Savory Greens: Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing” is a delightful blend of fresh, crisp spinach and a rich, smoky bacon dressing that’s sure to tantalize your taste buds. This salad balances the earthy flavors of fresh greens with the indulgent warmth of bacon fat, vinegar, and mustard, creating a dressing that perfectly complements the robust spinach leaves. Ideal for a light lunch, side dish, or the start of a dinner party, this salad offers a unique twist on traditional greens, making it a favorite for both its taste and health benefits.
Why You’ll Love Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing:
- Flavorful Balance: The smoky, tangy dressing enhances the natural flavor of the spinach without overpowering it.
- Quick and Easy: This dish comes together quickly, making it perfect for a busy weeknight or a last-minute gathering.
- Nutrient-Rich: Spinach is packed with vitamins and antioxidants, offering a healthy base for the rich bacon dressing.
- Versatile: Easily adaptable to include additional ingredients like mushrooms, boiled eggs, or croutons.
Ingredients Notes For Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing:
- Spinach: Fresh, young spinach leaves are best as they are tender and have a slightly sweet flavor.
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon provides a robust base for the dressing and adds crunch to the salad.
- Red Onion: Thinly sliced for a mild, sweet flavor that contrasts nicely with the dressing.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds a bright acidity to the dressing, balancing the richness of the bacon.
- Mustard: A bit of Dijon mustard gives the dressing a tangy depth.
- Sugar: Just a touch to soften the sharpness of the vinegar and enhance the overall flavor of the dressing.
Recipe Steps:
- Prepare the Spinach: Wash and dry the spinach leaves thoroughly. Tear into bite-sized pieces if necessary and place in a large salad bowl.
- Cook the Bacon: In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside on paper towels to drain. Crumble or chop once cooled.
- Make the Dressing: Leave about 3 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet. Add thinly sliced red onion and cook until just softened. Stir in apple cider vinegar, mustard, and sugar, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Heat through until the dressing is emulsified.
- Combine: Pour the warm dressing over the spinach leaves, tossing quickly to coat and slightly wilt the leaves. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top.
- Serve: Serve immediately while the dressing is still warm.
Storage Options:
- Best Served Fresh: This salad is best enjoyed fresh, as the spinach will continue to wilt under the warm dressing.
How to Make Simple Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach (washed and dried)
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
- 8 slices of bacon
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Optional additions: sliced mushrooms, halved cherry tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese
For the Warm Bacon Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons bacon fat (reserved from cooking the bacon)
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients:
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet, and let it drain on paper towels. Crumble the bacon once cooled. Reserve the bacon fat for the dressing.
- Hard-boil the eggs, cool, peel, and slice them. Set aside.
- Make the Warm Bacon Dressing:
- In the same skillet with about 3 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat, add the red wine vinegar, sugar, and Dijon mustard.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the dressing is heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the Salad:
- In a large salad bowl, combine the fresh spinach, sliced red onion, and any other salad additions you chose (mushrooms, tomatoes, blue cheese).
- Pour the warm dressing over the spinach and toss gently to coat. The heat from the dressing will slightly wilt the spinach.
- Add Bacon and Eggs:
- Add the crumbled bacon and sliced eggs over the top of the salad.
- Serve:
- Serve immediately while the dressing is still warm.
