Take-out Tuesday, Roasted Cauliflower & Asparagus Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

This is a healthy salad {well, healthy-ish}
with just a enough bacon decadence to lure you to the table!

It has my 3 requirements for Take-out Tuesday,
it’s easy to make,
A lot of it can be prepared ahead of time
and it is a one dish meal!
Of course it makes a fabulous side dish too
{ HHjr might or might not have had a giant steak with his š }

Make the vinaigrette earlier in the day by cooking bacon

Then, reserving 1-2 Tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet, saute onions

Once the onions are soft and beginning to caramelize,
add red wine vinegar and honey mustard

Transfer dressing to a jar or measuring cup
and set aside for rewarming right before serving
Cut the cauliflower into florets and then slice the florets into flat pieces

Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, Parmesan and garlic powder
Forty-five minutes before you want to eat,
roast the cauliflower at 400 for 20 minutes

Remove from oven and turn floret pieces over
Add asparagus pieces and more Parmesan cheese
Return to oven for 10-15 more minutes until cauliflower is golden

Arrange torn fresh spinach on a large plate or platter

Top spinach with roasted cauliflower and asparagus,
bacon vinaigrette, torn bacon pieces,
chopped pecans, and shaved Parmesan


Roasted Cauliflower & Asparagus Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 large handfuls fresh spinach leaves torn and stemmed
- 10 oz Cauliflower florets or 1 head cauliflower
- 10-15 spears asparagus, tough ends broken off
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- garlic powder
- grated Parmesan cheese
- shaved Parmesan cheese
- chopped pecans
Bacon Vinaigrette
- 1 + T bacon fat
- 1/2 cup Chopped onion
- Dash brown sugar
- 2 T red wine vinegar
- 3 tsp honey mustard
Instructions
Salad
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Slice florets into flat pieces. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Toss to coat and spread out into an even layer. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
- Roast for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and turn florets over
- Rinse asparagus and wrap in a clean kitchen or paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute on high. Cut into 1 inch pieces.
- Add asparagus to cauliflower on roasting pan and toss around a little to coat with olive oil and seaonings. Return pan to oven for 10-15 minutes until cauliflower turns golden and begins to char. Remove from oven.
- Place torn spinach on a large plate or platter. Top with cauliflower and asparagus. Warm dressing in microwave for 1 minute on high and pour over vegetables. Top vegetables with bacon pieces, pecans and shaved Parmesan.
- Makes 2 main dish salads or 4 side salads
Bacon Vinaigrette
- Cook bacon until crispy. Remove and drain. Leave 1 T bacon grease in skillet. Add onions and cook until soft. Stir in 2 T red wine vinegar and 3 tsp honey mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
- If making ahead, put dressing in a jar or measuring cup and set aside for reheating in the microwave just before serving. Refrigerate dressing if not using within several hours
Notes

Enjoy!
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Sundays on Silverado Love Your Creativity Over the Moon
Between Naps on the Porch, Celebrate Your Story,
All About Home/ Common Ground Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Tasty Tuesday Oh My Heartsie Girl Turn About Tuesday
Full Plate Thursday Centerpiece Wednesday Creatively Crafty
Thursday Favorite Things Creative Cumpulsions Meal Plan Monday
Comments
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Sounds yummy Jenna and anything’s better with bacon! My hubby would want a large steak on the side too š
thanks Mary, I love salad for dinner!
Good Morning Jenna! This most likely will be made this week. A scrumptious meal. Thank you for deliciousness.
Happy Tuesday!
Thanks Nancy, I love dinner salads!
Jenna, this looks like the perfect salad, love all the ingredients, especially bacon! Yes, the hubby would want a large rib-eye with his! Happy Tuesday!
haha, yes, men aren’t big fans of salad only dinners!
Oh, that looks so good!! Packed with veggies I like, and everything is better with a bit of bacon.
Thank you Carole! I loved the easy prep!
This looks delicious! There is something so wonderful about roasted vegetables!
Thanks Dorothy!
So yummy!
thanks Martha!
Cauliflower usually doesn’t do it for me but this looks really very good. It might be a new TG alternative for a salad! That dressing could stand on its own!
You could eliminate the cauliflower or substitute broccoli or another vegetable, but if you’ve never tried roasted cauliflower with Parmesan cheese and garlic, it just might change your mind…last night my 8 year old grandson finished off all the roasted cauliflower on the sheet pan of roasted vegetables we were having with chicken for dinner!
Any salad with bacon in it is my kind of salad! This look delish! Have a great week, Jenna.
Thanks Katie!
Roasted cauliflower is one of my favorites! My husband will love that dressing
Thanks Deborah! We really enjoyed this salad!
That looks so good! I will surely be making this dish! Girl….mouth is watering. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Aren’t you sweet, thanks Cindy!
This looks so good and healthy too. Anything with bacon my hubby would love.
Bacon is a great way to get guys to eat salad š, thanks Linda!
This looks mighty tasty. Pinning! Ready to try a new dish. I think I would like a steak too, now that you mention it, with some mushrooms also! Hehe š
Hi Cyndi, this is one of those meals that will make you feel good about yourself for eating healthy, and satisfied because of the tasty bacon š
Your post is awesome and thanks so much for sharing it with us at Full Plate Thursday,510. Hope you are having a great week and come back soon!
Miz Helen
This sounds like my kinda salad, Jenna!!
Thank you Kitty, I have been craving vegetables and salad lately!