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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!?

Spinach-Salad served on a white platter
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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.
Spinach-Salad-Served in a white ceramic bowl

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..

Vintage Spinach Salad Recipe Image

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!

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

4.91 from 11 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad
Calories: 364
Servings: 6 people
With tender spinach, bacon, tomatoes, avocados, mushrooms, and hard boiled eggs tossed in a honey black pepper dressing, everyone loves this 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

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: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 279mg | Potassium: 919mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5885IU | Vitamin C: 29.2mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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53 Comments

  1. Barbara says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely perfect.

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      I love to hear that, Barbara. This salad is a favorite in our house!

  2. Nancy says:

    5 stars
    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..

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      My pleasure, Nancy! Yes, you should refrigerate the dressing. So glad you’re enjoying it and this salad.

  3. Susan A Kachura says:

    5 stars
    Best spinach salad ever

    I reduced the honey slightly. โ€ฆโ€ฆcould eat it every day.

    The color, texture and taste superior

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      I love to hear this, Susan! Thank you for coming back to let me know.

  4. Nancy says:

    5 stars
    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!

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      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.

  5. Valentina says:

    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! ๐Ÿ™‚ ~Valentina

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      aww…thanks so much, Valentina!

  6. Chef Mimi says:

    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.

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

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

  7. Judi says:

    5 stars
    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!

    1. Marissa says:

      How fun is that, Judi!! Thank YOU for making my day!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Di-Di | The Foxy Flexitarian says:

    5 stars
    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.

    1. Marissa says:

      Thanks so much, Di-Di!

  9. Stella Jones says:

    Thanks for sharing this Spinach Salad with Bacon. I must try this salad.

    1. Marissa says:

      My pleasure, Stella! I hope you enjoy it!

  10. Kelly | Foodtasia says:

    5 stars
    Marissa, this salad looks so fresh and wonderful! The dressing sounds delicious and of course – bacon!

    1. Marissa says:

      Thanks, Kelly! There’s just something about bacon, right? ๐Ÿ˜‰

  11. Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says:

    5 stars
    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!

    1. Marissa says:

      Thank you, Leanne! The dressing is so good that I’ve ended up using it on other salads too. ๐Ÿ™‚