Autumn Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
This Autumn Spinach Salad is proof that salads don't have to be boring! Crisp spinach, seasonal apples, and a warm bacon dressing come together for a combination that's sweet, savory, and full of texture. I love serving this one during the cooler months because it feels right at home on a holiday table but is simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 8 oz baby spinach
- 2 medium sized sweet potatoes skinned and chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds 1 pomegranate de-seeded
- 6 pieces of bacon
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- For the dressing:
- 3 tbsp reserved bacon grease
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and drain your spinach, lay out into a large platter or bowl.
- Prepare the sweet potatoes. Preheat your oven to 400. Drizzle your sweet potatoes with a little oil (I prefer coconut oil), and lightly salt. Place on a roasting pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Sweet potatoes should be crispy and golden on the outside, but soft and cooked on the inside.
- Meanwhile, cook your bacon until nice and crispy. Once cooled, chop into small pieces. Reserve 3 tbsp of the grease for your dressing and set aside.
- Place sweet potatoes, pomegranates, chopped bacon, and pecan pieces on top of spinach and toss lightly.
- Just before serving, make the dressing. In a saucepan, re-heat the reserved bacon grease if it's no longer hot over medium heat. Add vinegar, syrup, mustard, and whisk together until hot. Pour over spinach salad and toss. Serve warm!