Bacon and Avocado Salad

Why You’ll Love This

This salad is a masterclass in texture, pairing salty, crisp bacon with the buttery richness of perfectly ripe avocado. It’s a fast, nutrient-dense lunch that proves you don’t need grains to feel completely satisfied.

Ingredients

For the salad

• 8 rashers smoked streaky bacon
• 2 ripe avocados, stoned and sliced
• 100g mixed peppery leaves (rocket, watercress, or baby spinach)
• 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cucumber, sliced into half-moons
• ¼ red onion, very finely sliced
• 2 medium free-range eggs (optional, for a poached egg topping)

For the warm mustard dressing

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Cook the bacon. Place the streaky bacon rashers in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy. Remove and drain on kitchen paper, then roughly snap into pieces when cool enough to handle.

2. Make the dressing. Pour off most of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving about a teaspoon. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the olive oil, cider vinegar, wholegrain mustard, and Dijon mustard directly in the warm pan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside — the residual warmth will keep it pourable.

3. Prep the veg. Arrange the salad leaves across two plates or a large platter. Scatter over the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.

4. Add the avocado. Fan the avocado slices over the salad. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon if you have one to hand.

5. Finish and serve. Scatter the crispy bacon over the salad. Drizzle the warm mustard dressing over everything and serve immediately.

Tips & Swaps

• Avocado ripeness. The avocado should yield to gentle pressure. If it’s not quite ripe, leave it at room temperature for a day or two — don’t put it in the fridge before it’s ripe.
• Add a poached egg. A soft poached egg on top turns this into a more substantial meal and adds a rich, runny yolk that doubles as extra dressing.
• Bacon alternatives. Back bacon works too, but streaky gets crispier and adds more flavour per rasher.
• Make it ahead. You can cook the bacon up to a day in advance and store it in an airtight container. Reheat briefly in a dry pan before serving.

Key Takeaways

• Net carbs: 4g per serving — suitable for keto and low-carb diets
• Cook time: 20 minutes total (10 prep + 10 cook)
• Key ingredient: Ripe avocados (for healthy fats and creamy texture)
• Best for: A fast, nutrient-dense lunch that requires minimal cooking.