Spinach Salad with Bacon (Print Version)

Fresh spinach with crispy bacon, boiled eggs, and tangy homemade dressing for a quick, satisfying meal.

# What You Need:

→ Salad Components

01 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
02 - 4 large eggs
03 - 6 slices bacon
04 - 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Homemade Dressing

06 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tsp honey
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Transfer eggs to cold water to cool, peel carefully, and slice into quarters or rounds.
02 - Cook bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until crispy and golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Drain on paper towels to remove excess grease, then crumble into bite-sized pieces.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper until emulsified and smooth.
04 - Combine spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes (if using), and sliced red onion in a large bowl. Add sliced eggs and crumbled bacon on top.
05 - Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad. Gently toss to coat all ingredients. Serve immediately while bacon remains crispy.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The warm bacon against cool crisp spinach creates this incredible contrast that hits every satisfaction point
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but looks like something from a restaurant menu
02 -
  • Never dress this salad ahead of time. The acid breaks down the spinach and turns everything limp within minutes.
  • Warm bacon makes the salad exceptional but cold bacon makes it sad. Time your cooking so the bacon goes in just before serving.
03 -
  • Slice onions paper thin and soak them in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow the bite
  • Invest in good bacon. The difference in flavor and texture is absolutely worth it
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