La Salade Lyonnaise
A Lyonnaise salad, or should I say, La Salade Lyonnaise, is a very simple dish from the city of Lyon, and consists of fresh salad leaves, traditionally frisée lettuce, and pieces of lardons or bacon with a lightly poached egg resting on top. Breakfast salad, anyone?
Try these other salads that can be served as a meal as well: French Bacon Salad, French Lentil Salad, or Rotisserie Chicken Salad With Orange Mayo Salad!
Of course, the French cook may add some fried bread croutons with it as well, to not waste any bread, and this is just one way to use up any stale bread in the kitchen.
It is dressed with an oil, vinegar, and mustard dressing, which is very easy to make yourself, so no need to go out and buy expensive bottles of French dressings.
The salad is often served as a starter or hors d'oeuvre and is perfect for a light lunch.
Get the how-to's and handy tips for making salad with The Complete Salad Guide.
📖 Recipe
Prep Like a Pro
Before you start cooking, chop, measure, and prep every ingredient, and gather your tools.
This simple habit reduces stress, prevents overcooking, and instantly improves your meals. Mise en Place - "Everything in its place."
Lyonnaise Salad
Ingredients
- 4 eggs Fresh free-range are the best.
- 4 slices bread With crusts removed and cut into cubes.
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil for frying bread
- Half a clove of garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 bacon rashers cut into strips or a small pack of lardons
- ⅔ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
- 3 cups frisée lettuce/endive or dandelion leaves, or lambs lettuce
Instructions
- Chop the garlic and fry in a little oil in a frying pan until it flavors the oil.
- Remove from the pan. Or you can simply rub a cut garlic clove around the pan before you fry the bread.
- Fry the bread cubes until crisp and golden.
- Remove and keep warm.
- Place the bacon in the pan and cook for about two minutes.
- Add the vinegar and mustard and boil until it has reduced to about a third.
- Pour this over the salad leaves and toss a little.
- Boil some water in a pan (just enough to cover the eggs) to which you have added about a tablespoon of vinegar (don't overdo this, or the eggs will taste strongly of vinegar).
- Allow to simmer.
- Crack each egg into a small bowl before sliding into the simmering water.
- Poach for about 3 minutes until just set - the yolk should be still slightly runny.
- To serve, arrange the salad leaves with the bacon and mustard dressing on plates and place a poached egg on top of each.
- Sprinkle with the golden croutons and serve your Lyonnaise salad immediately.
Notes
- Frissee lettuce works the best, but any lettuce that has substantial leaves will work well.
- This salad can be made ahead, adding the dressing and poached egg just before serving.
Loved it, tweaked it, or not your "cup of tea"... I’d really love to hear how it went for you.