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This homemade Hot Bacon Dressing recipe is made from rendered bacon fat, sugar, and vinegar. It’s a little sweet, a little salty, and totally addictive over a bed of fresh greens or a classic Spinach Salad.
This Hot Bacon vinaigrette salads were a popular side dish at my grandma’s house. She always made this salty-sweet dressing to eat over a bed of fresh romaine lettuce, and it hit all the right texture and flavor notes.
While my grandma used just bacon, vinegar, and sugar in her hot bacon salad dressing, I love the extra flavor and crunch a little bit of red onion adds. Feel free to leave it out if you don’t love red onion.
I still love to eat warm bacon dressing with shredded romaine, but it’s also absolutely delicious with fresh spinach leaves and a few hard-boiled eggs on top. If I had to create the ideal breakfast salad, this would be it!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Olive oil: If you don’t render enough fat from your bacon, just add olive oil until you reach ¼ cup.
- Red onion: Minced shallot works too.
- Sugar: This dressing is sweet. If you don’t like overly sweet dressings, feel free to start with 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar and increase as you see fit. Or, substitute honey or maple syrup (the flavor will change).
- Vinegar: I always use white vinegar, but cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar are also good.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Transfer bacon to a plate with paper towels with a slotted spoon to drain (do not discard bacon drippings).
- Pour the fat into a liquid measuring cup. If you have more than ¼ cup fat, discard the extra or save it for another batch. Or, add olive oil to hit the ¼ cup. Add the bacon fat back to the skillet and heat over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the rest of the ingredients: chopped red onion, sugar, and vinegar.
- Cook until the onion is soft and the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ¼ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper).
- When you’re ready to toss the salad, pour the warm vinaigrette over the greens and sprinkle with the cooked bacon.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This warm bacon vinaigrette recipe makes 2 ½ cups of dressing (approximately 1 ½ cups vinaigrette + 1 cup chopped bacon).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a small skillet to 165 degrees.
- Make ahead: The bacon can be fried up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate the bacon and rendered fat separately. Reheat the bacon grease in a skillet and proceed with the recipe. The bacon can be reheated in the microwave or oven (or bring to room temperature and serve).
- Spicy: For an extra kick, whisk in Dijon mustard to the dressing off heat. Fresh garlic adds a lot of flavor, too.
- Market salad: Build the salad of your dreams with kale, dandelion greens, cherry tomatoes, fresh mushrooms, diced avocados, toasted walnuts, or creamy goat cheese.
- Serving: This recipe makes enough dressing for 1 pound (or more) baby spinach, romaine lettuce, or other greens. If you use less than ½ cup sugar, you’ll have less dressing. Hot bacon dressing is also delicious over shredded Brussels sprouts, blanched green beans, boiled potatoes, and wilted Spinach Salad (below).
Frequently Asked Questions
Hot bacon dressing is made with bacon fat, vinegar, and sugar. My version also adds red onion. You can use regular or thick-cut bacon, and I suggest reserving the bacon to add to whatever salad you’re making (extra protein right?).
Stir cooked bacon into Ranch Dressing and let the flavors blend in the refrigerator. The bacon will infuse the ranch with its smoky, salty flavor.
More tasty salads
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Easy Garden Salad
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Greek Salad Recipe
Salad Recipes
Chinese Chicken Salad
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Hot Bacon Dressing
Ingredients
- 16 ounces bacon finely chopped
- Olive oil as needed (see note 1)
- 1/2 medium red onion minced (1 cup, see note 2)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar or less to taste (see note 3)
- 1/2 cup white vinegar (see note 4)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- Pour rendered bacon fat into a measuring cup. Pour off all but ¼ cup, or add olive oil to reach ¼ cup. Return fat to skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add onion, sugar, and vinegar. Cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ¼ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper).
- To serve, either toss the vinaigrette with greens and sprinkle with bacon, or stir the bacon into the dressing and toss with the salad. Both ways are tasty!
Recipe Video
Notes
- Olive oil: If you don’t render enough fat from your bacon, just add olive oil until you reach ¼ cup.
- Red onion: Minced shallot works too.
- Sugar: This dressing is sweet. If you don’t like overly sweet dressings, feel free to start with 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar and increase as you see fit.
- Vinegar: I always use white vinegar, but cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar are also good.
- Yield: This recipe makes 2 ½ cups of dressing (approximately 1 ½ cups vinaigrette + 1 cup chopped bacon).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a small skillet to 165 degrees.
This sounds a lot like the bacon dressing that Silver Dinner use to have on their menu around 1996. A friend worked there and showed me how to make it, but I forgot what went in it. I can’t wait to try it again!
