Warm Cauliflower Spinach Salad with Pancetta

Warm Cauliflower Spinach Salad with Pancetta... a delicious warm winter salad! With fresh spinach, cooked cauliflower, garlic, and onion, sautéed pancetta, fresh lemon juice and zest and golden raisins. The most unexpected and amazing flavor combination ever!

I’m so excited about this warm winter salad!

First of all, because it’s warm!  And it’s very cold here in Boston.  The high temperature yesterday was 12 degrees and the low was -9 (yes that is minus 9!), so I’ll take any warmth I can get.  

Secondly, because it has crispy cooked pancetta, which is sooo yummy - it’s basically bacon’s first cousin!  Mmmmm BACON.  

Then there’s the lemony dressing… if you’ve read my “about me” page you know that lemon is one of my most cherished flavors.  

Plus, this salad is full of some of my favorite veggies: garlic, onion, spinach and cauliflower.  

And finally, it’s sprinkled with little golden raisins that have been revived and brought back to life AKA reconstituted.  I’m such a sucker for the sweet and salty combination - it’s so perfectly balanced!

Here's how you make this tasty Warm Spinach Salad:

You might be wondering about reconstituting the raisins - it sounds all fancy and difficult but it's very easy.  

You place them in a small bowl, add water until they’re covered, put them in the microwave for about 30 seconds - 1 minute, then let them sit on the counter while you work on the rest of the salad.

Next, cook the pancetta on medium–high heat until it’s crispy and the fat renders.  Then using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta and set it aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.

Add the cauliflower, onions, and garlic to the drippings and season with salt and pepper, sauté for 5 minutes uncovered, 5 minutes covered and finally 3 more minutes uncovered - it should all be slightly caramelized, tender and very flavorful.

Then in a large mixing bowl whisk together the lemon, olive oil, fresh parsley, salt and pepper.  Add in your spinach and toss.

Drain the water off your revived raisins.  Add your spinach, cauliflower mixture, pancetta, raisins, the zest from part of a lemon to the large mixing bowl... 

... gently fold the ingredients together.  Then taste to make sure it’s amazing!

For me this salad could be a considered a complete meal.  The cauliflower is so hearty and satisfying I almost forget that the salad doesn’t contain any meat.  

But then of course Sanderino would quickly remind me that it doesn’t, and of his need for protein due to his ridiculously high metabolism.  

So if that’s you or someone in your household, they may need a side of beef jerky, some tuna cakes, or a nice Parmesan crusted chicken.  Just kidding - a simple grilled chicken breast or steak would pair perfectly with this salad.

Whether it’s 8 degrees outside or 88, this salad will surely be a crowd pleaser.  Healthy and hearty – a perfect salad for any day of the year.

Warm it up ya'll – I’m about to!

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PS: Looking for a salad with a little more protein? Check out this Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Salad!  And if you want more great ways to enjoy cauliflower, try this low carb roasted cauliflower or the incredibly versatile low carb cauliflower mash!