Besides the bacon and egg classic, this salty, smoky pork goes with just about anything.
Bacon is delicious, crispy, salty, and smokey. Though bacon is traditionally considered a breakfast food, served with eggs and pancakes or in your classic BLT, the ways to use it go well beyond morning brunch. There are lots of creative uses for bacon in your cooking that aren’t just breakfast, and I dug into a few in this blog post.
Bacon can make nearly anything tastier, from savory appetizers to delicious desserts.
Even better you don’t need to be food styling experts like Christina Daley or Chelsea Zimmer. Bacon is such a popular ingredient that any food you’ve cooked with it will be snapped up and eaten before anyone even notices.
Savory Appetizer Recipes: Elevate Your Starters
Bacon is beautiful with eggs in the morning; but let’s think beyond the egg. Bacon is also the perfect food to pair with soup, salads. and other starters and appetizers.
Crispy Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Cheese Filling
Consider bacon-wrapped dates your culinary stepping stones. Remove the pit of Medjool dates and stuff them with goat cheese and blue cheese so that they are creamy, tangy surprises when you bite into one. Roll bacon in the middle of each date and bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 15-20 minutes or until crispy.
You can make this savory dish, which perfectly combines sweet tastes with salty bacon, as the first course of lovely get-together.
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
Simple but elegant—bacon-wrapped asparagus. Roll each asparagus spear in olive oil, salt, and pepper, then wrap the bacon around it. Grill or bake until the bacon is crispy and the asparagus tender. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if you like.
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers (with Cheddar Cheese)
If you have a taste for something savory, you just can’t pass up bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers. Cut jalapeños in half and remove all seeds (if you love some spice, leave some of the seeds). Fill the pepper with cream cheese or cheddar cheese.
Wrap a slice of bacon around the pepper and cook until crispy to your desired texture, topped with melted cheese. The flavors in these poppers are spicy, creamy, and smoky.
Bacon-Topped Crostini Garlic Bread
Want something simple to nibble on before eating? Cut Top crostini breads with butter, lightly sauteed garlic (ie, not raw!), a small bit of your mozzarella cheese, and crumbled bacon. Pop it into the broiler for about two to three minutes – you want a nice, light toast color. This is bread is best served warm.
You can turn morning biscuits into a lunch item by slicing open the biscuit, applying the same toppings, and then broiling until toasted. Serve it at brunch with a lovely soup or salad.
It’s a great way to use up old bread or biscuits!
Main Courses: Bacon Recipes as the Highlight
You already know some classics. Stacking bacon, lettuce, and fresh tomatoes into a BLT is a summertime classic (when those tomatoes are coming in from the garden in droves). Or, maybe your first thought was about grilling up juicy bacon burgers.
But it’s surprisingly easy to put bacon to work in other dishes, too.
Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts
Take regular old bland chicken breasts and turn them into something special by enrobing each one in bacon. Rub spices of your choice over the chicken. Then, wrap each chicken breast with bacon for drumstick-like appeal while they are cooked to juicy perfection inside and outside crispy — yum!
Not only does bacon help flavor the chicken, but it also locks in moisture! We all know how dry chicken can be!
Smoky Bacon-Bourbon Glazed Salmon
This bacon-bourbon-glazed salmon is a classy yet simple main course. I crisp up some diced bacon and then use the rendered fat to make my glaze with bourbon, maple syrup, and a bit of Dijon mustard. I brush the glaze over grilled salmon fillets and then daintily sprinkle with bacon bits for a sweet, tangy twist on what I’m sure is already deemed an applewood-smoked classic.
Bacon and Mushroom Risotto
Include some bacon to take it up a notch in your risotto.
Begin by frying the diced bacon and draining all excess fat. Fry mushrooms in the bacon fat until browned, and you’ll be ready to make your risotto as easily; sprinkle some of those little lardon pieces into one pot. Bacon provides a rich, smoky flavor to the creamy, silky risotto.
Side Dishes: Crispy Bacon Adds a Flavorful Twist
Some side dishes just lend themselves to bacon recipes. Take baked beans as an example. While some might cook up vegetarian baked beans, most overwhelmingly prefer it with brown sugar, pork side meat, and a crisp bacon topping.
