Sweet maple syrup and sauteed shallots combine with crispy bacon in this Maple Warm Bacon Dressing Spinach Salad. Eating your greens never tasted so good!
We spent spring vacation in Vermont just a few weeks ago and visited Ben & Jerry’s Factory in Waterford and Cabot Cheese and Goodrich Maple Farm in Cabot. Everywhere we went, pure golden maple syrup.
Vermonters are serious about their maple syrup. So many creative uses. (And I’m not complaining.) Maple sugar, maple butter, maple cream, maple pecans, maple candy, maple dressing. The list goes on and on, and this New England girl loves all things maple.
In fact, I used to help collect the sap growing up. Yep, helped my retired next door neighbor, Mr. Peck, tap the trees on his hundred acres in Rhode Island. He sported a white mustache and an engineer’s hat atop a shock of white hair and was happily married for more than half a century to…drumroll please… Mrs. Peck.
He drove the John Deere tractor, and I, at six, had the very important task of riding on the trailer behind and dumping the contents of the sap buckets on the trees into the huge 40 gallon barrels. Then Mr. Peck and I headed to to the sugar house by the pond with the covered bridge to boil it down for the good stuff.
So we came home from spring break a few weeks ago with a gallon of pure golden deliciousness, and now I’m inspired to get cookin’! Hope you like maple syrup because you’ll definitely be seeing more maple syrup recipes here!
This Maple Warm Bacon Dressing Spinach Salad is such a treat. I can’t think of a better aroma than bacon crisping together with minced shallot in a hot skillet.
Except for bacon crisping together with minced shallot in a hot skillet and pure maple syrup. That takes it up a notch! Can you almost smell the sweetness? GAH!
The crisp bacon, shallots and pure maple syrup combine with dijon mustard, oil, balsamic vinegar and seasonings. Spoon the warm dressing onto baby spinach greens and fresh mushrooms. Garnish with red onion slivers and soft or hard boiled eggs.
Hope you love this delicious salad as much as we do!
*This recipe adapted from Robert’s Cafe Provence in Brandon, Vermont.
Try pairing with Jordan Pond House Popovers for an extra special treat.
Maple Warm Bacon Dressing Spinach Salad
Ingredients
Warm Bacon Dressing:
- 4 ounces sliced bacon chopped
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
Salad:
- 8 ounces mushrooms washed and sliced
- 3 soft or hard boiled eggs halved
- 1/4 red onion sliced thin
- 11 ounces fresh baby spinach washed and dried
- Optional: extra bacon bits for garnish
Instructions
- Cook chopped bacon over medium heat in large, hot skillet on stovetop until nearly crisp.
- Add minced shallot and cook with bacon until translucent.
- Remove skillet from heat.
- Stir in maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard.
- Blend well.
- Stir in oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
- In large serving bowl, combine spinach leaves and sliced mushrooms.
- Spoon warm bacon dressing over all and toss.
- Garnish with soft boiled eggs, red onion slivers and optional additional bacon crumbles.
You may also like: Vanilla Bean Maple Syrup
Liz says
This is one of Bill’s favorite salads and I love how you shook up the dressing by adding some maple syrup! Delicious idea. I’ll have to treat him to this very soon!!!
Catherine says
Dear Allie, I am a big salad girl and this warm spinach salad has my name written all over. I love the bacon bits and maple dressing…sounds delicious! xo, Catherine
Kristen Chidsey says
Did you know that my brother in law taps his trees for Maple Syrup every year? It is Ohio syrup, but we still love it and look forward to a new gift of it each year. I have to give this a try Allie 🙂
Tracy says
Sounds wonderful! I love all of these ingredients! We eat a lot of spinach salads. This will definitely be another new recipe put to good use. Thanks Allie!
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen says
Love love LOVE this flavor combo! And I’m totally dying to dive into that runny yolk! Gorgeous!
Aunt Pinkie says
Yummm! Looks sooo good! There’s nothing like maple syrup!
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says
Dang dooggely – you were hustling your way to maple goodness even as a six year old – high five, my friend! I admire your way with the golden stuff! I didn’t taste maple syrup till I got to the States as an 18 year old and have been hooked – and the thought of it with bacon and shallots is just mind-blowingly, tastebud tantalizingly PHENOMENAL!
Sounds like y’all had a wonderful vacay – I cannot wait to see all the mapley goodness you share in the days/weeks to come! Hope your week is off to a wonderful start XO!
Lisa Goldfinger says
I love maple syrup and your salad looks absolutely scrumptious. I’ve got this on my list to make soon! Thanks Allie!
Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life says
Oh this looks SO good, Allie! I hate to tell you what kind of syrup I grew up on (I’m not even sure its really syrup) but once I moved East, all we ever buy is maple syrup and if it’s local, even better! My kids prefer it and it’s really so much better! Definitely want to try your delicious looking salad!
Cynthia/What A Girl Eats says
One of my dad’s favorite salads! We used to go out to dinner ever other friday night and order spinach salads!
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
So jealous you have a gallon of maple syrup! And I didn’t know you were from Rhode Island originally, it’s pretty much in my backyard and I’m there all the time!
Taylor Kiser says
I need this salad in my life! The flavors are amazing!
Shinee says
Allie, what a great trip you had. I’m on travel itch right now, but didn’t plan on anything since we have a newborn. But reading about other’s trip is good too. I can only imagine how delicious the maple syrup in Vermont was. And this salad sounds amazing!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I’m thrilled yall had such a great time in Vermont! And I had NO clue you used tap trees when you were younger for maple syrup!! How cool is that!? Love this salad, Allie! It reminds me of something my Grandmother made at every single family gathering. You can never go wrong with a warm bacon dressing, and the addition of maple sounds just fabulous! Scrumptious salad heaven up in here! Cheers, sweets! XO
Marilyn Sylvester says
Yum! Maple syrup makes everything good!
Allie says
I agree! 🙂
Eva says
Salade avec sirop d’érable? Quelle idée fantastique! J’adore le sirop d’érable et j’aurais aimé tant visité la ferme où ils fonts le sirop….xoxo
Carina Spring says
Looks spectacular. Will try! Loved the story of your early maple-syrup-pouring days. Take care, Allie! xo
Fran says
This salad was delicious. Had a similar salad in a restaurant in Marblehead and we all loved it. I was wanting to Recreate this salad and I found yours. Thanks.