Spring Cobb Salad

About

Low Carb Spring Cobb Salad is chock full of goodies! A bed of baby spinach is topped with ingredients like crispy crumbled bacon, sliced snap peas, sliced radishes, diced apple, hard-boiled eggs, and chopped cooked pork tenderloin. A deliciously tart rice wine vinaigrette is made using herbs de Provence which is drizzled on top of the completed salad. Without topping the salad with dressing, the salad can be prepped ahead of time and stored for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Do I have to use pork tenderloin?

No, you can use any variety of whites meat that you would like to include, like chicken or turkey.

How long can I store the finished vinaigrette?

The vinaigrette can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Feel free to swap out the vinegar in a 1:1 ratio with any other favorite vinegar.

Is this salad dairy-free?

Yes, this salad is wonderfully dairy-free! The salad includes feta cheese, but those that are sensitive to dairy can usually handle goat cheese.

Serving suggestions

Serve this salad with a beautiful springtime dessert like 5-ingredient Lemon Bars

Ingredients

4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup natural rice vinegar
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon dried herbes de provence
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
8 slice – 6" long bacon
4 large raw egg
5 ½ cup spinach
1 cup snap peas
¼ medium – 3" diameter apple
1 lb pork tenderloin
4 ounce feta cheese
4 oz pecans
4 medium – 3/4" to 1" diameter radish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place the bacon in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cook the bacon for about 10-11 mins or until crispy throughout. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool to crisp up. Crumble the bacon once it is cooled.
Make the hard-boiled eggs by bringing a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water. Allow the eggs to cook for 8 minutes. Drain the hot water and fill the pot with ice and cold water. Allow the eggs to chill thoroughly in cold water. Shocking the eggs in cold water will allow the shells to release effortlessly from the eggs. Peel the hardboiled eggs and slice them in half. Feel free to make extra eggs and store them in the fridge for snacks.
In the meantime, make the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, rice wine vinegar, grated garlic clove (use a Microplane), herbs de Provence, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Whisk together until emulsified.
To assemble the salad, fill a large salad bowl with baby spinach. Add the ingredients to the top of the salad in rows, starting with the feta cheese. Crumble the cheese and place it on the farthest side of the bowl. Next, add the diced apples, sliced radishes (cut on a mandolin if possible), sliced snap peas, peeled and cut hard-boiled eggs, the crumbled bacon, pecans, and the diced cooked pork tenderloin. Serve the salad with the vinaigrette and enjoy it immediately.