Spinach Salad with Bacon (Print version)

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

# What You'll 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
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice water bath for 5 minutes, peel under cool running water, and slice into quarters.
02 - Arrange bacon slices in a cold skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until evenly crispy and browned, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then crumble into bite-sized pieces.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey until emulsified. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.
04 - In a large serving bowl, combine spinach leaves, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced red onion. Arrange quartered eggs and crumbled bacon on top.
05 - Drizzle dressing evenly over salad just before serving. Gently toss to coat all ingredients. Serve immediately while bacon remains crispy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a restaurant
  • The warm bacon against cool crisp spinach creates the most satisfying temperature contrast
  • You can easily adapt it with whatever cheese or nuts you have on hand
02 -
  • Soggy spinach ruins this salad completely, so use a salad spinner or pat leaves thoroughly with paper towels before assembling
  • The dressing must be added immediately before serving, or the spinach will wilt under the acidic weight
  • Warm bacon creates steam that can also wilt greens, so let it cool slightly on paper towels before crumbling
03 -
  • Cook your bacon in the oven at 400F for 15 minutes for perfectly crispy strips with minimal mess
  • Massage a tiny bit of olive oil into the spinach leaves before dressing if they seem particularly dry
  • Reserve a few pieces of extra crispy bacon to crumble over the top as a final garnish
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