Salade Lyonnaise
Frisee tossed with crisp lardons and a warm mustard vinaigrette, crowned with a poached egg.
Ingredients
- 1 head Frisee lettuce
- 200 g Bacon
- 4 Egg
- 1 Shallot
- 2 tbsp Sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ baguette Baguette
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Chives (optional)
Method
- Before you turn on any heat, get everything ready: trim the frisée and tear it into bite-sized pieces, then wash and spin it dry. Dice the bacon. Mince the shallot fine. Slice the bread into 1.5 cm cubes.
- Render the bacon in the skillet over medium 5 minutes until crisp. Lift onto paper, leaving the fat.
- Toss bread cubes in the bacon fat over medium. Toast 3 minutes turning, until golden and crisp. Rub croutons with the cut garlic. Set aside.
- Bring a saucepan of water to a bare simmer. Add a splash of vinegar.
- Crack each egg into a small bowl. Slide into the gently swirling water. Poach 3 minutes for soft yolk. Lift onto paper.
- Return the bacon-fat pan to medium-low. Sweat the shallot 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in the Dijon, the remaining vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Toss the frisée with the warm vinaigrette and bacon. Pile onto 4 plates with the croutons.
- Crown each salad with a poached egg. Snip chives over. Crack pepper at the table. Eat while egg is warm.
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About Salade Lyonnaise
Salade lyonnaise is the signature salad of Lyon, the city long considered the gastronomic heart of France, and it is a masterclass in making a salad feel like a full meal. Curly frisee provides a sturdy, slightly bitter base that can take on the assertive components heaped over it: crisp lardons of bacon, garlic-rubbed croutons toasted in the rendered bacon fat, and a warm mustard vinaigrette that half-wilts the leaves. Crowning the whole thing is a poached egg, its runny yolk meant to be broken so it runs down and enriches the dressing into something almost creamy.
What makes it so satisfying is the interplay of hot and cold, crisp and soft, sharp and rich — bitter greens softened by warm dressing, smoky bacon, crunchy croutons, and that molten yolk pulling it all together. This version is precise about mise en place, having you wash and dry the frisee, dice the bacon, and cube the bread before any heat goes on, because once the bacon renders the sequence moves quickly. Traditionally eaten as a starter or a light lunch in Lyon's bouchons, it makes a deeply comforting dinner in its own right, best served the instant the egg is spooned on so the yolk is still warm and loose.
Salade Lyonnaise: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Salade Lyonnaise?
A serving has about 424 calories — 15.4g protein, 13.3g carbs, 35.5g fat, 2.5g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Salade Lyonnaise gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Baguette. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Salade Lyonnaise?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out chives — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Salade Lyonnaise make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.