Spinach Salad with Bacon and Eggs
The best simple spinach salad with bacon and eggs. This easy spinach salad recipe is the perfect side dish to go with any meal.
We’ve been eating this spinach salad with bacon and eggs on repeat lately. It has such a delicious combination of flavors that we can’t get enough of!
Bacon and eggs are a classic combination. Combine crispy bacon and hard boiled eggs with fresh spinach and a tangy vinaigrette and you have one irresistible salad!
Like my favorite Italian salad, this spinach salad is one of our go-to recipes when we want a side salad to go with our meal. It’s also hearty enough to be a main dish salad, especially for lunch. Both the spinach and eggs provide protein and the veggies add healthy and filling fiber.
Why this classic spinach salad is one of our favorites:
- This spinach salad is quick to make, especially if you cook the bacon and eggs ahead of time.
- If our main dish is low on protein, this salad is the perfect way to add some protein to the meal.
- The dressing for this spinach salad is a simple vinaigrette using pantry ingredients that we always have on hand.
Making this spinach salad recipe is just a matter of cooking the bacon and eggs and then combining a few ingredients. Most of the work can be done ahead of time if you plan to serve this salad for a holiday meal or when entertaining.
How to Make Spinach Salad with Bacon
Spinach Salad Dressing
You’ll start by making the spinach salad dressing. The dressing can sit out at room temperature for up to two hours, so once you mix it up just leave it on your counter while you prepare the rest of the salad.
The dressing for this salad is a simple vinaigrette made with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. The dressing has a bit of kick to it from the vinegar and Dijon, but also a hint of sweetness. For a stronger, more tart dressing use half the amount of honey.
You can either whisk the salad dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or shake them up in a jar with a lid. I usually make my salad dressings in a mason jar so that I can easily store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator.
Other Spinach Salad Ingredients
Baby Spinach: Use crisp, fresh baby spinach for the best salad. Spinach is low in calories and a good source of fiber, iron and other nutrients. Below I’ve linked some of my other favorite spinach recipes.
Cucumber: Cucumber has a high water content and is a refreshing addition to spinach salad. Before slicing, I like to peel strips off of the cucumber, leaving some strips of peel on for a pretty presentation.
Mushrooms: I use cremini mushrooms, which are baby portobello mushrooms. White button mushrooms also work well in this salad.
Bacon: For the easiest, no fuss way to cook bacon, follow my tips and instructions for how to cook bacon in the oven or make Air Fryer Bacon. You can cook the bacon ahead of time and refrigerate it until you are ready to assemble the salad.
Hard Boiled Eggs: You can cook the hard boiled eggs ahead of time and refrigerate the cooked eggs until you are ready to use them. Learn how to boil eggs that are perfectly cooked. If you have an Instant Pot, try my easy peel Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs recipe. I like to cut the eggs in half for this spinach salad because they tend to fall apart more when I slice them into smaller pieces.
Other Ingredient Ideas: Sometimes when I make this salad I add avocado, fresh tomatoes, red onion or radishes. Make additions or substitutions to suit your tastes!
I recommend tossing the spinach and vegetables with the salad dressing and then adding the crumbled bacon and hard boiled eggs last. This way, the eggs won’t fall apart into pieces throughout the salad and the bacon will stay crispy.
Tips for Making this Spinach Salad Recipe
- To make this salad come together quickly, cook the bacon and eggs ahead of time. Refrigerate the bacon and eggs until you are ready to assemble the salad.
- You can also make the salad dressing ahead of time. Refrigerate it in a sealed container – I use a mason jar with a lid. The dressing may solidify in the refrigerator because of the olive oil. Let it sit out at room temperature for a few minutes, give it a good shake or stir, and then it will be ready to use.
- You can adapt this classic spinach salad recipe based on what you have in your kitchen. We sometimes like to add avocado, red onion, radishes or fresh tomatoes.
More Healthy Spinach Salad Recipes
Wondering what to do with leftover spinach? Try these favorite spinach recipes:
Fresh Spinach Recipes
- Blueberry Spinach Breakfast Smoothie
- Potato, Spinach and Cheese Egg Casserole
- Slow Cooker Spinach Ricotta Lasagna
Spinach Salad with Bacon and Eggs
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For the spinach salad
- 8 cups baby spinach
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced
- 8 crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled (how to cook bacon)
- 4 hard boiled eggs, halved
Instructions
- Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl or jar with a lid. Whisk or shake to combine. Set aside.
- Place spinach, cucumber and mushrooms in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing. Add the cooked, crumbled bacon and hard boiled eggs to the salad. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make Ahead: You can cook the bacon and eggs up to 5 days ahead of time. Refrigerate until ready to use. You may make the salad dressing up to one week ahead of time and refrigerate. Combine salad ingredients right before serving.
- If you have extra dressing you can store it in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. The olive oil may cause it to solidify. If this happens let the dressing sit at room temperature for a few minutes and then shake or whisk it until smooth.
Made this last night and loved it. So simple and yet, so full of flavor. Had some nice artisanal bread with it and it made for a filling dinner.
Thank you for trying this recipe and letting me know how you like it, Cindy. That sounds like a perfect dinner!
Made this salad for my daughter-in-law. She loved it and uses the recipe all the time. It’s my favourite too.
Delicious dressing, and so much healthier than our usual store bought dressing.
Thank you for these recipes. I’ve needed these. I can’t wait to make the salads and dressings.