Frisée Salad with Lardons and Poached Eggs
Traditional Frisée Salad (also known as Salade Lyonnaise) is a classic bistro salad with French origins. It’s crowned with a poached egg, chewy lardons and crunchy croutons. You’ll love this simple but refined dish with a limited ingredient list for a special lunch or light dinner with a crusty, warm baguette.
In the 10+ years I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve shared several French-inspired salad recipes, like this Nicoise salad bowl, this French green bean potato and tomato salad and this no-mayo French potato salad. They’re all exceptional in their own way, but this frisée lettuce salad is the undisputed winner.
It’s more about restraint and balance than loading a salad bar’s worth of extra toppings on lettuce, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t every bit as indulgent and satisfying. Trust me, this recipe delivers on all fronts.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- There are only 8 ingredients, but each one plays a specific role in taste, texture and satisfaction.
- Big, chewy, meaty chunks of rendered lardons take your bacon fantasies to the next level.
- The crunchy sourdough croutons are seasoned with Herbes de Provence, which includes flavors intrinsic to the South of France (don’t worry—you can find it at the supermarket).
- If you don’t have tickets to Paris in the near future, this frisée salad recipe is easy to make at home.
Ingredients:
- Frisee Lettuce —This specialty lettuce (a.k.a curly endive) is related to chicory. It’s pale green to light yellow in color and slightly bitter. The frilly leaves can be quite spindly or soft and lacy. Either way, they are visual stunners and add texture to this bistro salad.
- Lardons – Larding (verb) is a method of adding fat to leaner cuts of beef usually in the form of pork backfat. Lardons are unsmoked pieces or chunks of pork fat rendered until crispy, chewy and decadent. You don’t often find pork back fat in markets, so for this recipe, I recommend using slab pancetta from the deli. Ask them to slice it in a ½” chunk, then dice into ½” pieces
- Sourdough Bread – This style of bread has a dense, chewy quality that’s perfect for croutons. You can also use a rustic country loaf.
- Olive Oil – You don’t need a fancy olive oil for this. An everyday brand works well.
- Herbes de Provence – A combination of savory, thyme, rosemary, fennel and lavender, among other herbs. This traditional French blend can be found in the spice aisle of most grocers.
- French Radishes—These long, thin pale pink to magenta-colored radishes are milder and sweeter without the harsh bite of regular red radishes.
- Distilled White Vinegar – (or white wine vinegar) this helps keep the eggs intact while poaching.
- Eggs – When poached, add a luxurious finish to the frisée salad.
- Lemon Vinaigrette – I use a homemade dressing that includes fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard and extra-virgin olive oil, but you can also use your favorite store-bought variety.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Rinse the frisee lettuce well and dry the leaves completely. Tear apart the bunch into smaller pieces for the salad.
2. Dice the lardons into ½” chunks. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the pancetta to the dry pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat renders its fat and becomes crispy and golden brown. Transfer the pancetta to a dish lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat.
3. Cut the sourdough into cubes. Heat the olive oil and Herbes de Provece in a small microwaveable bowl in 15-second bursts until the herbs are fragrant. Drizzle the herb infused oil over the bread and toss to coat evenly.
4. Transfer the bread cubes to a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes in a 300° F oven. Flip the breadcrumbs and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the croutons are golden and crunchy.
5. Assemble the lemon vinaigrette (this recipe is easy and takes less than 10 minutes to assemble) or use your favorite bottled vinaigrette. Whisk the dressing until it’s emulsified.
6. Assemble the frisee salad in a large bowl and add sliced French radishes, rendered lardons and crispy croutons.
7. Poach the eggs:
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, with just a few bubbles rising.
- Add a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar.
- Crack an egg into a small bowl or ramekin.
- Stir the water rapidly in one direction to create a whirlpool effect.
- As the water is spinning, carefully slip the egg into the center of the vortex and simmer for 4 minutes without touching it.
- Transfer the poached egg with a slotted spoon or spider (pictured above) and blot it dry on a paper towel.
8. Add the dressing to the frisée salad (about 3-4 tablespoons) and toss well. Divide the salad among the plates and top with a poached egg and an extra drizzle of vinaigrette—season with a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Pro-Tips
- Make the croutons earlier in the day or a day ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature until you’re ready to use. If they get soft as they sit, crisp them for 5-10 minutes in a 300° oven.
- Nervous about poaching the eggs? You can also use an egg poacher, or make jammy boiled eggs, instead (instructions below).