Hi Vadene, I hope you love it! – Meggan
Excellent recipe! The proportions are great. I only had sweet onion on hand so that’s what I used. It is a sweet dressing but we like it that way. I didn’t have bacon but I always keep bacon fat on hand. I had to add a bit of water to cut the twang and I thickened it a bit with a little flour. Grind of black pepper…. yummy! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
You’re welcome, Susan! Thank you for taking the time to write. I’m glad you enjoyed it! – Meggan
This is a very good recipe and it is easy to boot. I did reduce the sugar a bit as other reviewers suggested. One change I made was to add a bit of cornstarch slurry to thicken the dressing a bit and make it a bit less oily. For my tastes, it made the dressing perfect. I used the dressing on a salad of baby spinach, hard-boiled eggs, chopped bacon, and blueberries. I loved it! I’m glad to have leftover dressing, and I can’t wait to have that salad again. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Gee Gee! I’m so glad you loved it! – Meggan
Quick, easy and delicious
THanks, Brian! – Meggan
Outstanding recipe. So easy and so good.
Thank you, Mia! Take care! – Meggan
SOOOO DELICIOUS!!! I used on a whole box of baby Spring mix, chopped avocado, and hard boiled eggs. Thanks 😊 tons ! Definitely a recipe keeper!
You’re welcome, Vicki! Take care! – Meggan
This is just like my great grandma’s except she used balsamic and added a little bit of fresh ground pepper.
Sounds delicious, Bradley! Thank you! – Meggan
Turned out pretty good but I forgot the shallots.
Thanks, Jim! I hope you add them or red onion in your next batch, they really help the flavor. – Meggan
Well I made your Bacon dressing came out delicious. I can’t wait for tonight to eat it with spinach salad with onion eggs, hard boiled cut, sliced bacon on top and a little croutons.
So glad you love it, Donna! Take care! – Meggan
I grew up making hot bacon dressing. It was the third thing I learned how to cook at 7. I came across this recipe and decided to amp up my game and it turned out great. I did not add the mustard but I will try it next time. I loved the idea on sauteing the onions and garlic. It probably to date is the best one I have made. I served it with blue cheese, blackberries, raw red onion, and garlic toast croutons
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sarah! – Meggan
Excellent simple recipe with the BEST flavor! Highly recommend. You will be hooked!
Thank you, Michelle! So glad you love it! – Meggan
Amazing taste! I made this warm bacon dressing for my hawaiian chicken salad. Perfect match! How can I make it more thicker? Many thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it, Brian! Another reader added 1 tablespoon cornstarch to thicken the dressing. I hope this helps! – Meggan
Hey can u post chicken recipe u made this with . Sounds lovely!!
I hink I overcooked the onion sugar vinegarr mix as it crystalized when I added the bacon to the salad
Hi Rebecca, I’m so sorry your dressing crystalized. Your heat may have been too high. I hope the next batch is better. Sorry about that! – Meggan
I never leave reviews for recipes but this one deserves it. Easy and delish! I did add the spicy mustard to give it a little zip. I could make a meal off of a spinach salad with this dressing.
So glad you enjoyed this dressing, Julie! Thank you for taking the time to write! – Meggan
I’m taking this side dish to a bake off at my post 617 club. I have no doubt that I’ll get a lot of votes. Wish me luck.
Good luck! Hope it’s a winner! – Meggan
Love it. I used left over bacon from breakfast and the dripping had already been discarded. I reheated the bacon in vegetable oil. This worked well but there was not much salt from the bacon. I added extra salt and it was perfect. I just love it.
So happy you loved it, Rosemary! – Meggan
Delicious! Tastes like my Grams!
Isn’t this such a grandma recipe!!! Thank you for trying mine, it is straight-up a grandma recipe for me too. She always served it on just romaine and we ate it out of wooden salad bowls. I’ll never forget it. Thank you for your comment. <3 -Meggan
Great recipe..best I have tried
Thanks Sherry. I appreciate that! 🙂 – Meggan
Delicious and easy. I’ve made others but prefer this recipe.
Added 1 T cornstarch to thicken it up and tossed it with lettuce, egg, and chicken strips. Would make it again!
Happy to hear you’d make it again, Carrie! – Meggan
I am making this for dinner tonight to go on Spring mix salad, sliced hard boiled eggs, thinly sliced red onion, halved grape tomatoes and Fried Oysters, crumbled bacon on top. Can’t wait!
Yum, sounds like a great dinner, Nancy! 🙂 Meggan
How long can you keep this dressing?
Hi Lincoln, store leftover dressing in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Reheat leftover dressing before using it. Take care! – Meggan
As written this did not make the amount of dressing you stated.
Hi Deb, thank you so much for your feedback. I’ll be making this recipe to check its yield. – Meggan
Omgosh DELICIOUS! Thank you for the recipe!! 🙂
You’re welcome, Angel! Glad you loved it! 🙂 – Meggan
Awesome dressing! We put it on spinach salad with tomatoes, feta, and toasted pine nuts. This dressing will be good on so many things!
That sounds delicious, Jill! I’m so glad you loved it! – Meggan
Wonderful recipe! I’m definitely making again!
I halved the recipe for us and used two tablespoons or so of honey because I don’t keep sugar in the house and I also used a sweet onion diced tiny because it’s all I had.
