Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (2024)

by Scott Groth 11 Comments

The perfect French Frisee Salad with bacon fat dressing, bacon croutons and a delightfully runny poached egg. Look good to you? It's easy to make with the step-by-step instructions in this post. Let's take a look.

This Frisee Salad is Gluten Free, Paleo, Low Carb and delightfully different.

I love frisee salad.It has bacon fat dressing. How can you go wrong there? It has bacon croutons (also called lardons). It has a poached egg. When all the flavors come together it is just about perfection. For the recipe today I am going to give you two versions: one that is paleo and on that isn't. For the paleo version we will be using some raw honey instead of the brown sugar in the gastrique. This is a really fun salad to make and to eat.

Today I'mlooking forsome feedback in the comments. Here's the deal: I love writing about food, but maybe I've been writing too much about food in my posts? I think that for this post I'm going to keep it short and sweet. I would love to write about how frisee lettuce is grown (it's really cool!) and a bit about what a gastrique is, why it tastes so good and just how easy it is to make. If this is the kind of content that you love reading about and want to see more in future posts, please take a minute and shoot me a note with your thoughts in the comments.

QUICK COOKING TIP:After you have made the bacon fat dressing, it is going to be REALLY hot. If you pour this right on the frisee lettuce, it will wilt. Frisee is a hearty green, but it can’t hold up to hot sugar and fat being poured right onto it. Let the dressing cool just a bit before adding to the lettuce. Also, don’t pour the dressing on the salad. Pour it in the bottom of a large bowl (just enough to coat the lettuce) and then add the salad in on top. Use tongs to coat the lettuce- it will get in all the nooks and crannies as well as eliminate big sludgy spots of dressing.

Yield: 4 servings

FRISEE SALAD RECIPE

Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (9)

A delightful frisee salad with bacon croutons, a yummy gastrique and a delightfully runny poached egg.

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time50 minutes

Total Time1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 2 Heads Frisee Lettuce

For the Bacon Croutons (lardons)

  • ½ LB Slab Bacon, cut into ½” strips and then into batons

For the Poached Eggs

  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar

For the Bacon Fat Dressing

  • ¼ Cup White Wine Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Raw Honey, (FOR PALEO ONLY) or 2 tablespoon Brown Sugar (for traditional style)
  • 1 tablespoon Whole Grain Mustard
  • ½ Cup Rendered Bacon Fat

Instructions

For the Bacon Croutons

  1. Use a heavy bottom pan (preferably cast iron) and heat over medium-high heat. Add the bacon pieces so the wide side is flat against the bottom. When the fat starts to render, lower the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook for about 20 minutes, then use tongs to flip the bacon pieces over and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. If you have thinner bacon, the cooking time should be reduced.
  2. Use the tongs to remove the bacon croutons to a bowl. Leave the fat in the pan.

Next Steps

  1. Place a small pot of water over medium-high heat. This will be for the poached eggs. Add in the vinegar and let it warm while you are making all the other items. If you have made poached eggs before and are comfortable, use a larger pot to cook more than 1 at a time. If you have not made them before, start with a small pot. It is much easier.
  2. Next, wash the lettuce and spin dry or pat dry with clean dish towels. When dry, tear into bite sized pieces with your hands. Set aside.

Making the Bacon Fat Dressing

  1. In a small saute pan, add in the vinegar and EITHER the honey or brown sugar. Turn the heat to high. Mix well and continue to mix until it has reduced by about half. Turn the heat to low.
  2. Add the mustard and mix well.
  3. Add in about ½ cup of the liquid bacon fat. Turn the heat to medium and mix well. Allow to thicken to your desired consistency. Turn off the heat and make some poached eggs!

Making the Poached Eggs

  1. The water should be nice and hot by now. We are looking for a lazy boil, not a rolling boil. If your water is going crazy, reduce the heat and allow it to calm down. Then, using your slotted spoon, make a slight current in the water with a clockwise motion. Just slight- it should not be crazy. Crack the egg right into the center of the pot. You will see all the wisps rotate around the egg. This is why we created a slight current.
  2. Allow to cook for 2 minutes for a really runny egg. For a more firm egg, go 2 and a half minutes or for an even more firm egg, goto 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Cover with tented foil.
  3. Cook the remaining eggs in the same manner.

Bringing it all together

  1. Add enough dressing to the bottom of a large bowl. Toss in the lettuce and coat using some tongs.
  2. Place the bacon croutons evenly on the bottom of 4 plates. Top with the dressed frisee and poached egg.
  3. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4
Amount Per ServingCalories 575

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram


FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE FRISEE SALAD RECIPE:

Looking for something to serve with this awesome salad? If you're going to indulge, I would suggest pairing it with mycrispy pork belly. What... is bacon fat dressing, bacon croutons and pork belly too much in one meal? No way. Give it a try with mytomato coulis. All the flavors work so well with one another. Yumm.

This salad also loves to be paired up with a niceporterhouse steakor a simplepan seared pork chop. I hope that you like this recipe and keep coming back for more. Have an excellent day in the kitchen!

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Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (12)

About Scott Groth

Scott Groth has gone from a burned out, overweight executive to a professional food blogger, chef, low carb + keto enthusiast. His style is fun, fresh, and family-friendly. Learn more about Scott in his bio, discover the story behind this blog, and learn about his incredible low-carb journey.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dave Gressley says

    I like what you do. Keep it up!

