Gina's Spinach Salad with Spiced Pecans
- Level: Easy
- Total: 25 min
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 5 min
- Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients
Spiced Pecans:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup pecan halves
Spinach Salad:
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 5-ounce package pre-washed baby spinach
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, fried crisp
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Directions
- Pecans: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in all the spices and the pecans. Stir and toast the pecans for about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a plate to cool.
- Salad: Whisk together the Dijon mustard, shallots, and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil in a continuous stream, whisking to emulsify. Season with a pinch of sugar, and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add the spinach to a large serving bowl. Toss the greens with the prepared dressing, the bacon, blue cheese, cherry tomatoes and spiced pecans.
