Warm Shrimp White Bean Spinach Salad is reminiscent of a spinach salad with bacon dressing, only wayyyyy better!!
Even as a kid I loved shrimp! It was always a special treat when we were taken out to dinner (which wasn’t all that often) to have deep fried shrimp. As an adult, I still love any kind of shrimp dish.
So, when I came across this recipe on the Food and Wine website, I knew I had to try it.
Shrimp have a sweet delicate seafood flavor that pairs well with many spices and sauces. They cook quickly, making them an excellent choice for weeknight dinners or other meals you have to make in a hurry.
Cannellini Beans a.k.a white kidney beans are found in many Italian recipe.A firm white bean, they are perfect for soup, stews and salads. Plus, they are loaded with protein and fiber.
The combination of the sweet shrimp and the beans, along with a bit of bacon……..I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…….everything is better with bacon!! Transforms an average warm spinach salad into a real treat.
The dressing is a basic hot dressing, that I added an extra touch of sweetness with brown sugar, and a bit of heat with red pepper flakes. I have learned to like a touch of heat in my food since Tim loves the heat.
Warm Shrimp White Bean Spinach Salad is super simple and can be made in less than 30 minutes. Add a loaf of crusty bread and you have a quick, easy dinner any day of the week.
Warm Shrimp White Bean Spinach Salad
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 6–7 cups baby spinach
- 3 slices of bacon, chopped
- 1 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 – 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Spread the spinach on a large platter or serving dish. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes.
- Drain off bacon fat reserving 2 tablespoons. Leave bacon in skillet.
- Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook it with the bacon, in skillet over medium high heat until just opaque, about 4 minutes.
- Add the beans and toss with shrimp and bacon for about 1 minute.
- Place the shrimp, bean bacon mixture onto of spinach.
- In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the shallot and cook over low heat until softened.
- Whisk the mustard, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, and pepper flakes into the skillet with the shallots.
- Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour warm dressing over the salad and serve
