Name: Fall Harvest Salad with a Warm Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 slices of thick bacon (cooked and roughly chopped, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon grease for the dressing); ½ small shallot (finely diced); 2 tbsp pure maple syrup; 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard; 1-1½ tbsp red wine vinegar (to taste); 1 tbsp reserved bacon fat leftover in the skillet; Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper (to taste); 5 oz mixed greens; ½ small Honeycrisp apple (thinly sliced); ½ small ripe pear (thinly sliced); ½ cup sliced carrots; 2-3 tbsp toasted pecans (chopped); 2 tbsp gorgonzola (crumbled); Freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

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This loaded fall harvest salad is tossed with a warm maple-bacon vinaigrette and topped with crisp sliced apples, pears, & carrots, toasted pecans, and gorgonzola crumbles.

I immediately bookmarked this fall harvest salad from Simply Scratch as soon as I saw it. It is loaded with ingredients I love, and I thought it would pair well with herb pork chops with caramelized shallots, roasted mini potatoes, and some Parmesan dinner rolls. This delicious, hearty salad was a big hit, and tasted great with the rest of the meal.

Fall Harvest Salad with a Warm Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 slices of thick bacon, cooked and roughly chopped, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon grease for the dressing

Warm Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette:

½ small shallot, finely diced
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
1-1½ tbsp red wine vinegar, to taste
1 tbsp reserved bacon fat leftover in the skillet
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Remaining Salad Ingredients:

5 oz mixed greens
½ small Honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
½ small ripe pear, thinly sliced
½ cup sliced carrots
2-3 tbsp toasted pecans, chopped
2 tbsp gorgonzola, crumbled
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

How to Make a Fall Harvest Salad with a Warm Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette:

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crispy. Place the bacon on paper towels to drain, then chop coarsely.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the skillet.

Prepare the warm maple-bacon vinaigrette by adding the shallot to the large skillet with bacon grease over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.

Whisk in the real maple syrup, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in the large skillet with the bacon grease. Whisk until well combined. Taste and add more vinegar if desired.

Prepare the salad by tossing the greens with some of the well-whisked warm maple-bacon vinaigrette to taste, and toss to coat evenly.

Finish the salad by pouring the dressed lettuce onto a serving plate.

Top with apple, pear, and carrot slices, along with the pecans and gorgonzola. Season with freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Serve immediately with any remaining dressing on the side.

Fall Harvest Salad with a Warm Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 30

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

Large skillet

Ingredients

Ingredients:

2 slices of thick bacon cooked and roughly chopped, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon grease for the dressing

Warm Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette:

½ small shallot finely diced
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
1-1½ tbsp red wine vinegar to taste
1 tbsp reserved bacon fat leftover in the skillet
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Remaining Salad Ingredients:

5 oz mixed greens
½ small Honeycrisp apple thinly sliced
½ small ripe pear thinly sliced
½ cup sliced carrots
2-3 tbsp toasted pecans chopped
2 tbsp gorgonzola crumbled
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crispy. Place the bacon on paper towels to drain, then chop coarsely.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the skillet.
Prepare the warm maple-bacon vinaigrette by adding the shallot to the large skillet with bacon grease over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
Whisk in the real maple syrup, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in the large skillet with the bacon grease. Whisk until well combined. Taste and add more vinegar if desired.
Prepare the salad by tossing the greens with some of the well-whisked warm maple-bacon vinaigrette to taste, and toss to coat evenly.
Finish the salad by pouring the dressed lettuce onto a serving plate. Top with apple, pear, and carrot slices, along with the pecans and gorgonzola. Season with freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Serve immediately with any remaining dressing on the side.