• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pinch and Swirl
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Collections
  • About
  • Free Recipe EBook
  • My Saved Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Collections
  • About
  • Free Recipe EBook
  • My Saved Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Recipes » Salad Recipes

    Spinach Salad with Bacon

    Published: Mar 29, 2019 · Modified: Aug 14, 2020 by Marissa Stevens · 43 Comments

    Gluten Free

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Spinach salad with bacon served on a white platter.

    Spinach Salad recipes with bacon come in so many varieties, but this is my absolute favorite. 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!?

    Spinach-Salad served on a white platter

    My mom clipped this spinach salad recipe from an electric bill in 1971. I'm not kidding. It was the year before I was born and she and my dad were living in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco. 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!" 

    Spinach-Salad-Served in a white ceramic bowl

    I have a photocopy of the heirloom recipe. But I've made a few changes and suggest you do the same: skip the croutons, swap in olive oil for mayonnaise and, for heaven's sake, use real bacon or pork belly.

    Vintage Spinach Salad Recipe Image

    FAQ

    How do you prepare spinach for salad?

    You can use any fresh spinach that has been washed, dried and torn into bite size pieces for spinach salad. But the easiest choice (and the one I recommend) is to use pre-washed baby spinach.

    What goes well with spinach salad?

    This main-dish salad stands on its own beautifully, but makes a fantastic side dish too! I love to serve it with Roasted Lamb Chops in the fall and winter months and Carne Asada and Grilled Shrimp during the summer. The recipe serves 6 people as a main course and 10 as a side.

    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!)

    How to make spinach salad

    Step 1: 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.

    honey black pepper dressing in a blender

    Step 2: Add spinach to a large salad bowl and pour dressing over; toss to coat.

    tossing spinach with honey black pepper dressing

    Step 3: Top spinach with remaining salad ingredients (tomatoes, avocados, mushrooms, shallot, bacon, and hard boiled eggs), gently toss to combine. Serve.

    spinach salad ready to toss
    tossing spinach salad

    Spinach Salad Recipe Video

    SUBSCRIBE TO VIDEOS

    Spinach-Salad-Served in a white ceramic bowl featured

    Spinach Salad

    Marissa Stevens
    An easy and delicious Spinach Salad recipe with spinach, bacon, tomatoes, avocados, mushrooms, and hard boiled eggs tossed in a honey black pepper dressing.
    4.86 from 7 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Main Course, Salad
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 364 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the dressing:

    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • ⅓ 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 ½ 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

    For a pretty presentation: Toss spinach with dressing and distribute evenly onto a large platter. Arrange all of the toppings artfully across the top and serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 9gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 279mgPotassium: 919mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 5885IUVitamin C: 29.2mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 2.6mg
    Keyword 4th of July, easy, gluten free, Memorial Day, summer
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More Salad Recipes

    • Caesar Salad
    • Classic Wedge Salad
    • Crab Salad
    • Zucchini Salad with Lemon, Feta and Pine Nuts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Chef Mimi says

      April 24, 2021 at 4:49 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 26, 2021 at 9:13 am

        Yes they were, lol! They've shared a lot of great stories.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    The best food happens at home. I love delicious food prepared simply with fresh ingredients and that’s just what you’ll find here! You can count on me for well tested, mouthwatering recipes designed for home cooks. Learn more →

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    12 Recipes to Know by Heart Book Cover
    Subscribe for Free E-Cookbook

    Reader Favorites

    • Oven Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
    • Lemon Garlic Pasta
    • Bacon Wrapped Scallops
    • Homemade Ramen Noodles
    • Homemade Tonic Water
    • Shrimp Tacos
    • Mashed Red Potatoes
    • Gyro Meat Recipe
    • Pork Belly Ramen
    • Grilled Lamb Chops

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Meet Marissa
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 PinchandSwirl

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Email