Bitter Greens with Warm Dressing (Printable Version)

A robust salad featuring mixed bitter greens tossed in a warm savory bacon dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Rinse and dry the mixed bitter greens thoroughly. Place in a large bowl along with the thinly sliced red onion.
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 and whisk, scraping up browned bits from the skillet bottom.
04 - Slowly whisk in olive oil until the dressing is emulsified and warmed through.
05 - Immediately pour the warm dressing over the greens and onions. Add crisp bacon pieces and toss gently to slightly wilt and coat the greens.
06 - Arrange the salad on plates. Optionally garnish with quartered hard-boiled eggs and toasted nuts. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The warm dressing gently wilts the greens just enough to soften their edge while keeping them crunchy, making every bite feel intentional.
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • Bitter greens have a way of making you feel healthier even though you're eating bacon fat, which is the best kind of win.
02 -
  • The dressing must be warm when it hits the greens; cold dressing won't wilt them and you'll lose that textural shift that makes this salad special.
  • Dry your greens properly or the dressing will slide right off—this is the difference between a silky salad and a watery puddle.
  • Don't prepare the greens more than an hour ahead; they'll start to oxidize and lose their brightness.
03 -
  • Save a splash of the bacon cooking fat in a jar; you can use it for salad dressing, roasting vegetables, or browning eggs for days afterward.
  • If your dressing breaks and separates, whisk in a teaspoon of cold water and a tiny bit of mustard to bring it back together.
Go Back