Kale Cobb with Cashew-Poblano Dressing is a hearty, vegetarian version of the classic with a creamy, dairy-free dressing. Make-ahead friendly and perfect for weekend entertaining or weekday lunches. 
Happy Memorial Day, my friends! Today, I’m sharing a healthy, flavorful salad that is certainly worth adding to your summer recipe repertoire. This Kale Cobb Salad with Cashew-Poblano Dressing is vegetarian and dairy-free, however every bit as satisfying as its meaty, cheesy counterparts.
How to Make a Cobb Salad:
In short, classic Cobb salads are about bright flavors, crisp and crunchy fixings, and a creamy dressing to tie everything together. Typically, you’ll find a mashup of tomatoes, crispy bacon, grilled (or fried) chicken, hard boiled eggs, and cheese in the mix. In this version, however, we’re swapping a couple of the traditional ingredients to achieve a vegetarian version that’s every bit as hearty and dynamic as the classic.
The foundation of this Cobb is Lacinato kale, which is sturdy enough to not become soggy when the salad is dressed in advance. Also in the mix is shaved radish for crunch, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, soft boiled egg, and, most importantly, a downright addictive cashew-poblano dressing. 
How to Make Cashew Dressing:
In short, cashew dressing is SO simple, incredibly versatile, and a sure-fire way to achieve a dreamy, dairy-free dressing. In this version, raw cashews are combined with poblano pepper, white miso paste, lemon juice, and a special blend of spices to create a dynamic dressing with endless depth. The earthy flavor of poblanos is lifted by the brightness of lemon and rounded out with an umami punch from miso.
If you’re unfamiliar with white miso paste, it’s a funky fermented soybean paste that lends salty, savory depth to both sweet and savory applications. White miso paste is fermented for less time than the darker varieties, which makes its flavor a little more mellow (absolute perfection for salad dressings). 
How to Make Perfect Soft Boiled Eggs:
For this recipe, the eggs are boiled for about 7 1/2 minutes to get them closer to the classic Cobb hard boiled eggs, while still offering some jamminess in the center.
When it comes to soft-boiled eggs, I’ve found the magic boil range to be between 6 and 7 1/2 minutes. For instance, 6 minutes will produce a just-set white and an almost-runny yolk, while the 7 1/2 minute mark will leave residual softness in the yolk. Unlike hard boiled eggs that you can start in cold water, it’s best to use the drop-into-boiling-water method for soft boiled eggs. This method allows you to time the egg precisely, because you know the exact moment it hits the boiling water.
To sum up, this salad is a brimming with nutritious ingredients and the perfect addition to your summer salad roundup. Enjoy it for make-ahead lunches, easy weekday dinners, or outdoor weekend entertaining.
Lastly, if you make this recipe, be sure to tag #dishingouthealth on Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations!
Other Healthy Summer Salad Recipes:
Crispy Potato and Peach Salad with Scallion Dressing
20 Minute Summer Squash and Corn Salad
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup chopped poblano pepper (about ½ of one medium pepper)
- 2 tsp. white miso paste
- 1½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ¾ tsp. granulated garlic
- ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
- ½ tsp. freshly grated black pepper
- 1 large (or 2 small) bunch lacinato kale, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ cup shaved radish
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced thin
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
- Place cashews in a bowl and cover with 1 cup hot water. Let sit 1 hour.
- While cashews soak, prepare boiled eggs by bringing a saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high. Carefully lower eggs into water using a slotted spoon. Cook 7 ½ minutes, maintaining a gentle boil. Transfer to an ice bath and chill until eggs are just slightly warm, about 2 minutes. Peel eggs and cut into slices.
- Drain cashews, but reserve soaking liquid. Transfer cashews to a food processor (or blender) along with poblano pepper, miso paste, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic, ¼ tsp. of the salt, black pepper, and ½ cup of the reserved soaking liquid. Blend on medium speed, scraping down sides with a spatula and adding more soaking liquid as needed, until dressing is smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using spatula, transfer cashew dressing to a small bowl.
- Place kale in a large bowl. Add olive oil and remaining ¼ tsp. salt and use hands to massage oil into greens until they begin to soften. Leave kale in bowl or transfer to a serving platter. Add tomatoes and radish; toss to combine. Top with egg and avocado slices and drizzle dressing overtop. Scatter chives overtop.
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