A simple salad with spinach leaves, mushrooms, and red onion becomes worthy of a special occasion when topped with old-fashioned Hot Bacon Dressing. This salad dressing is the stuff dreams are made of. So sweet and salty with tons of bacon flavor and a little tang. Totally crave-worthy.
Only Hot Bacon Dressing can turn a bowl of leafy greens into comfort food!
What makes this salad irresistible is bacon. Lots of bacon PLUS bacon grease. The two of them together- man oh man! I also like to cook some vidalia onions in the bacon grease.
You might be shocked at how much sugar is in this recipe but it really gets balanced by the apple cider vinegar. It’s still a very sweet dressing, but that sweetness tastes so good with the salty bacon.
A little cornstarch gets added to thicken the dressing up. I think that is the main thing that makes this dressing so good. It’s thick and really clings to everything you put it on.
Any type of bacon can be used, so choose the flavor you like best. Some people prefer thick-cut but I don’t really have a preference.
I love to serve Hot Bacon Dressing over a simple salad of baby spinach leaves, red onion, and fresh mushrooms. Hard-boiled eggs are great in this salad too. But it tastes great on any type of green salad. Sturdy greens like spinach, endive, or radicchio are best. It is meant to be served warm but can also be served at room temperature.
This dressing also tastes great on roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans.
Try These Other Salad Dressings:
- Creamy Italian Dressing
- Creamy Parmesan Dressing
- Ginger Salad Dressing
- Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
- Bourbon Vinaigrette
- Kalamata Olive and Feta Dressing
Hot Bacon Dressing
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, diced
- 1/4 cup finely diced Vidalia onion, or other sweet onion
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook diced bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but 2 tablespoons bacon grease from pan.
- Add vidalia onion to pan and cook until softened.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in water and apple cider vinegar.
- Pour into pan and return bacon to pan. Add pepper. Cook and whisk until thickened some, about 2 minutes. (It will tend to thicken more as it cools.)
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
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So delicious. My sister-in-law made this for all of us ladies when we are on vacation in the outer banks. It was a hit with everyone. I made it and will be making it again!
Excellent on a crisp Romaine salad with blue cheese crumbles!
This recipe makes for an OUTSTANDING Hot German potato salad dressing and SO easy!
Excellent! My sister-in-law made this while we were on vacation in OBX. It was a hit with everyone!
Excellent. I’d you simmer a few minutes longer it makes a great bacon jam. AmazIng on hamburgers.
I have not thought of this dressing in ages! When I was in high school sometimes my mother and I went to Marie Calendar’s in Salt Lake City, and I always got what they called the wilted spinach salad! (This was the early 70’s.) That’s where I first discovered the hot bacon vinaigrette! Thanks for reminding me!!!
How many carbs? It sounds wonderful!