Warm Spinach & Beet Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Salads are the name of the game this season; we are loving the chance to get creative in the kitchen with the plentiful fresh leafy greens from our fall container gardens. Veggies like romaine lettuce, spinach, and kale absolutely thrive in this cool-season weather, so it’s the perfect time to start experimenting with your salad recipes. 

This week, we are bringing you a most delectable way to put your late-fall spinach and beet to the test. Toss up your typical salad recipe with this warm spinach and beet salad that will feel more like an entrée than an appetizer. Get cooking!

Fall Container Gardening

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the pure joys of container gardening in the fall. As the weather cools down, and the sun bids farewell to its reign over our days, our hardy veggies are flourishing. 

Vegetables like beets and spinach are the perfect veggies to grow in your cool-temp container garden because they prosper when the weather begins to cool off for the year. In fact, while these plants do enjoy their moment of full sun in the morning, they grow best when it’s not too hot or sunny outside. 

If you’re still considering planting your late-season garden, it’s not too late! The perks of planting in our Grow Bags is that you have the luxury of transporting your garden indoors once the first frost settles; just protect those plant babes and be sure to give them lots of sun, water, and TLC. For more information on planting your fall container garden, take a look at this article!

Warm Spinach & Beet Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Recipe by GardenuityCourse: SaladsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Recipe by Jasper White

Ingredients

• 2 medium size red beets (about 6 to 8 ounces each)
  If you have golden beets, those will also work for this recipe

• 1 1/2 lbs. of fresh spinach leaves, stems removed

• 4 ounces of thinly sliced bacon

• 1 small (6 ounces) Spanish onion, thinly sliced

• 3 tablespoons of canola or grapeseed oil

• 3 tablespoons of sherry wine vinegar

• Kosher or sea salt

• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

• Place your whole beets in a pot with water and cover. Add salt to the water, and cook the beets for about 40 minutes, or until they are tender. You can add water to the pot while cooking if necessary. 
• Rinse your cooked beets under cold water. 
• Peel, then cut in half. Slice the halves about 1/3-inch thick, so that they are shaped like half-moons.
• Cut your bacon slices into 1-inch pieces. In a sautée pan on medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. 
• Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the grease. Pour off half of the fat from the pan and return it to the stove.
• Add the onions to your sautée pan, and cook until they begin to become translucent (about 1 minute). Be sure not to over cook! 
• Next, add the oil and vinegar, along with the beets. Cook gently until the beets are very warm. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Remove the onions and beets with a slotted spoon, leaving the dressing in the pan.
• Add the spinach and toss continuously using the tongs. 
• When the spinach is slightly wilted, divide it on plates and put the warm onions and beets on top of the spinach. 
• Sprinkle each plate with the crisp bacon and serve – ENJOY.

Grow your Own

If this recipe sounds like a delight to you, try growing your own ingredients in your garden. Knowing that you alone are responsible for growing your produce will make your dish oh so much more enjoyable. Get growing today!