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    Category Home » Salads » Frisée Salad with Bacon, Croutons and Poached Egg (Lyonnaise Salad)

    Frisée Salad with Bacon, Croutons and Poached Egg (Lyonnaise Salad)

    Published: Jun 11, 2019 · Modified: Nov 14, 2021 by Leigh Anderson · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Known as Salade Lyonnaise in French, this filling and flavorful salad is made with crispy bacon lardons, warm toasted croutons, and poached egg on a bed of bitter frisée lettuce tossed with mustardy vinaigrette!

    a white bowl filled with salad, a poached egg, and chives on a blue background with a white napkin

    This frisée salad is like a very sophisticated breakfast for dinner. The warm, crispy bacon, poached egg, toasty croutons, and bitter frisée lettuce really come together in a magical way!

    What makes this frisée salad extra special is the warm bacon lardons and croutons. I like to first render the bacon in a hot pan, then use the leftover fat to brown torn pieces of day-old bread to make the croutons. The result is decadent but worth every bite!

    I promise you’ll never tire of this classic French salad. It’s one I personally make again and again. It’s the perfect meal all on it’s own or serve it in a smaller portion alongside other French-inspired recipes like: Creamy Mushroom Chicken or Vegetarian French Onion Soup.


    Ingredients You’ll Need

    All you need to make this recipe is a few simple ingredients: frisée lettuce, you can add in some escarole too if you like or use all frisée, slices of thick-cut bacon or an 8 oz piece of slab bacon, eggs, day old bread for croutons, shallot, chives, mustard (whole grain and dijon), vinegar and olive oil.

    recipe ingredients on a blue background individually portioned and labeled: lettuce, eggs, baguette, bacon, chives, oil, vinegar, mustard.

    Recipe Steps:

    Step 1. Crisp up the Bacon & Croutons

    In a hot cast iron pan cook the bacon until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan, leaving behind the fat to cook the croutons.

    two cast iron pans one with bacon lardons and the other with toasted bread

    Step 2. Make the Dressing & Toss the Salad

    In a large salad bowl, whisk together the dressing. Toss in the frisée lettuce along with the bacon and croutons. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper!

    two wooden salad bowls. one with salad dressing and the other with tossed salad

    Step 3. Serve

    Divide the salad between bowls, top each with a poached egg. Serve immediately!

    a close up photo of frisée salad in a white bowl with a poached egg with runny yolk, bacon and croutons

    FAQs and Expert Tips:

    What are bacon lardons?

    Bacon lardons are ¼″ thick by 1″ long strips of bacon cut from a slab of bacon. Unlike regular strip bacon, lardons hold their shape during cooking resulting in a heartier bite of cured pork thats crispy on the outside and meaty on the inside. Lardons are perfect for tossing in salads, quiches or slow-braised stews like Coq au Vin or Beef Bourguignon.

    Can I use gluten-free bread for croutons?

    Yes, you can absolutely use a gluten-free bread to make the croutons!

    Check out more delicious recipes:

    • California Chopped Salad
    • Creamy Cheddar, Bacon, and Potato Soup
    • Green Goddess Salad with Basil-Tahini Dressing
    • Little Gem Wedge Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Warm Garlic Croutons

    I love to hear from readers and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! Don’t forget to follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    a white bowl filled with salad, a poached egg, and chives on a blue background with a white napkin

    Frisée Salad with Bacon, Croutons and Poached Egg (Lyonnaise Salad)

    Known as Salade Lyonnaise in French, this filling and flavorful salad is made with crispy bacon lardons, warm toasted croutons, and poached egg on a bed of bitter frisée lettuce tossed with mustardy vinaigrette!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 988kcal
    Author: Leigh Anderson

    Ingredients

    • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, or 8oz slab bacon cut into ¼-inch lardons
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 c torn day-old bread
    • 2 heads frisée lettuce or 1 head frisée, 1 head escarole
    • salt and pepper

    Dressing:

    • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
    • 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
    • 2 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar
    • 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
    • 1 small shallot minced
    • ¼ c olive oil

    Instructions

    • Heat a cast-iron pan over medium heat then, add in the bacon. Slowly render the bacon, stirring occasionally until crispy and brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan but leaving the fat. Transfer the crispy bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
    • Next, sauté the torn bread in the bacon fat until toasted and golden brown on all sides, about 5-10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and transfer it to the paper towel-lined plate along with the bacon.
    • Make the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl. Whisk together the mustard(s), vinegar, shallot, and chives. While whisking, slowly stream in the olive oil, continue whisking until the dressing is completely emulsified.
    • Toss the frisée, bacon lardons, and toasted bread with the dressing. Divide between two plates and top each salad with a poached egg. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve immediately!

    Poaching Eggs:

    • Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to low and bring the water back down to a low simmer. There should just be a few bubbles hitting the surface. Crack each egg into a small cup. One at a time, tip the egg into the barely simmering water. Set a timer for 90 seconds. When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and remove the egg with a slotted spoon. Place it on a paper towel-lined plate until you're ready to use it. Repeat with the second egg.

    Notes

    Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
    • Frisée/Escarole: You can use a combination of these two lettuces, both members of the “chicory” family, or simply choose one or the other. It’s really up to you! I’ve had a hard time finding frisée at the market lately, if thats the case I use escarole. 
    • Bacon: Ideally, you want one large hunk of slab bacon you can cut into thick ¼″ thick lardons. If you can’t find that just use thick-cut bacon slices and cut them down to size. 
    • Whole Grain Mustard: an extra tbsp of dijon can be substituted for whole grain mustard.
    • Vinegar: almost any vinegar would be just fine in this dressing: sherry, red wine, apple cider, champagne etc.. 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 988kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 78g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 41g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 257mg | Sodium: 1351mg | Potassium: 1156mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 27046IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 7mg
    Did you make this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag me: @Craving_California and use the hashtag: #CravingCalifornia!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah

      July 04, 2019 at 6:20 pm

      5 stars
      I made this salad for dinner last night and my friends loved it!

      Reply

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    I'm so glad you're here. My name is Leigh and this is my food blog where I share California inspired recipes and tons of tips and tricks for better home cooking!

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