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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
Table of Contents
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.
Spinach Salad
Video
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
For the salad
- 12 ounces baby spinach
- 2 tomatoes cut into wedges
- 2 avocados cubed
- 8 ounces mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 medium shallot or 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 strips bacon cooked until crisp and coarsely chopped
- 3 hard boiled eggs cut into wedges
Instructions
- To make the salad dressing, add garlic, honey, vinegar, pepper, and salt to a blender pitcher; blend until smooth. With blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Add spinach to a large bowl (large enough to toss salad with dressing. Drizzle dressing over spinach and toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients (tomatoes through hard boiled eggs) and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely perfect.
I love to hear that, Barbara. This salad is a favorite in our house!
This salad is amazing, thank you! Does the dressing need to be refrigerated? I make a few batches at a time so that I have the dressing on hand for ensuing meals..
My pleasure, Nancy! Yes, you should refrigerate the dressing. So glad you’re enjoying it and this salad.
Best spinach salad ever
I reduced the honey slightly. โฆโฆcould eat it every day.
The color, texture and taste superior
I love to hear this, Susan! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
I love this salad and the dressing is fantastic. I did make a few changes to suit my preferences but feel that many would like it just as written. One change I would suggest is to reduce the honey to 1 T for a less sweet version. It was still just sweet enough. Will definitely keep this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you love this salad, Nancy and that you’ve made it your own! Thanks so much for your cooking notes too.
Beautiful salad. It could be the star of a meal for sure — especially for its stunning presentation. Not sure I’ve seen a more perfectly cooked egg, BTW! ๐ ~Valentina
aww…thanks so much, Valentina!
Great salad! They must have been hippies?! What a period of time that was. I was almost out high school! Nice to have those memories.
Yes they were, lol! They’ve shared a lot of great stories.
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!
How fun is that, Judi!! Thank YOU for making my day!! ๐
Spinach +avo + bacon is a match-made-in-heaven. Thank you so much for this wonderful post and recipe Marissa. I’ve included it in a mini spinach recipe roundup.
Thanks so much, Di-Di!
Thanks for sharing this Spinach Salad with Bacon. I must try this salad.
My pleasure, Stella! I hope you enjoy it!
Marissa, this salad looks so fresh and wonderful! The dressing sounds delicious and of course – bacon!
Thanks, Kelly! There’s just something about bacon, right? ๐
Growing up, my mother would make spinach salad on special occasions, and it was always a nice treat. Love this version Marissa! The avocado and that salad dressing really take it up a notch!
Thank you, Leanne! The dressing is so good that I’ve ended up using it on other salads too. ๐