Indulge in the festive Apple Pecan and Bacon Salad with Caramelized Shallot Vinaigrette dressing. This salad is perfect for the holidays, with a delicious blend of sweet and savory flavors.

With holiday parties and gatherings in full swing, there's no better way to impress your friends and family than with this go-to holiday salad.

Crisp apples, candied maple pecans, crunchy bacon, and creamy blue cheese are combined with a caramelized shallot and garlic vinaigrette to create a mouthwatering dish.

EASY SALAD PREPARATION DURING THE BUSY HOLIDAY SEASON

What I truly love about this salad are the different salad components that can be prepped AHEAD of time! Let’s break it down:

Keep apples fresh and crisp

To prevent apple slices from browning quickly, soak them in a mixture of water and lemon juice. This easy trick will help keep your apples looking and tasting fresh for longer.

Preparing Candied Maple Pecans

For best results, make your candied maple pecans the day before you plan to use them. Once you've finished cooking them in a skillet, let them cool to room temperature before transferring them to the fridge to chill until needed.

Caramelized Shallot and Garlic Vinaigrette

Begin by caramelizing a mixture of shallots and garlic in the skillet you just used to make the candied maple pecans. Then, add the mixture to a food processor with the remaining dressing ingredients. Store the dressing in an airtight container until you're ready to use it.

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Indulge in the festive Apple Pecan and Bacon Salad with Caramelized Shallot Vinaigrette dressing. This salad is perfect for the holidays, with a delicious blend of sweet and savory flavors.

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Servings: 4-6 Prep: 10 MIN Cook time: 20 MIN

Ingredients

1 - 12 oz package of uncured, no sugar bacon
1 - container mixed greens
2 large handfuls arugula
6 oz blue cheese
1 large gala apple

to make the candied maple pecans

1 cup raw pecans
1 Tbsp grass-fed butter, ghee, or coconut oil
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp sea salt

to make the shallot vinaigrette

3 cloves of garlic, mashed
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
¼ cup avocado oil
S+P to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lay bacon out onto a tin foil lined sheet pan or wire rack baking pan. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until bacon is crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
While the bacon is cooking, make the candied maple pecans by heating a skillet with 1 Tbsp of butter over medium heat.
Place pecans and syrup in the skillet, stirring constantly for about 3-5 minutes. While the syrup thickens and is coating the pecans, sprinkle seasonings over the pecans.
Spread the mixture out onto a parchment paper and allow to cool completely (the syrup will continue to harden as they cool). Set aside.
To make the dressing, add sliced shallots and mashed garlic to the same pan with 1 tbsp oil. Sauté for a few minutes until the shallots are caramelized and softened. Stir in the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and a dash of salt and pepper and let simmer for 30 seconds or so. Transfer mixture to a food processor and add dijon mustard, oil and seasonings and pulse until mixture is smooth and creamy.
To a large salad bowl, add the mixed greens and arugula along with apple slices, candied maple pecans, bacon (roughly chopped), blue cheese crumbles and pour in the vinaigrette and toss to combine.
Taste the salad and season with more salt and freshly cracked black pepper if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes

Making this salad for the holiday season and pushed for time? Find my go-to busy tips above with the header: EASY SALAD PREPARATION DURING THE BUSY HOLIDAY SEASON