Celebrate Mardi Gras with a spinach salad tossed with a bourbon dressing, and topped with avocado and bacon.
If you can’t be at Mardi Gras in person, you might as well douse your salad in bourbon. Now, I know this isn’t traditional Mardi Gras-esque food. It’s not gumbo, jambalaya or etouffée, and there’s not even a collard green in sight. But hey, it has bourbon. That should count for something, right? So, pull on those colored beads, whip yourself up a Hurricane, or some other potent cocktail, and get ready to celebrate.
To make things even better, the dressing is warmed, which will soften the spinach slightly and add a layer of “fancy” to this simple salad. Creamy avocado, salty bacon and slightly smoky roasted peppers add layers of flavor and texture that will make you say, “That’s the best salad I’ve eaten in awhile.” Well, that’s what I said, anyways.
The fat content is a little higher some of my other salad recipes, but only a very small portion is saturated fat. Besides the bacon, this salad provides heart-healthy fat from the avocado and olive oil.
The recipe:
The dressing:
In a small saucepan, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, bourbon, molasses, agave nectar (or honey), salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
Set the saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, until warm.
The salad:
In a large serving bowl, combine the spinach leaves, crumbled bacon, roasted peppers and avocado. Pour in the dressing and toss gently. Serve immediately.
Other dark leafy salads:
Cookin’ Canuck’s Chopped Kale Salad with Pomegranate & Avocado
Cookin’ Canuck’s Strawberry & Goat Cheese Green Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Bourbon Spinach Salad Recipe with Bacon & Avocado
From the kitchen of Cookin Canuck. www.cookincanuck.com
Ingredients
The dressing
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tsp molasses
- 1/2 tsp agave nectar or honey
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp ground pepper
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
The salad
- 6 cups (packed) fresh spinach leaves, stems removed
- 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 roasted red pepper (2 halves), cut into thin strips
- 1 avocado, chopped
Directions
The dressing:
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, bourbon, molasses, agave nectar (or honey), salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
- Set the saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, until warm.
The salad:
- In a large serving bowl, combine the spinach leaves, crumbled bacon, roasted peppers and avocado. Pour in the dressing and toss gently. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Sprigs of Rosemary says
You had me at bourbon . . . or maybe it was the avocado, or the bacon, even the spinach. I love ’em all. And your photos and step-by-step are, once again, simply gorgeous.
Alaina @ Fabtastic Eats says
Beautiful! What a fun salad! Im always in need of some creative salad Ideas!! Thanks!
Jenna says
What a great way to celebrate! This looks amazing
Kristen says
Oh my – I love the thought of bourbon in a dressing! Mmmmmm!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
Loving this salad for Valentine’s day!! My hubby loves warm bacon spinach salads.
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
I’ve always loved a salad with spinach and bacon and a warm dressing. Adding bourbon…well, you just KNOW that is right up my alley, right? Sounds pretty perfect to me.
carrian says
I think this probably will become a tradition, it’s lovely!
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
Dara,
This salad looks lovely, and from the ingredients I bet I’d say the same thing after I ate it, too!
Thanks!
Becky at Vintage Mixer says
A bourbon dressing?!! That sounds fabulous and good way to sneak in just a taste of liquor while I’m pregnant 😉
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
Bring on the avocados!!!
Shitaki says
I love this salad, it’s refreshing and very healthy.
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
What a nice touch adding bourbon to the vinaigrette…Yummy!!!
Carla @ Carlas Confections says
The bourbon definitely counts for something! This looks like the perfect substitution for actual Mardi Gras 😀
Erika @ The Hopeless Housewife says
This salad is packed with gorgeous colors and amazing flavors, I love it.
Leanne @ healthful pursuit says
I’ve never had gumbo, crazy right? I really need to get on that… And this salad looks fabulous, too! I love bacon through and through.
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
Mmm I love how sinful and healthy this salad is!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says
I love all of these flavors together and that is a knockout gorgeous plate of salad!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love a warm salad and that bourbon dressing sounds incredible!
Cookie and Kate says
Well, I’ve been completely oblivious to Mardi Gras this year, but I’d be happy eating bourbon spinach salad any day of the year. This looks so tasty, Dara!
sippitysup says
The avocado is a creative addition, but I do consider this dish traditional Mardu Gras food because my mom made a similar version and she LOVED Mardi Gras. GREG
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily says
How funny, I have been craving a warm spinach salad for days. And if that wasn’t a good enough reason to make one now I have a good excuse to run out and buy some bourbon! 😉
Kelsey says
Bourbon in salad? HECK YES!
Sasha says
As soon as I can crawl out of my sick bed and put on something besides my flannel jammies, I’m going to go buy all the ingredients for this salad. Is it sad the only thing I have in the house already is the bourbon?
Jen at The Three Little Piglets says
That is the cutest bowl! I love the way it curves like that!
lapsang souchong tea says
For the 3rd overload version Sort method, it is useful when we only need to sort a range of items in an Array – List.
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