Bacon & Gorgonzola Salad with Vinaigrette

Simple but full of flavor, this Bacon & Gorgonzola Salad with Vinaigrette is a quick dish to toss together!

This salad is one of those dishes that you can't stop eating. It's addicting which is surprising because it's incredibly simple. This is a little heavier salad because of the cheese and bacon so it'd be perfect for a dinner salad or to split with someone as a side dish.

I recently made roasted fennel and had a lot of fennel fronds leftover. Instead of throwing it away, I wrapped the fronds in lightly damp paper towel and stored it in a bag in the fridge. This helped keep the fronds crisp. The flavor that it's added is subtle but makes a big difference. Thinly shaved fennel would be delicious in this salad as well. 

The vinaigrette recipe makes quite a bit of dressing. You will probably only need 3 to 4 tablespoons to dress the salad generously. Store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to one week. For a different flavor in the dressing, substitute balsamic vinegar for the lemon juice. Either way, this is a great all-purpose dressing for almost any salad.

Bacon & Gorgonzola Salad with Vinaigrette
Serves 1-2

• 1 small heart romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely shredded
• 1 slice thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and finely crumbled
• 2 tablespoons Gorgonzola crumbles
• 2 tablespoons fennel fronds, chopped

Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, dijon mustard, and garlic. Slowly whisk in olive oil until combined. Season to taste. Set aside.

In a salad bowl, toss lettuce, carrot, bacon, Gorgonzola, and fennel fronds. Dress lightly with vinaigrette, as desired.