These ideas have similar bold flavor profiles and can be served with a steak, chicken, or burgers.
Salty Bacon and Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon is the best of two worlds, combining favorite hearty side dish ingredients. Rub halved Brussels sprouts with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then roast until fully caramelized. Top it with crumbled bacon and a pinch of Parmesan cheese for the perfect side that complements whatever you pair it with.
Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad
Put bacon on your potato salad. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add red potatoes, and cook until tender; chop into bite-sized pieces. Mix them with ranch dressing, green onions or chives, and some crumbled bacon. Top with some shredded cheddar cheese to compliment the savory flavor. Creamy, zesty bacon-ranch potato salad full of delicious smokiness
Serve it with a dollop of sour cream on top.
Bacon-Wrapped Corn on the Cob
Wrap your bacon around the corn on the cob before grilling it. The bacon gets nice and crispy while the corn is super tender, sweet, and smooth, creating that delicious play of texture! Finish by brushing with some melted butter and sprinkling over some chopped herbs (chives are a natural companion to this food).
Desserts: Crispy Bacon Has a Secret Sweet Side
Bacon is a very versatile food – as proven by anyone who’s ever baked up some bacony desserts options.
Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yes, even dessert has room for bacon, obviously. Mix crumbled bacon with your best chocolate chip cookie recipe and pop it into the oven. As weird as it sounds, the salty smokiness of bacon pairs perfectly with sweet, gooey chocolate to make a cookie that will be absolutely addictive.
Bacon Maple Cupcakes
Bacon Maple CupcakesIf you’re feeling like something sweet and savory. Vanilla cupcake on the bottom, maple buttercream frosting since lastly. Top with crumbled crispy bacon to add a sweet and salty flavor twist. They are the perfect cupcake for any party.
Bacon-Infused Caramel Sauce
Celebrate your sweet victory with bacon caramel sauce at the end of a meal. Render bacon fat and use it in caramel instead of butter. The result is a simple, smoky sauce that goes great over vanilla ice cream or apple pie. The sweetness of caramel is enhanced by the smoky, salty taste.
This is delicious when you serve it over over vanilla ice cream or cinnamon rolls!
What to Do With the Bacon Drippings?
Did your mother or grandma save “bacon grease” in a mason jar?
Here are five ways to use bacon drippings:
- Sauté Vegetables: Use bacon drippings to sauté vegetables like onions, spinach, or green beans for extra flavor.
- Fry Eggs or Potatoes: Replace oil or butter with bacon drippings to fry eggs or crispy breakfast potatoes.
- Add to Soups or Stews: Stir in a tablespoon of the drippings for a richer, smokier flavor in soups and stews.
- Grease Cast Iron Pans: Use bacon drippings to grease cast iron skillets for cooking meats or cornbread.
- Make Bacon-Infused Dressing: Whisk bacon drippings with vinegar and mustard to create a savory salad dressing.
These ideas can add a savory, smoky touch to many dishes!
The Bottom Line: Bacon Lovers Can Enjoy These Lovely Crispy Strips Any Time of the Day
As you see with these recipes, bacon can be added to everything from appetizers to dessert! Whether wrapping dates and asparagus for a savory appetizer, adding it to your entrees, or serving with sweet treats, bacon adds delicious depth to any dish.
When you think outside the typical bacon and egg for breakfast box, there are about a million ways to use all this deliciousness creatively. So, the next time you are in your kitchen, throw some bacon into the plan and see what ideas come to mind. If you loved these ideas, please be sure to follow us on social media.
She has a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education/English and a Spanish Minor. In addition, she holds a Certificates in Natural Health and Herbology from accredited programs. She pursued these natural wellness certifications due to her love for herb gardening.
Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."
Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.
Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
- Are Geraniums Annual or Perennial? - 09/21/2024
- DIY Home & Garden: Featured on ApartmentGuide - 09/21/2024
- Bacon: Creative Uses That Go Beyond the Breakfast Table - 09/08/2024
