Hot Bacon Vinaigrette Dressing is the sort of dressing that converts even the most skeptical salad eaters. It’s spectacular when poured hot over roasted Brussels sprouts or warmed and drizzled over a spinach salad, and it’s equally delicious at room temperature on a tossed romaine or leaf lettuce salad with your favorite toppings.
This classic vinaigrette gets a modern lift with Dijon mustard and a touch of maple syrup or honey. Try it once and it will be hard to resist—even the declared “I don’t like salad” crowd will likely change their tune when a salad is finished with Hot Bacon Vinaigrette.
I love salads and always have. For everyday greens I usually go simple—good oil, vinegar, coarse salt, and fresh cracked black pepper. But when I want something more composed or special, Warm Bacon Vinaigrette is my go-to. Served warm, it awakens the flavors and brings a satisfying complexity you won’t find in most store-bought dressings.
This vinaigrette is bright and tangy from the apple cider vinegar, smoky and savory from the bacon and its drippings, slightly sweet from maple syrup or honey, and rounded by Dijon mustard. Small cubes of crispy bacon act like little flavor gems in the dressing, making each bite more interesting. It’s the dressing I reach for when I want to impress, and it pairs especially well with baby spinach or a Brussels sprout-based salad.
Cook’s Notes
I prefer thick-cut bacon for this dressing because it dices into uniform cubes that suspend nicely in the vinaigrette instead of sinking. If you only have thin bacon, it will still work—just give the dressing a little extra stir to keep the bacon distributed.
Although baking bacon on a sheet pan is my usual method, for this vinaigrette I like to cook the bacon in a saucepan on the stovetop. That way you can make the entire dressing in one pan and keep all the flavorful drippings right where they belong.
To dice the bacon, stack four strips, cut them in half, then stack and rotate 90°. Slice lengthwise into 1/8-inch strips, then turn and cut across to make small 1/8-inch cubes. Begin cooking the bacon over medium-low heat so some fat renders slowly, then raise the heat to medium and stir frequently until the pieces are crispy. Avoid too high a heat so the drippings don’t scorch.
For this dressing you want the bacon crisp because it will soften a bit while sitting in the warm vinaigrette. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate and keep as much of the fat in the pan as possible.
Key step: add the minced garlic to the hot fat before the other ingredients and give the pan a quick swirl. That brief sauté mellows the raw edge of garlic and keeps the dressing from becoming overly pungent.
Whisk the remaining ingredients—maple syrup or honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, coarse black pepper, and kosher salt—into the hot bacon fat and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Let it simmer for about 1–2 minutes until the dressing reduces slightly and coats the back of a spoon, leaving a visible trail when you run your finger through it. Once it reaches this consistency, stir the crisp bacon back into the dressing.
Use the vinaigrette immediately for the best texture, or pour it into a heatproof jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to five days. Reheat gently before serving by placing the closed jar in hot tap water and swirling, or remove the lid and microwave at 50% power in 20-second bursts until warmed through.
Hot Bacon Vinaigrette Dressing
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced into 1/8-inch cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard (smooth or grainy)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the diced bacon in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir as some fat renders, then raise heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon is crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, keeping the fat in the pan.
- Return the pan to the burner, add the minced garlic and swirl to soften the raw edge. Immediately whisk in the maple syrup or honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 1 minute, or until the dressing coats the back of a spoon and leaves a trail when you run your finger through it.
- Stir the crisp bacon back into the hot vinaigrette. Use right away, or transfer to a heatproof jar with a tight lid and refrigerate up to 5 days. Reheat gently and stir before serving.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 4g
Protein: 2g
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 9mg
Sodium: 379mg
Potassium: 56mg
Sugar: 3g
Vitamin A: 5IU
Vitamin C: 0.2mg
Calcium: 11mg
Iron: 0.1mg
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use if needed.
Love Bacon Vinaigrette Dressing? Try these Salads!
- Easy Bacon Pea Salad
- Asian Pasta Salad
- Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad
- Tex Mex Cobb Salad
- Cheeseburger Salad
- How to Eat a Salad Everyday and Like It
- Doritos Taco Salad
