Spinach Bacon Salad

There's something about the smell of bacon hitting a hot skillet that makes me pause whatever I'm doing. Years ago, I was meal prepping for the week when I realized I had a bunch of fresh spinach that needed rescuing, some eggs, and half a pack of bacon looking at me from the fridge. What started as a quick lunch solution became something I've made countless times since—not because it's complicated, but because it's one of those rare combinations where every single ingredient just gets along.

I made this for a friend who kept saying she wanted to eat better, and I watched her face when she tasted it. She'd been expecting something virtuous and boring, and instead got this salty, tangy, satisfying thing that tasted like it had no business being healthy. Now she asks for it at least once a month, and I've learned that's the real test of a recipe—does someone actually want to eat it again?

Ingredients

• Fresh baby spinach: 150 g (5 oz), washed and dried—the drying matters more than you'd think, because wet spinach dilutes everything and makes the dressing slide right off.
• Large eggs: 4, boiled for exactly 8 minutes so the yolk stays golden and slightly soft in the center.
• Bacon: 6 slices, and yes, it's worth buying decent bacon because thin, wimpy bacon turns into nothing but grease.
• Cherry tomatoes: 100 g (3.5 oz), halved and optional, but they add a bright burst if you've got them on hand.
• Red onion: 1 small one, thinly sliced, because it mellows slightly against the warm eggs and warm dressing.
• Extra-virgin olive oil: 3 tbsp, the base of your dressing and the thing that ties everything together.
• Red wine vinegar: 2 tbsp, which gives the salad its backbone and that sharp, clean finish.
• Dijon mustard: 1 tsp, an emulsifier that keeps the dressing from separating and adds a little sophistication.
• Honey: 1 tsp, the tiny bit of sweetness that rounds out the acid and makes you stop mid-bite and think, 'what is that?'
• Salt and black pepper: to taste, because good seasoning is the difference between something that's fine and something you actually crave.

Instructions

Get your eggs started:

Cover them with cold water, bring to a boil, then let them simmer gently for 8 minutes—this gives you that perfect creamy yolk that warms the salad without cooking it further. Transfer them straight to cold water and peel while they're still warm; it's easier that way.

Crisp the bacon:

Medium heat is your friend here—too hot and it burns before it gets crispy, too low and you're basically steaming it. Once it's golden and making those snapping sounds, move it to paper towels and crumble it up rough.

Whisk the dressing:

In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, and honey and whisk until it's smooth and creamy. This emulsion is what coats every leaf and makes the whole thing sing.

Build the salad:

Start with the spinach, add your tomatoes and onion, then top with the still-warm eggs and bacon. The warmth of these will relax the raw spinach slightly without cooking it, which is exactly what you want.

Dress and serve:

Drizzle with that dressing you made and toss gently so you don't bruise the leaves—a soft hand here matters. Serve right away while the bacon's still got a little crispness to it.

Save

There was a Sunday morning when my nephew came over and stood in the kitchen watching me make this, asking questions about every single step. By the time we sat down to eat, he felt like he'd made it himself, and something about sharing food with someone who's actually curious about it changes the whole experience. That's what this salad is to me now—not just lunch, but an invitation to slow down for a minute.

Why Timing Matters

The magic of this salad lives in the moment where everything is still at its best: the bacon's still crispy, the eggs are still warm, the spinach is still bright. If you let it sit for ten minutes before eating, you haven't ruined it, but you've lost something. The warm eggs and bacon wilt the spinach just slightly, creating this soft-then-crispy contrast that's harder to achieve if everything cools down together. Make this salad right before you eat it, or at least keep the components separate until the last possible second.

Ways to Make It Your Own

This is a salad that welcomes additions without flinching. Crumbled feta or goat cheese deepens it, a handful of toasted walnuts or pecans adds crunch, a few dashes of hot sauce push it in a different direction entirely. I've made it with balsamic vinegar instead of red wine vinegar when that's what I had, and it shifted the tone from bright and tangy to rich and mellow. The foundation is solid enough that you can play around without worrying you'll break it.

Storage and Keeping It Fresh

This isn't a salad that improves with time, and it's not really designed for meal prepping in the traditional sense. But you can boil your eggs the night before, cook the bacon earlier in the day, and keep everything in the fridge separately. Mix it all together just before you eat, dress it at the table if you're being precious about it, and you've turned a fresh salad into something with minimal fuss at the moment that counts. The dressing keeps for three days in a jar if you want to make a double batch, and honestly, it's good on almost everything.

• Cooked bacon lasts about a week in an airtight container—perfect for throwing into salads throughout the week.
• Boiled eggs keep for five days and are always there when you want something fast and satisfying.
• Spinach goes downhill quickly, so buy it the day you plan to use it, or at least the morning before.

Save

This salad has become one of those recipes I turn to when I want something that feels like actual food—not a compromise, not a diet thing, just a meal that tastes good and makes you feel good. That's enough.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do I cook the eggs for the salad?

Place eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 8 minutes. Cool, peel, and slice before adding to the salad.

→ What is the best way to make the dressing?

Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.

→ Can cherry tomatoes be omitted or replaced?

Yes, cherry tomatoes are optional and can be omitted or substituted with other fresh vegetables or seasonal fruits for variation.

→ How should the bacon be prepared?

Cook bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, then drain and crumble into bite-sized pieces.

→ Are there suggested additions to enhance flavor?

Consider adding crumbled feta cheese or toasted nuts for extra texture and taste.