point
1 pound shrimp
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

Cook the Bacon: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange bacon in one layer on sheet pan and place in oven to bake for about 20-25 minutes or until crispy and cooked through.
12 ounces bacon
Carefully transfer the cooked bacon onto several stacked sheets of paper towel to drain excess grease and cool.
Make the Dressing: While the bacon cooks, add the dressing ingredients to a small airtight container (like a small mason jar). Seal and shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified (about one full minute). Set aside.
¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons shallot, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1-2 teaspoons honey, fine sea salt, black pepper
Chop the Salad Ingredients: Cut off and discard the bottom two inches of each lettuce head, then cut the leaves into two to three-inch pieces. Dice the red onion, tomato, eggs, avocados, and chives. Crumble the bacon.*
1 pound romaine lettuce, 8 ounces tomatoes, 4 hard-boiled eggs, 1-2 avocados, ½ red onion, 3 tablespoons chives
Blacken the Shrimp: Add avocado oil to skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Peel and devein shrimp, if needed, then mix together the blackening spices and toss with the shrimp until evenly coated.
1-2 tablespoons avocado oil, 1 pound shrimp, ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Carefully tilt and swirl the skillet to coat the cooking surface in the heated oil. Add shrimp to the skillet in one layer, leaving at least one inch of space between each piece, and cook for about two minutes on each side. The shrimp should develop an opaque coral color and a charred or "blackened" appearance.
Assemble and Serve: Divide the ingredients between four plates or bowls, starting each one with a bed of the chopped lettuce, followed by dressing, then all the toppings, and finishing with a sprinkle of chives.
6 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Notes

*Crumbling the Bacon

Here's a trick my mom taught me for quickly crumbling up a lot of bacon: Let the bacon fully cool on the paper towels, then ball the paper towels up--with the bacon still inside--and and squeeze it until the bacon is broken up into whatever size pieces you desire. All the mess stays in the paper towels!

Preparation

You can cook the bacon and make the dressing up to three days in advance. Just give the dressing another good shake before serving, as some separation may occur.

Modifications

Pork bacon adds a satisfying smoky taste to the original Cobb salad recipe, but feel free to swap in beef bacon, turkey bacon, or whatever you might prefer.

This recipe makes enough salad for four servings, but you can easily double it for a crowd or scale it down for one or two people.

Storage

If possible, refrigerate any leftover salad ingredients undressed and in separate airtight containers. Keeps for up to five days. Store the salad dressing at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Nutrition