I’m so glad you loved it, Kelly! Take care! – Meggan
Top notch! Very favorable. I skimp a bit on the sugar, but that’s a personal preference. It’s a do over many times over.
Glad you loved it, Margaret! – Meggan
This recipe was spot on! Reminded me of a dressing I had at a restaurant a long time ago! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Teri, so glad you loved it! Take care! – Meggan
How much vinegar for this recipie?
Hi Beth, it’s 1/2 cup. The ingredient amounts are towards the bottom of the post. You can use the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page to quickly scroll down to it. Take care! – Meggan
Your hot bacon dressing is so good. I worked in a restaurant in 1980 they served a bacon dressing I don’t believe that it was homemade. I know Ken’s makes one but they don’t sell it in grocery stores, at least not around here, just to restaurants. I plan on checking out your site for more recipes thank you so much
Thanks Janet, so glad you liked it! Hope you enjoy more recipes. – Meggan
how long does the dressing good for?
Hi Angela, this dressing is best served immediately. The bacon can be made up to one day in advance. Enjoy – Meggan
I thought your process was very good. Here is what I like to add: 1 t celery seed, 1 t (heaping) of Durkee’s Famous Sauce, 2 raw egg yolks, 2 T flour, 1/2 t chopped garlic that was baked in olive oil, some water (1/2) cup to thin out the sauce. And one whole shallot minced and sautéed in the bacon grease. It saves in the fridge for about 4 days. I have made this for years and my mother before me, that is a total of 132 years!
On the bacon dressing:
My grandmother’s recipe calls for an egg yolk being put into the bacon grease after pan has cooled down. It really enriches the dressing.
excellent recipe. had not made hot bacon dressing before but this was better than any I’ve ever had at
a restaurant
This dressing is just like my Mother use to make for her salads! Yummy 💕
Made this and we all LOVED it! It’s easy and reheated it the next 2 days and it was equally delicious then too!
Hi Donna, I’m so happy to hear that! I just LOVE THIS. It’s one of my favorites, so simple and easy and the most delicious thing. Awesome about the reheating, too. Thanks for your feedback! -Meggan
What kind and how much onion? There’s none in the ingredient list.
Hi Fran, I’m SO sorry about that. I’ve been testing and working on this recipe in the last few days and started updating it, but I clearly got distracted and didn’t finish. It’s 1 red onion, minced, but I’ve also increased the amount of bacon to a pound, and this makes enough for a pound of salad greens. So it looks like I updated the sugar and vinegar, but not the bacon or the onion. I’ll fix the recipe! So sorry about that! Thanks for letting me know. -Meggan
If I don’t have white vinegar what else can I use
Hi Ellen, you can use 1/4 cup of lemon or lime juice as a substitute. Another substitute is white wine, but for that you would want to double it, so 1/2 cup of white wine for this recipe. -Meggan
Just like my Czech grandma used to make! Thanks for the trip down memory lane! This has become my Husband’s favorite salad. In fact, it was one of the first things I made him when we started dating. Talk about memories! Thanks again for sharing!
Do you drain the bacon grease before adding the other ingredients?
Hi Lori, no. The grease IS the dressing. You basically take out the bacon bits and use the fat from the bacon to mix with the sugar and the vinegar. Does that make sense? I hope that helps. Just let me know if you have more questions!
I made this and then didn’t eat it…how long will it last in the fridge? Can I just reheat?
Hi Amy, I’d say 3 to 4 days in the fridge is fine. Just reheat it. It should still taste great! Thanks.
I never would have thought of freezing bacon! That is such an amazing tip and you’ve totally changed my world! I also need to try this dressing! Thanks Meggan!
I must have hit upon the one thing you DON’T know… heh heh! 🙂 This dressing is straight out of Wisconsin, you’ll have to give it a try! #Sconnies
Easy to be on the same page as u when it comes to basic foods. I am between your parents and grandparents and grew up on a farm in coal, timber, farm and Amish country in S/W PA. Now they know how to cook, as you well know, and it’s still all organic with a flavor that has to be experienced to be appreciated. YUM!!!!
Bless you girl. I remember my grandmother gathering fresh dandelion greens or endive then pouring a similar hot mix over them. There was no such thing as too much of it. Time to fry up some bacon and indulge myself. Hers was a slightly soured, white gravy made with the bacon and the grease – extra of which she always kept in a small lidded crock on the stove. Thanks for the flashback.
Thanks for being on the same page as me, as always. 🙂 The dandelion greens and endive sound just magical with this.
I must confess it is my favorite dressing as well as all my grandkids( and now Calvin, too.) Whenever I have the kids over, I usually say if I’m making a salad they usually ask for bacon dressing. My Mother made it & many of my Aunts. It’s been a family favorite for generations.
Like you said Grandma, it will be a favorite of the next generation too! Calvin can’t get enough of it! Thank you so much for leaving a comment here, too, it’s always great to hear from the original chef! At least the original chef that made it for me. 🙂