Spinach Salad, Warm Bacon Pecan Vinaigrette

Fresh Baby Spinach
Warm Bacon, Pecan, Red Onion Vinaigrette
Crumbled Blue Cheese

Sauté chopped bacon in a good dose of olive oil until halfway cooked. Then add sliced red onion cook until onions are translucent. Add a big splash of rice wine vinegar and turn up the heat. Stir in pecans and warm through. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Toss the warm vinaigrette with baby spinach, finish with crumbled blue cheese.
The inspiration for this dish came from one I posted back in January from Chef Michael Shafer. We held our holiday party at his restaurant The Depot in December, and one component of the party was a cooking demonstration. Chef Shafer prepared this course for us, then gave everyone a copy of his recipe to take home. His Wilted Baby Spinach with Dates, Bacon and Mushrooms was a big hit! The precise recipe is posted here.

11 thoughts on “Spinach Salad, Warm Bacon Pecan Vinaigrette”

  1. You had me at spinach! Love the crunch of baby spinach leaves and they taste so much better than lettuce. This salad would make a lovely dinner!

  2. This sounds very good. I also like Chef Shafer’s rendition with dates. I love a good date! And spinach is nice and delicate in the summer months, so now is the time for salads before it gets too tough.

  3. I’m not sure who Chef Michael Shafer is, but that salad sounds really good. I’ve never used pecans in a salad – not sure why since they seem to work perfectly.

  4. Hi Lore – spinach salad recipes are great to play around with, and I love a warm dressing.

    Hi MLV – dates were a great addition!

    Hi Dee- I love nuts in salads, fun to try different kinds…

    Hi Heather – thank you!

    Hi Ning – it sure was.

    Hi Laurie – very satisfying!

    HI Marie- it made a good combination.

    Hi Kevin – I’m with you on bacon, and we’re not alone!

  5. I’m loving the fact that you’re using bacon. Doesn’t bacon make everything taste just that much better?

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