Pear Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
This Pear Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette combines crisp frisee lettuce with thinly sliced pears, caramelized pecans, and crumbled blue cheese. The dressing features a warm blend of bacon fat, shallots, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup, which coats the salad and adds a savory-sweet contrast. The texture is a mix of tender greens, crunchy pecans, and creamy blue cheese, enhanced by bits of crispy bacon throughout. This salad can serve as a starter or a light meal during cooler months when a warm dressing feels comforting.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
- 4 oz Bacon I use thick cut), diced, center-cut
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (plus, additional, if needed)
- 2 tablespoons shallot finely chopped
- 8 cups frisee lettuce , torn
- 2 large pear cored and sliced 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick
- 1/2 cup pecan halved; or caramelized pecans
- 1/3 cup blue cheese I use Danish blue, crumbled
- salt kosher salt and freshly-ground
- black pepper kosher salt and freshly-ground
Instructions
- Whisk together apple cider vinegar, mustard, and maple syrup. Set aside.
- Place bacon in a cold nonstick skillet. Cook over medium high heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- You should have about 3 tablespoons of bacon fat left in the pan. Add enough olive oil to the pan to have 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) fat total.
- Add shallots to the pan and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Slowly and carefully add apple cider vinegar mixture, whisking to combine. Season with 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper. Simmer for about 2 minutes, just until the dressing coats the back of a spoon.
- Add about half of the reserved bacon back into the dressing, saving the rest to sprinkle over the salad. Let the dressing cool until just warm and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss together frisee, sliced pears, about half of the dressing, and pecans. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately, topped with crumbled blue cheese, an extra drizzling of dressing, and the remaining crumbled bacon, if desired.
Notes
- To keep pear slices from discoloring, dip them in a mixture of equal parts water and lemon juice before assembling the salad.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 361
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 361kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 27mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 436mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 396mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 20g | 40% |
| Vitamin A | 5445IU | 109% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 111mg | 11% |
| Iron | 1.2mg | 7% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.