Nothing says summer like a fresh salad and this Wilted Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing will not disappoint. Packed with flavor and perfect for lunch or dinner with your favorite choice of protein.
A lesson I learned to lessen the impact of fumes was to turn ventilation on over the cooktop before adding the red wine vinegar to the skillet.
Wilted Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing Recipe
Wilted Spinach Salad Ingredients:
- 4 c. baby spinach, rinsed and patted dry
- 8-10 large fresh strawberries, sliced
- 4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Hot Bacon Dressing Ingredients:
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1” pieces
- ½ c. red onion, diced small
- ¼ c. red wine vinegar
- 2 t. honey, preferably local
- ½ t. Dijon mustard
- ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Wilted Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing Directions:
- Add bacon to a large skillet set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until crispy, approximately 10 minutes. Transfer cooked bacon with a slotted spatula to a plate lined with paper towels. Blot excess grease from bacon with a paper towel and set aside.
- Carefully drain and discard all but one tablespoon bacon grease from the skillet and return to heat. (Wipe any drips with a thick, damp cloth to prevent a flare-up if cooking over a flame). Add the red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Add red wine, honey, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly until thoroughly combined and heated through approximately 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir bacon and extra virgin olive oil into the skillet until combined. Continue simmering on low heat while preparing the salad.
- Add the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and goat cheese to a large mixing bowl. Pour hot bacon dressing on top and toss to combine. Transfer salad to a large serving platter or individual chilled plates and serve immediately. Enjoy!
This salad is best made fresh because the warm dressing is what brings out the flavor in the dish. Bon Appetit.
Wilted Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 c. baby spinach rinsed and patted dry
- 8-10 large fresh strawberries sliced
- 4 oz. goat cheese crumbled
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- DRESSING
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon cut into 1” pieces
- ½ c. red onion diced small
- ¼ c. red wine vinegar
- 2 t. honey preferably local
- ½ t. Dijon mustard
- ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add bacon to a large skillet set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until crispy, approximately 10 minutes. Transfer cooked bacon with a slotted spatula to a plate lined with paper towels. Blot excess grease from bacon with a paper towel and set aside.
- Carefully drain and discard all but one tablespoon bacon grease from the skillet and return to heat. (Wipe any drips with a thick, damp cloth to prevent a flare-up if cooking over a flame). Add the red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Add red wine, honey, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly until thoroughly combined and heated through approximately 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir bacon and extra virgin olive oil into the skillet until combined. Continue simmering on low heat while preparing the salad.
- Add the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and goat cheese to a large mixing bowl. Pour hot bacon dressing on top and toss to combine. Transfer salad to a large serving platter or individual chilled plates and serve immediately. Enjoy!