Bitter Greens Warm Bacon Dressing (Printer-friendly)

A hearty blend of bitter greens tossed with warm savory bacon vinaigrette and crisp bacon pieces.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Greens

01 - 4 cups mixed bitter greens (escarole, frisée, dandelion, radicchio, or chicory), torn into bite-size pieces
02 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Bacon Dressing

03 - 6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
04 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
05 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
06 - 1 teaspoon honey
07 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/8 teaspoon salt
09 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

→ Garnish (optional)

10 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
11 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or pecans

# How-To Steps:

01 - Thoroughly rinse and dry the mixed bitter greens. Place them along with the sliced red onion in a large salad bowl.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crisp, about 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
03 - Reduce heat to low. Add red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, black pepper, and salt to the bacon fat. Whisk to combine, scraping up browned bits from the skillet bottom.
04 - Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified and warmed through.
05 - Pour the warm dressing immediately over the greens and onions. Add the crisp bacon pieces and toss gently to slightly wilt the greens and coat evenly.
06 - Arrange the salad on plates. Garnish with hard-boiled eggs and toasted nuts if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The greens soften just enough from the heat without turning to mush, giving you that perfect textured bite every time.
  • Bacon fat is basically liquid gold, and this recipe proves why—it transforms simple vinegar into something craveable.
  • Comes together in under thirty minutes, which means you can make something that tastes like effort without the actual stress.
02 -
  • The moment you pour that hot dressing over the greens is crucial—do it while the pan is still warm and the dressing is still at temperature, or you'll lose the wilting effect that makes this work.
  • Don't skip the whisking step when you add the oil; an emulsified dressing clings to the leaves in a way that a separated one never will, and that's the difference between good and unforgettable.
03 -
  • Toast your own nuts if you can—the few minutes it takes makes a genuine difference in how alive they taste against the warm dressing.
  • If your greens are particularly tough, slice them a little smaller so they wilt more easily and become more pleasant to eat.
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