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Candied Bacon Panzanella Salad with Rye Bread Croutons

The candied bacon levels up this salad BIG time, and the toasted rye bread makes for the best croutons. Like an undone BLT - here for it!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins

Ingredients
  

Candied Bacon

  • 10 pieces thick cut bacon per salad
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup

Rye Bread Croutons

  • 4 c chunks of rye bread
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt, pepper

Assembly

  • lettuce, tomato
  • favorite dressing

Instructions
 

Candied Bacon

  • Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with foil and a cooling rack on top. This ensures the air gets around the bacon and the bacon won't get soggy from cooking in its fat.
  • Mix sugar and maple syrup together; evenly spread on both sides of the bacon, placing each slice on the cookie rack
  • Place in a cold oven and turn the temperature up to 375. At 10 minutes, begin checking on the bacon and bake until it reaches desired crispness. I go about 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the bacon
  • I recommend letting the bacon get crispy on the ends so the bacon is stiffer when it cools, which gives you that great candied bacon feel.
  • When you remove from the oven, allow to cool, occasionally moving the bacon on the cooling rack it was baked on so it does not get stuck. 

Rye Bread Croutons and Assembly

  • While the bacon is cooling, toss rye bread chunks with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake on a foil linked baking sheet for about 10 minutes until the bread is crisped a little. Keep the croutons a little soft so they're easy to bite!
  • Add lettuce and tomato to bowls or plates, top with 2 slices of bacon per salad and dress with your favorite dressing.