Description
A vibrant and hearty Spinach Salad featuring crisp bacon, fresh baby spinach, hard-boiled eggs, mushrooms, and a flavorful homemade spinach salad dressing that perfectly balances tangy, sweet, and savory notes. Ideal for a light lunch or as a side for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 pound thin-sliced bacon (cooked crisp and crumbled)
- 8 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves (trimmed of stems)
- 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
- ½ small red onion (thinly sliced)
- 4-6 hard boiled eggs (peeled & thinly sliced)
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1-2 cups croutons (homemade or store bought)
- 1½ cups sliced fresh tomatoes
- Crumbled or shredded cheese (such as blue cheese or feta), as desired
- Honey roasted pecans, for garnish
- Chopped celery, for crunch
- Frozen baby peas, thawed
Dressing Ingredients
- ½ cup canola oil
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon granulated toasted onion
- 4 teaspoons dark brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons mild molasses
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the Bacon: Cook the thin-sliced bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels, then crumble into small pieces. Set aside.
- Assemble the Salad Base: In a large salad bowl, combine the baby spinach leaves, sliced mushrooms, thinly sliced red onion, sliced hard-boiled eggs, sliced tomatoes, chopped celery, thawed frozen peas, croutons, and crumbled or shredded cheese. Season lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Make the Dressing: In a separate bowl or jar, whisk together canola oil, cider vinegar, kosher salt, black pepper, ground mustard, granulated toasted onion, dark brown sugar, mild molasses, fresh lemon juice, and dried or fresh parsley until the dressing is emulsified and smooth.
- Toss the Salad: Pour the dressing over the assembled salad ingredients and gently toss to combine thoroughly, ensuring everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the crumbled crisp bacon and honey roasted pecans over the top as garnish. Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh textures and flavors at their best.
Notes
- For the best flavor, prepare the bacon just before assembling the salad so it remains crispy.
- To save time, hard-boiled eggs can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Adjust the amount of dressing according to your taste preference.
- Substitute canola oil with extra virgin olive oil for a richer flavor.
- Homemade croutons add a delicious crunch and can be made with leftover bread toasted with garlic and herbs.