For Jammy Eggs, Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover eggs in their shell by about ½”. Bring the water to a boil, then add the eggs. Reduce the heat to medium and set your timer for 6½ minutes. After the timer dings, transfer the eggs to an ice bath to quickly cool them. Crack the shells by tapping them on a counter, peel and slice the eggs in half.
Variations:
- If you don’t have pancetta, you can use thick sliced bacon chopped into ½” pieces. Fry the bacon until crisp.
- Add other vegetables, such as grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber or shredded carrots to the frisee lettuce.
- For a vegetarian version, swap wild sauteed mushrooms for the bacon.
- For a punchier dressing, try this creamy anchovy vinaigrette.
FAQs
Make Ahead
You can make these salad components ahead of time for quick assembly:
- Lemon vinaigrette can be made 3-4 days ahead.
- Wash and dry the frisee lettuce and store it wrapped in a paper towel inside a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- Herbed croutons can be made a day or two ahead.
Storage
- Once the salad is assembled and dressed, it should be eaten. It won’t keep in the refrigerator.
More tasty salad recipes:
- Endive Salad with Walnuts and Dijon Dressing
- Fried Goat Cheese Salad
- Crunchy Chinese Chicken Salad
- Mediterranean Chicken Kale Quinoa Salad
- Persimmon Pomegranate Salad with Candied Hazelnuts
- Juicy Peach and Baby Kale Salad with Bacon Dressing
Frisee Salad with Lardons & Poached Eggs
INGREDIENTS:
For The Salad
- 2 cups cubed sourdough bread chopped into 1/2″ pieces
- ½ teaspoon Herbes De Provence
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ pound pancetta cut into ½" cubes
- 1 large bunch frisee lettuce can use green leaf, red leaf or spring greens as well
- 3-4 french radishes thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 egg per person
- 3-4 tablespoons Lemon Vinaigrette or your favorite oil and vinegar based dressing.
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
MAKE THE CROUTONS:
- Preheat the oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil and set aside. Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon Herbes De Provence in a small bowl and heat in the microwave in 15 second increments until the herbs are fragrant.
- Drizzle the oil and herbs over 2 cups cubed sourdough bread and toss to coat completely. Spread the bread in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the bread around on the pan and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until crisp. Set aside.
CRISP THE LARDONS:
- Place a small skillet over medium high heat and add ¼ pound pancetta, cooking until browned and crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
- Combine 1 large bunch frisee lettuce, crispy pancetta, 3-4 french radishes, sliced thin and toasted croutons together in a large salad bowl and set aside.
POACH THE EGGS:
- Fill a small saucepan two thirds full with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the water just comes to a simmer with a few bubbles rising to the top, but not a rolling boil. Stir in 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar.
- Break 1 egg into a measuring cup with a handle. Use the back of a wooden spoon to create a fast whirlpool effect in the simmering water. Tip the egg into the vortex of the whirlpool and cook for 4 minutes.
- While the egg is poaching, add 3-4 tablespoons Lemon Vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat. Add more dressing if you like, but it shouldn't be too wet.
- Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove the egg and blot it dry with a paper towel. Transfer the poached egg to the salad. Cook more eggs in the same manner, blot them dry.
FINISH THE FRISÉE SALAD:
- Divide the frisee salad between the plates, and top each with a poached egg, an additional drizzle of the dressing, sea salt and black pepper to taste.
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
Pin ” Tangy Frisee Lardons Salad” For Later!
I had my first salade Lyonnaise in Lyons! It was quite memorable. At home I don’t bother with croutons.
It’s the poached egg that does it for me!
This is my definition of a perfect salad! Yum!
Now that’s a salad which I can recognize as my own. The flavors and ingredients combined are spot on and very spring-like.
Lisa I am head over heals in love with this salad – it has everything right going on in it! Thanks for the behind the scenes look!
This looks amazing! It has all of my favorites in it…crispy pancetta, poached egg, fresh produce! Love!!
I HAVE to try that moisturizing cream! My hands get dry from washing sooooo many dishes.
That salad looks amazing! I love croutons so I totally agree on the need for something crunchy!
Thanks, Liz! I’m into the crunch factor!
This looks amazing- I’ve never poached an egg before but I think I need to try this! I love Cetaphil for my elbows- they always dry out from driving and leaning on the side of the car. #client
Poaching an egg is so super-easy, Jenna – and it’s amazing on this salad. I hear you about the dry elbows — and hello?? The heels of my feet!!!