Spinach Salad

Spinach Salad recipes come in so many varieties, but this one truly stands out from the crowd. I’ve been eating it since I was a kid and I never get tired of it. Imagine a delicious spicy-sweet honey and black pepper dressing coating a hearty salad of spinach, bacon, avocado, hard-boiled egg, mushroom, shallot and tomato. Sounds amazing, right!?

My mom clipped this recipe from an electric bill in 1971. Growing up, this was a go-to salad in our house. One of those little gems that you can wow dinner guests with or use to stoke your ego at a potluck when someone says, “Have you tried this salad? It’s amazing!” After all these years, it’s still the spinach salad I measure all others against.

“WOW!!! This recipe arrived in our PG&E bill many years ago (1991?) and was a major favorite, but then I lost it, and was never able to recreate it perfectly. You have made my day!”

Judi

Ingredients for Spinach Salad

For the dressing:

• Garlic: Fresh garlic clove gives the dressing a nice kick. I like to mince it very finely to ensure it blends well into the dressing.
• Honey: This adds the perfect sweetness to balance the pepper. For a vegan option, maple syrup works beautifully too, with a slightly different but equally delicious flavor profile.
• Olive Oil: Use good quality, extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor. This is where you’ll really taste the difference between standard and premium oils.
• Unseasoned Rice Vinegar: Provides a clean, mild acidity that doesn’t overpower. Apple cider vinegar is a great substitute with a slightly fruitier note.
• Fine Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: The pepper is actually a star ingredient in this dressing, not just a seasoning. Don’t skimp on it or use pre-ground if possible.

For the salad

• Spinach: Pre-washed baby spinach is ideal for its tender texture and convenience. I look for bright, crisp leaves without any yellowing or wilting.
• Tomatoes: Ripe plum or roma tomatoes hold their shape well when cut into wedges. In summer, I sometimes substitute garden-fresh heirloom varieties for extra flavor.
• Avocados: Choose avocados that are ripe but still slightly firm for easier slicing. They should yield to gentle pressure but not feel mushy.
• Mushrooms: Button mushrooms are classic, but cremini (baby portobellos) add a deeper, earthier flavor. Slice them thin so they absorb some of the dressing.
• Shallot: Offers a milder, more elegant flavor than onion. If substituting red onion, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes first to reduce their sharpness.
• Bacon: Your favorite variety works here. I prefer center-cut for its meatier texture and less fat, but thick-cut pepper bacon adds another dimension of flavor.
• Eggs: Large eggs are standard for hard-boiling. For the perfect hard-boiled egg, I start them in cold water, bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat for 10 minutes.

Recipe Tips

I still have a photocopy of the heirloom recipe that my mom clipped decades ago. But I’ve made a few changes over the years and suggest you do the same: skip the croutons (they get soggy anyway), swap in olive oil for the original mayonnaise base, and, for heaven’s sake, use real bacon or pork belly instead of bacon bits. These small tweaks transform a good salad into something truly memorable that still honors the original spirit..

How to Prepare Spinach for Salad

You can use any fresh spinach that has been thoroughly washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces for this salad. But the easiest choice (and the one I recommend) is to use pre-washed baby spinach. It’s tender, requires no additional prep, and has a milder flavor that works perfectly with these toppings. If using regular spinach, be sure to remove any tough stems before adding to the salad.

More family favorite salads to try!

• Strawberry Spinach Salad (With a honey sweetened balsamic vinaigrette, fresh strawberries, pecans and creamy goat cheese!)
• Creamy Cucumber Salad (Easy, creamy and low calorie!)
• Corn Salad (We make this all summer!)
• Italian Potato Salad (Hearty and delicious salad where every bite is different.)
• Little Gem Salad (A 10 minute salad that goes with everything.)

How to make Spinach Salad

Add dressing ingredients to a blender pitcher: garlic, honey, rice vinegar, black pepper, and salt; blend until smooth. With blender running, add olive oil in a steady stream, blending until emulsified. Add spinach to a large salad bowl and pour dressing over; toss to coat.

Top spinach with remaining salad ingredients (tomatoes, avocados, mushrooms, shallot, bacon, and hard boiled eggs), gently toss to combine. Serve.