Southern Wilted Lettuce Salad (a.k.a. Kilt Lettuce) – Step-by-Step with Bacon and Love

Now listen—there are some dishes you can’t improve upon. You just honor them, make them with care, and pass them down like the treasure they are. This wilted lettuce salad, also known as kilt lettuce or simply lettuce and onions, is one of those recipes.

This story starts like a lot of our favorite food memories do—with a visit to Mom and Dad’s, the smell of beans bubbling on the stove, and a plan to eat a meal straight from the garden and the soul. If you’ve never had hot bacon grease poured over fresh lettuce and onions, let me tell you… you’re about to fall in love.

Let’s take it step by step—with the photos you’ve shared—so we can show the full beauty of this humble, hearty Southern dish.

🚿 Step-by-Step: How to Make Southern Wilted Lettuce Salad

Step 1: Start with the bacon

Start by frying up a good batch of thick-cut bacon or salt pork in a cast iron skillet. You want it crisp but not burnt, because you’ll be using all that golden grease later.

Step 2: Prep the greens and onions

While the bacon cooks, slice up fresh leaf lettuce and a few generous handfuls of spring onions or scallions. Toss them together in a big bowl.

Step 3: Add the bacon

Once the bacon is done, chop it into pieces and scatter it over the lettuce and onions.

Step 4: Pour the hot grease over

Now for the magic: carefully pour the hot bacon grease over the salad and toss it gently with tongs or a large spoon. The heat will slightly wilt the greens, making them glossy and tender.

Step 5: Serve with beans and cornbread

We served ours alongside a plate of white beans and a wedge of hot skillet cornbread. This is about as Southern as it gets, and every bite tastes like home.

Step 6: Not a leaf left

This salad didn’t last long. The bowl was scraped clean, and we were still talking about it hours later.

🌿 Ingredients

• 1 large head leaf lettuce (or a mix of greens if needed)
• 4–6 green onions (scallions), chopped
• 5–6 strips thick-cut bacon (or salt pork)
• Salt to taste

Optional Add-ins:

• Splash of vinegar (for a tangier finish)
• Pinch of sugar (if you’re into that sweet-savory balance)

✨ Tips for the Best Kilt Lettuce

• Use fresh greens. The crisper, the better—they’ll wilt just enough when the hot grease hits.
• Dry your lettuce well before tossing, so it doesn’t get soggy.
• Serve it warm. It’s best right after tossing when the bacon grease is still warm and glossy.
• Cast iron is king. Use it for the best heat retention and authentic Southern flavor.

🙏 A Meal Full of Memories

This wasn’t just a salad—it was a trip down memory lane. My dad knew I was coming, so he made a pot of beans, chilled a gallon of tea, and helped pick fresh onions from the raised bed. We even made a Kroger run just for lettuce and salt pork. That’s the kind of love you can taste.

Mom said, “Your dad really babies you.” And you know what? If this is babying, I’ll take it. Beans, greens, cornbread, and hot bacon love? I’ll be a baby forever.

Southern Wilted Lettuce Salad (a.k.a. Kilt Lettuce)

This old-fashioned salad brings together fresh garden greens, crispy bacon, and hot drippings for a rich, savory bite that's full of Southern soul.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 5

Ingredients

  

• - 1 large head of leaf lettuce chopped
• - 4–6 green onions sliced
• - 5–6 slices thick-cut bacon or salt pork
• - Salt to taste
• Optional:
• - 1 tsp sugar
• - 1 tbsp vinegar

Instructions

 

• Cook bacon or salt pork in a skillet until crisp. Reserve the hot drippings.
• In a large bowl, combine chopped lettuce and onions.
• Chop the cooked bacon and add it to the bowl.
• Pour hot bacon grease over the salad and toss immediately.
• Season with salt to taste and serve warm.

Notes

- Serve with beans and cornbread for a full Southern meal.
- Best eaten fresh, right after tossing with hot grease.