This Bacon Delicata Salad is loaded with crispy, pan-fried bacon, sautéed delicata squash, and crumbled bleu cheese. This mouthwatering savory squash salad can be served warm or cold and can easily be prepared ahead of time!
Sautéed Bacon Delicata Squash Salad Recipe
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be pairing delicata with bacon…let alone bleu cheese. But now I think I’ll be adding all three to pretty much everything I ever eat.
Okay, maybe not. But seriously. This Bacon Delicata Salad is everything! I actually found a similar salad in the grab and go food stations at work and I knew immediately that I needed to recreate it. It was so good!
It’s crispy, pan-fried bacon with delicata sautéed in bacon grease, tossed with parsley, apple cider vinegar, and bleu cheese crumbes. It’s so simple and so amazing!
The 5 Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bacon -you’ll need 5-6 slices of thick-cut bacon.
- Delicata Squash – 1 large delicata squash makes the perfect amount to serve 4 with this recipe.
- Parsley – adds a little bit of freshness.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – adds a little bit of tartness to balance out the tangy bleu cheese and sweetness of the squash.
- Bleu Cheese – I use crumbled bleu cheese that I got from the specialty deli section at the grocery store.
How to Make Delicata Squash Salad
This delicious delicata squash recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep!
- Cook the bacon: In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Set aside to cool and drain the grease.
- Prep and sauté the squash: Slice the squash in half, remove the seeds and ends, then slice it into pieces. Sauté it in the leftover bacon fat until soft, then set aside to cool. I leave the skin on the squash, as it softens enough when cooked.
- Combine and serve: Chop the bacon into small pieces, then combine in a bowl with the squash, parsley, and apple cider vinegar. Add the bleu cheese when you’re ready to serve.
Tips to Sautéed Delicata Squash on The Stovetop
- Slice the squash evenly. We want 1/4″-1/2″ thick pieces so they cook at the same rate. The slices are also key because there’s more surface are to soak in the flavor.
- Sauté in batches. The beauty of sautéing is the squash gets a slightly caramelized exterior thanks to its natural sugars. If there’s too much in the pan, the pieces will just steam.
- Check the squash before you pull it off of the heat. It should be fork-tender and the skin should be soft.
What to Pair With a Squash Salad
You can serve this warm or cold. However, I do recommend adding the bleu cheese when you’re ready to serve.
If you plan to serve this as a stand-alone side dish, I would serve this with red meat, such as a good grilled steak. I would also love this with a more mild chicken, as there’s so much flavor in the salad itself.
Bacon Delicata Salad makes an excellent holiday side dish, so I love it as part of a holiday feast alongside of mashed potatoes, stuffing maybe some sweet rolls or Sweet Potato Casserole.
Plus, it’s easy to make ahead of time you can have it ready to go in advance to free up time for other recipes later on!
How to Store
The salad will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. When you’re ready to serve, enjoy cold or warm up on the stove until heated through. If possible, store leftovers without cheese so you can add it right before serving!
More Easy Side Dishes
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Bacon Delicata Salad
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: side dish
Description
This Bacon Delicata Salad is loaded with crispy, pan-fried bacon, sautéed delicata squash, and crumbled bleu cheese. This mouthwatering savory squash salad can be served warm or cold and can easily be prepared ahead of time!
Ingredients
- 5–6 slices of thick cut bacon
- 1 large delicata squash (about 3 cups chopped)
- 1 handful parsley (about 3 tablespoons chopped)
- ½– ¾ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 3–4 tablespoons crumbled bleu cheese (to taste)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Once cooked, set on a paper towel to remove excess grease and allow to cool. Drain most of the grease from your skillet, leaving a few tablespoons in the pan.
- Slice the delicata in half and remove the seeds and the ends. Then slice it into pieces about 1/4” – 1/2” thick then quarter, about the size of a nickel.
- Sauté the squash, about 2 cups at a time in the leftover bacon fat and cook 5-6 minutes until the squash is fork tender and the skin is soft. Set aside to cool.
- Chop the bacon into small pieces and combine in a medium-sized bowl with the cooked squash, parsley and ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Add additional vinegar to taste is desired. Gently toss to combine.
- If serving cold, then store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, toss together with the bleu cheese.
Notes
Serve warm or cold. If serving cold, I suggest to microwave for 60 seconds before serving.
This recipe is SO delicious. I even got family members who aren’t squash people to have some and they loved it too! It was even more yummy the next morning under a couple of fried eggs. Definitely keeping this recipe alive year round!
That is AWESOME Callie! Thank you!