This Crunchy Apple and Bacon Salad with Candied Pecans is seriously scrumptious!
One of the things I love about this Crunchy Apple and Bacon Salad with Candied Pecans is that it can be made year round. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love finding my dinner inspiration from a trip to the farmer’s market. But what do you do in the dead of winter when you are craving a huge bowl of something fresh and just bursting with flavor?
You create a salad with crispy, sweet, and tart apples, creamy feta, the subtle, sweet bite of shallot slices, salty, crisp bacon, the sweet crunch of candied pecans all sprinkled over a bed of fresh spring mix and drizzled with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette for a perfectly balanced palate pleasing combination.
The homemade balsamic dressing used for my Crunchy Apple and Bacon Salad with Candied Pecans is very simple to whisk up and is a versatile vinaigrette that I use quite frequently. It combines a good quality olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. The slightly sweet, tangy dressing is one my kids love.
This salad is substantial enough for a lovely lunch, but also works well as the salad course of dinner.
How to make Crunchy Apple and Bacon Salad with Candied Pecans
Start by cooking the bacon until crispy. If you have some of my Homemade Hickory Smoked Bacon on hand, it’s the perfect accompaniment.
While the bacon is cooking, heat regular sugar in a medium sized sauce pan on a medium high heat. Do not stir but keep a close watch on it. You can shake the pan gently to redistribute the melting sugar, but again, don’t stir. When the sugar hits the right temperature, it will start to melt and turn a golden color. When all of the sugar is melted, quickly stir the pecans into the caramel/melted sugar and turn off the heat. Do not leave the pecans in the pan too long, as they can burn quickly. Spread the caramel covered pecans on a sheet of parchment paper or foil sprayed with cooking spray to cool. Warning: these pecans are very addictive! My kids will snitch these off the counter so fast…
After slicing the apple, toss in a little lemon juice to keep from browning. Thinly slice your shallot and assemble the salad with all the previously mentioned ingredients plus feta cheese or blue cheese crumbles. Drizzle with the homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Enjoy!
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Tried this? Leave me comment below!
Crunchy Apple and Bacon Salad with Candied Pecans
A salad with crispy, sweet, and tart apples, creamy feta, the subtle, sweet bite of shallot slices, salty, crisp bacon, the sweet crunch of candied pecans all sprinkled over a bed of fresh spring mix and drizzled with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette for a perfectly balanced, palate pleasing combination.
Ingredients
Salad
- 6 oz spring mix or baby lettuces
- 1/4 pound bacon cut into thin strips
- 3/4 cup pecans halves or chopped
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 apple cut into slices
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 shallot skin removed and cut into thin slices
- 4 oz feta crumbles
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove finely minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Cook the bacon until crisp.
- Heat 1/4 cup sugar in a medium sized sauce pan on a medium high heat.
- Do not stir but keep a close watch on it.
- You can shake the pan gently to redistribute the melting sugar, but again, don't stir.
When the sugar reaches the right temperature, it will start to melt and turn a golden color.
- When all of the sugar is melted, quickly stir the pecan into the caramel/melted sugar and turn off the heat.
- Do not leave the pecans in the pan too long, as they can burn quickly.
- Spread the caramel covered pecans on a sheet of parchment paper or foil sprayed with cooking spray to cool.
Cut the apple into slices and toss with lemon juice.
Remove the skin from the shallot and slice thinly.
To make the Balsamic Vinaigrette, add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper and whisk until emulsified and sugar is dissolved.
- Assemble salad ingredients and drizzle with vinaigrette.
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