Spring produce is showing up all over Spartanburg, and with it comes the kind of ingredients that make you want to build a meal around what you find that week. Strawberries are starting to pop up at stands and markets across the area, and when paired with fresh greens, local cheese and a warm bacon dressing, they turn into something worth putting at the center of the table.
You can source nearly everything for this salad locally. A Saturday stop at Hub City Farmer’s Market always a good place to start, but you’ll also find fresh strawberries, greens and pantry staples at places like Strawberry Hill USA Farm, Abbott Farms, Hobo Hollar Farms, Bellews Country Store and Eubanks Farm. Many of these spots also carry local meats and cheeses, which makes pulling a dish like this together even easier.
The combination here hits every note—sweet strawberries, salty bacon, tangy goat cheese and a warm dressing that pulls everything together. It’s the kind of salad that doesn’t get pushed to the side.
Strawberry & Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients:
• 6 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
• ½ cup chopped pecans (toasted, if desired)
• 6 slices thick-cut bacon
• 2 tablespoons bacon grease (reserved from cooking)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1–2 tablespoons honey (to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool, then crumble. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease in the skillet.
2. Assemble the base by adding spinach, strawberries, goat cheese and pecans to a large bowl.
3. Make the dressing: Add apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and honey to the warm bacon grease. Whisk until combined and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Finish the salad: Pour the warm dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently and top with crumbled bacon.
This salad is best served right away while the dressing is still warm and the spinach softens just slightly. Add grilled chicken/fish or keep it as is- it holds its own either way.
As more produce comes into season, this is the kind of recipe you can adjust week to week depending on what you find locally. Swap in different greens, try candied pecans, or add thinly sliced red onion. It’s a good reminder to keep an eye on what’s coming out of nearby farms, because right now there’s a lot worth bringing home!
