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.

Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (1)

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.

Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (2)

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.

Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (6)
Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (7)
Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (8)

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!

Traditional French Frisee Salad Recipe (11)

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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.

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 is petite frisée? ›

Frisée—pronounced free-ZAY—is a petite, pale curly endive produced by blanching. It has an opened, flattened shape. Its leaves are frizzy and finely cut, yellow-white to yellow-apple green in color. Frisée has a bittersweet taste and it's tender on the tongue unlike other curly endives.

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.

Why is frisée so expensive? ›

Ever wonder why there are so few of those frizzy leaves of pale green that you see in salad mixes? Well, it's because frisee lettuce is a very laborious green that is quite expensive to produce commercially. You'll rarely see it as a sole salad ingredient for that reason.

Is frisée good for you? ›

As with most leafy greens, frisée contains very few calories and a whole lot of beneficial nutrients. A single serving contains 30% of the daily recommended intake of folic acid, eyesight-boosting vitamin A, and immune-supporter vitamin C. It's also a fantastic source of dietary fibre, manganese, iron, and potassium.

What is another name for Frisee lettuce? ›

Curly endive, sometimes called frisée or simply chicory, comprises a bushy head of curly greens with leaves of a lacy texture. The slightly bitter flavor is more intense in the leaves that are a darker shade of green. It is often used in salads to add texture as well as flavor.

What is salad frisée 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. Dress the frisee with oil and lemon juice. You'll need a small frisee lettuce, washed and trimmed.

Are chicory and frisée the same thing? ›

Chicories are part of the endive family, not the lettuce family. Their colors and shapes can vary, from curly to frizzy. Two of the most familiar chicories are escarole and curly endive (AKA frisée).

Which salad green also known as frisée has a slightly bitter flavor? ›

Frisee has curled, pale green leaves that are slightly bitter (though the paler inner leaves are more tender and mild). It's also known as curly endive and chicory.

What can I use instead of Frisee salad? ›

If you can't find frisée, you can substitute with endive, radicchio or arugula. Keep in mind that frisée is milder in terms of bitterness compared to endive or radicchio.

What are the benefits of Frisee salad? ›

Frisee is cooling in nature and has a wonderful anti-inflammatory action. It supports healthy circulation and blood production. It tonifies the gall bladder, liver, and skin. Its bitter taste comes from intybin, a metabolic stimulate that encourages bile production and aids digestion and nutrient assimilation.

What is the difference between petite and petit in French? ›

Petit is used as a qualifier for "small", or "little", in the masculine form. Petite is used in the feminine form. The s is used for the plural form. The same goes for grandes and grand.

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 lettuce is also known as frisée? ›

Frisée, also called curly endive, is a variety of chicory which is frequently used in mesclun (a mixture of baby greens). The attractive pale green leaves are narrow and curly with a frizzy appearance and a slightly bitter taste.

Is frisée a lettuce? ›

Despite its “lettuce” label, frisée (pronounced “free-ZAY”) is actually not a member of the lettuce family, but rather the chicory plant family. Some of its distant relatives include the Belgian endive, green endive, radicchio, escarole, and treviso.

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.

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