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hi Dave:
      Thank you so much- I'll keep cranking out the recipes!
      Have an excellent day in the kitchen.
      Scott

      Reply

  2. Bella says

    Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (13)
    Been following you in pinteres for a while now and just came here to have a look on your own blog and i'm already super amazed by your super delicious sounding recipes and really like how you're doing things here 🙂 I'll definitely come back more often! 🙂 have a nice day!

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hi Bella:

      Sorry that my response has taken so long- the move overseas really threw a monkey-wrench into the gears. Thanks so much for your kind words- I really appreciate them more than you know. I have a whole slew of new recipes in the making that I'm working to get posted up- please come back to visit!

      Take care and happy eating-
      Scott

      Reply

  3. sarah says

    Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (14)
    Turned out amazing! Kids and adults loved them! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hi Sarah:
      Great to hear that and thank you for taking the time to write your thoughts.
      Have a fabulous day in the kitchen!
      Scott

      Reply

  4. Carl Wickowski says

    Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (15)
    Didn't make the poached egg but used a sunny side up fried egg instead. I thought that everything together tasted really spectacular. Nice recipe.

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hi Carl:
      That works too, variation is key. Thank you for posting.
      Take care,
      Scott

      Reply

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Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is frisée salad made of? ›

Frisée is a type of salad green in the chicory family; it is also called curly endive and is made up of long, narrow, curly leaves. It has been used in European countries for some time but it wasn't until the 1990's that frisée gained popularity in America.

What is French salad made of? ›

This Classic French Salad recipe, containing potatoes, beans, cooked eggs, tomatoes, olives and tuna, is inspired by the classic French Niçoise salad. To cook new red potatoes, leave whole and place in saucepan. Add water to cover potatoes, then boil, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.

How to make frisée less bitter? ›

Blanch Them

Blanching your greens is key to getting that bitterness level down. Because glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds, a lot of them are leached out into the water, allowing for a less bitter green.

What is the difference between frisée and endive? ›

Taxonomically speaking, all frisée are endives, but not all endives are frisée. Frisée is sometimes called curly endive or chicory. But unlike some endives, frisée does not have a cylindrically shaped leaf. Instead, it's rather shaggy and bushy.

What does frisée mean in English? ›

Meaning of frisée in English

a plant that has green leaves with curly edges, eaten uncooked in salads: This fish dish is excellent served with a side salad of frisée.

What are the most popular salads in France? ›

List includes: Salade Niçoise, Salade Landaise, Salade paysanne, Salade de Saucisse.

What is the famous salad in Nice France? ›

Nicoise Salad (Salade Nicoise)

Nicoise Salad – or in French, Salade Nicoise – is a classic salad originating from the city of Nice in Provence, France. As with most well-loved traditional recipes, there are fist-shaking arguments over what goes into a proper Nicoise salad.

What is French salad dressing made of? ›

It's defined as a blend or emulsion of vegetable oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and any of the following optional ingredients: Salt. Spices and/or natural flavorings (usually paprika, onion powder, and sugar) Tomato paste, tomato purée, or ketchup.

Can you eat frisée raw? ›

Leaves are eaten raw in salads, boiled, steamed, sauteed, braised, or cooked in soups and stews. The mature plants are sometimes blanched before harvesting to reduce the bitter flavor.

What part of frisée do you eat? ›

While most of its parts can be eaten, people tend to avoid its pale, yellow heart due to its extremely bitter taste. This green veggie is best enjoyed with other ingredients or dishes that are full of flavor.

What lettuce is also known as frisée that contains a slight bitter flavor? ›

Answer. Answer: Also known as curly endive or chicory, frisée has a fresh, bitter, slightly grassy flavor.

Why is frisée so expensive? ›

Warm temperatures and sunlight bolster the bitterness of its leaves, so keeping it in the dark allows the plant to grow more tender and pleasant to our taste buds. Because blanching requires more time and effort, the market cost of frisée reflects that.

What is Italian frisée? ›

Frisee is a type of lettuce in the chicory and endive family. It has a slightly bitter or peppery flavor and looks exactly like it sounds. STORAGE TIPS: Gently shake off any excess water (do not wash first) and wrap in a flour sack towel (or paper towels) and put in an open plastic bag in the fridge.

What is the head of frisée? ›

Also called curly endive, frisée grows in a head like other greens. The leaves are green on the outside and paler and more yellow on the inside. The leaves resemble ferns, with a lot of forking, giving it a frizzy or curly appearance. The leaves of frisée can be cooked, but they are more often used raw in salads.

Is frisée a type of lettuce? ›

Frisee: A great little lettuce that is part of the chicory family. It is lacy and pleasantly bitter. As the lettuce grows, each head is tied up so that the sun does not penetrate the center of the lettuce as it finishes growing.

What does frisée taste like? ›

Known for its curly pale-green leaves, frisée lettuce can bring dimension and texture to any salad preparation with its mildly bitter, peppery flavor and crunchy leaves.

What kind of lettuce is Caesar salad made of? ›

We all know what it is: chopped romaine lettuce and garlicky croutons, tossed in a creamy dressing made with eggs, olive oil, lemon, Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovies.

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