Here is my favorite recipe for Spinach Salad with Bacon and eggs. To make it, top a bunch of vibrant and crisp spinach, with bacon and eggs, and toss it with a rockin’ red wine vinaigrette. It is so easy and only 248 calories per serving!

a side view of bowls of salad

I originally shared this recipe on June 3, 2010. I have updated the images and text today.

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Why This is the Best Spinach Salad

I never get sick of this classic combination of spinach, bacon and eggs. It is a combination I grew up eating regularly. I make this hearty salad regularly and my kids and husband adore it too! The tangy red wine vinaigrette comes together in just a few minutes and brightens all the flavors, so you can have a delicious and healthy dinner on the table in just 30 minutes!

Love this recipe? Also try spinach salad with warm bacon dressing!

Ingredients For This Spinach Salad

ingredients laid out on the counter with labels
  • 12 cups spinach leaves: For this recipe you can use boxed baby spinach or you can use “mature” spinach. Today I bought a couple of bunches of mature spinach, but it was on the small side so I did not need to tear the leaves. I just tore off the stems before washing it. If you have large leaves of spinach, tear the pieces into large bite sized pieces. Make sure to wash the spinach well as it can be sandy. Sometimes washing it twice is necessary to remove the grit.
  • 4 large eggs: The eggs in this salad are hard boiled. I have noticed that the fresher the eggs, the harder they are to peel. So if you have eggs that have been in your fridge for a week or so (not past their due date though) use them!
  • 4 slices bacon: When cooked crisp, bacon is much lower in calories than you may think! We only use four strips for the entire salad, which gives it enough meaty smoky flavor, without adding too much saturated fat.
  • 1 clove garlic: To season the dressing
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar: You can also use another vinegar, like apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon: to emulsify the dressing
  • 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

How To Clean Spinach

  1. Soak it in a salad spinner (that’s an affiliate link) filled with water.
  2. Lift the basket out allowing the grit to fall to the bottom of the spinner.
  3. Then pour out the water and grit.
  4. Repeat if necessary. Spin dry.
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How To Make This Salad

Hard Boil The Eggs

Hard Boil 4 eggs
Step 1. Hard Boil 4 eggs
  • Place eggs in the bottom of a small saucepan, cover with cold water by several inches.
  • Bring to a gentle boil over high heat.
  • Boil for 10 minutes.
  • Then remove from the heat, drain and then run cool running water over the eggs for several minutes until cool enough to handle.

Tip: Boil extra eggs and make our Deviled Eggs, Spicy Deviled Eggs or Egg Salad.

Cook The Bacon

Cook the bacon
2. Cook the bacon until it is crispy, drain, cool and crumble.

I usually like to cook bacon in the microwave between several layers of paper towels.

You can also use a skillet (shown above.)

  • If you are cooking the bacon in the skillet, make sure to keep the heat low enough to allow the fat to render out but not burn the bacon.
  • I use medium to medium-high heat.
  • As the bacon cooks, the pan will get hotter and hotter, so if the pan starts to smoke, you’ll want to turn down the heat. 
  • Turn the slices regularly so they brown evenly.
  • To drain the fat, lay the cooked bacon on a paper towel lined plate to cool.Once the bacon is cool, crumble or chop it before adding to the spinach salad.

Make The Red Wine Vinaigrette

making garlic paste with salt
Step 3. Mash the garlic and salt into a paste.
  • The key to making this red wine vinegar salad dressing is the garlic mashing technique. 
  • The reason I like to do this is the garlic, if you press it and smash it with the side of your chef’s knife, will become a paste.
  • There will be no big chunks of garlic, just a mellow overall garlic flavor.
  • This is the same technique I use in my Egg Free Caesar Dressing, and it makes a big difference! 
Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl
4. Whisk the garlic and the other dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Scrape the garlic paste into a bowl and whisk it with the vinegar, oil, mustard and pepper to taste.

Toss the Salad

Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.
Step 5. Combine the spinach, bacon and eggs in a salad bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.

When you are ready to serve the salad. Combine the spinach, crumbled bacon and chopped hard boiled eggs in a large salad bowl.

Drizzle on the dressing and toss everything together to coat with the dressing. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

A bowl of salad, with Bacon and Egg
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FAQs about This Recipe

Can this salad be made ahead?

Yes! To do so, cook the bacon and eggs as directed and chop them. Place the spinach in a salad bowl, and top with the bacon and eggs.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
The dressing can be made up to 5 days ahead. Place in a sealed jar and refrigerate up. Bring to room temperature in a bowl of warm water before pouring over the salad and tossing to serve.

How much does 12 cups of spinach weigh?

12 cups of spinach weighs about 13 ounces.

Serving Suggestions

Variations To Try

  • Alternative Bacon: You can try another non-pork bacon such as Turkey Bacon or Tempeh bacon. Or my favorite homemade vegan shiitake bacon. Add it just before tossing with the dressing.
  • Mushrooms: Sautee mushrooms with sliced shallot or red onion and add them to the salad while they are still warm.
  • Baby Kale: Toss in a few handfuls of baby kale.

More Spinach Recipes

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Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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A bowl of salad with Spinach and Bacon

Spinach Salad with Bacon and Eggs

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4.9 from 19 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 10 cups 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

Spinach Salad with Bacon & Eggs! Wanna know how you make an entree salad that your family will devour: Top a bunch of vibrant and crisp spinach with bacon and eggs and toss it with a rockin’ red wine vinaigrette. It’s super easy to make and it’s dairy-free, only 248 calories per serving and only 15 minutes of prep.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon
  • 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 12 cups spinach leaves

Instructions

  1. To Prepare The Eggs: Place eggs in the bottom of a small saucepan, cover with cold water by several inches. Bring to a gentle boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat, drain and then run cool running water over the eggs for several minutes until cool enough to handle. Peel and chop.

  2. To Cook The Bacon in a Skillet: Place strips of bacon in cool large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. Allow the fat to render out and the bacon to crisp. As the bacon cooks, reduce heat to prevent the skillet from smoking.. Turn the slices regularly so they brown evenly. Cook until the bacon is browned evenly. (Alternatively cook in the microwave, see notes below.) Transfer the crispy browned bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Cool and crumble. 

  3. Make Garlic Paste: Smash and peel garlic clove. Mince and mash with the side of a chef’s knife with the salt to form a paste. Scrape into a medium bowl.
  4. Make Dressing: Whisk vinegar and Dijon into the garlic paste. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with pepper.
  5. Toss Salad: Place spinach, eggs and bacon in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately. 

Notes

To Cook The Bacon in The Microwave

  • Lay the four slices of bacon on three sheets of paper towels on a plate. Top with another sheet of paper towels. 
  • Microwave 3 minutes. 
  • Look to see if it is cooked. Microwave in 30 second bursts until it is done.

To Make Whole30 Compliant

If you are doing Whole30 make sure to check that your Dijon doesn’t have wine in it and that your bacon is compliant.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: salad
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 1/2 cups
  • Calories: 248
  • Sugar: 0.8 g
  • Sodium: 475.5 mg
  • Fat: 20 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 5.3
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 12 g

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