Description
A delicious and hearty salad featuring mixed bitter greens dressed in a warm, flavorful bacon vinaigrette. This Bitter Greens Warm Bacon Dressing recipe combines crisp bacon, tangy red wine vinegar, and a touch of honey to create a comforting dish perfect for a light lunch or as a side for dinner. The salad is garnished with hard-boiled eggs and toasted nuts for added texture and richness.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 4 cups mixed bitter greens (escarole, frisée, dandelion, radicchio, or chicory), torn into bite-size pieces
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or pecans
Dressing
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare greens and onion: Rinse and dry the mixed bitter greens thoroughly to remove any grit. Place the greens along with the thinly sliced red onion into a large salad bowl, ready for tossing later.
- Cook bacon: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the diced bacon. Cook the bacon pieces for about 7 to 9 minutes until they turn crisp and golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
- Make warm dressing: Reduce the heat to low and add red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, black pepper, and salt directly into the skillet with the bacon fat. Whisk the ingredients together thoroughly, scraping the bottom to lift any browned bits for added flavor.
- Emulsify dressing: While whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil to emulsify the dressing. Continue whisking until the dressing is smooth and warmed through.
- Toss salad: Pour the hot dressing over the bowl of greens and onions. Add the crisp bacon pieces and toss gently to slightly wilt the greens and evenly coat all ingredients with the warm dressing.
- Serve with garnish: Arrange the dressed salad onto serving plates. Garnish each plate with quartered hard-boiled eggs and toasted walnuts or pecans. Serve immediately while warm for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use thick-cut bacon for better flavor and crispiness.
- Make sure to dry greens thoroughly to avoid sogginess in the salad.
- For a nut allergy-friendly option, omit nuts or substitute with toasted seeds.
- The salad is best served warm, but can be consumed at room temperature if needed.
- Leftover dressing can be stored refrigerated for up to 2 days but reheat gently before using.
