Last Updated on May 17, 2025 by Megan Jones
Crunchy lettuce gets topped with lightly spiced golden vegan chicken pieces, fresh mangos, soft ripe avocado and juicy cherry tomatoes. There is plenty of flavour going on in this Tropical Cobb salad, so much so that the dressing is kept very simple; Lime, Olive oil, Salt and pepper and leftover spice mix.
After more salad inspiration? Give this Lentil, Pomegranate, Kamut & Sumac Salad a try next!
Ingredients you’ll need to make Tropical Cobb Salad:
- Ground Spices: Coriander, Cumin & turmeric: for a spiced earthiness
- Sumac: for a layer of lemony fruitiness
- Red onion: for sharpness and a pop of colour in the salad
- Garlic: Crushed so it sticks to the vegan chicken when cooking
- Vegan Chicken and Bacon bits: For a plant based spin on a Cobb Salad.
- Avocado: To add creaminess to this salad
- Ripe Mango: for a fruity tropical spin
- Little gem lettuce and green salad leaves: For the salad base.
- Cherry tomatoes: For colour and pops of juiciness
- Olive Oil: For cooking and the dressing
- Lime Zest and Juice: to add a layer of tropical flavour to the salad
How to make this Vegan Tropical Cobb salad
This salad is super easy to make! First, you need to cook the vegan chicken and bacon bits gently in olive oil along with the crushed garlic and ¾ of the spice mix, cook until lightly golden. Then set aside to cool whilst you are preparing the dressing and remaining salad ingredients.
Prepare the very simple salad dressing by combining the Lime juice, zest, olive oil and remaining spice mix, whisk together and then set aside.
Chop/slice/cut up all the other salad ingredients and arrange everything on a large platter, add the cooled vegan chicken and bacon bits, drizzle over the dressing just before serving, to make sure the salad leaves and lettuce stay nice and crunchy.
Recipe substitutions
This recipe is versatile and can have a variety of substitutions if needed:
- Mango: Sub for ripe pineapple
- Vegan Chicken: Sub for tofu or tempeh
- Vegan Bacon: sub for coconut bacon
More Summer Recipes to try:
Tropical Cobb Salad | Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves Garlic crushed
- 170 grams vegan chicken in bite sized pieces
- 60 grams Vegan bacon bits
- ¼ medium red onion thinly sliced
- 2 small Ripe avocados * or 1 large, Thinly sliced
- 1 medium medium mango. Thinly slice or diced
- 450 grams little gem lettuce or green lettuce leaves
- 150 grams cherry tomatoes halved
- 25 grams Basil leaves for serving
- 25 grams mint leaves for serving
Vegan Chicken Seasoning:
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon sumac no salt
- 1 teaspoon Coriander ground
- 1 teaspoon Cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon turmeric ground
- ½ teaspoon paprika / red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Salad Dressing:
- 1 Lime zest & juice
- 4 tablespoons Olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- Mix the Spice blend: Combine: coriander, cumin, turmeric, red pepper flakes in a small bowl; Set aside
- Sautee the vegan chicken: Heat 2 tablespoon Olive oil in large non stick pan over medium heat. Add Garlic & vegan chicken pieces to pan. Toss to coat in oil, then add ¾ of the seasoning mix, Cook for 1 minute, then add bacon bits, cook for a further 2-4 minutes tossing occasionally, until lightly golden brown. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Make salad dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice, olive oil and spice mix, season dressing with flakey sea salt and cracked black pepper.
- Plate up: Arrange lettuce, vegan chicken and bacon, sliced avocado and mango, onion on a large plate or platter. Drizzle over the dressing just before serving. If using; Scatter basil and mint leaves over, and a final twist of pepper, sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
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