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Classic Spinach Salad

Crisp bacon, tender spinach, eggs, and sliced vegetables are finished with a balanced dressing warmed in the bacon skillet.

Tender spinach is topped with crisp bacon, sliced eggs, red onion, and mushrooms in a shallow bowl.

This classic spinach salad depends on contrast: cool, dry leaves and vegetables meet crisp bacon and a warm, tangy dressing. Hard-cooked eggs make it substantial enough for lunch while the restrained dressing keeps the greens tender.

Render the bacon slowly

A gentle skillet temperature gives the bacon time to release its fat before the slices brown. Small, steady bubbles are a useful cue; moving too quickly can darken the meat before enough fat is available for the dressing.

Balance the pan dressing

Cider vinegar brings brightness, while a little water softens its sharp edge and Dijon helps the rendered fat and liquid come together. Warm the mixture only until the sugar dissolves, then take it off the burner before it boils.

Bacon renders gently in a skillet beside dry spinach, sliced vegetables, and peeled eggs. — Bacon renders in the skillet while spinach and sliced vegetables are prepared for assembly.

Make the eggs easy to peel

A covered rest off the heat sets the eggs without a hard simmer. Chilling them promptly firms the whites and makes peeling easier, so the slices sit neatly on the salad.

Keep the bowl balanced

Thin onion and mushroom slices distribute through the spinach instead of weighing down a few bites. Keep the eggs and bacon visible on top, where they retain their shape and crispness until the salad reaches the table.

Warm dressing lightly glosses spinach beneath crisp bacon, sliced egg, onion, and mushrooms. — Warm dressing lightly glosses the spinach beneath crisp bacon and sliced hard-cooked eggs.

Dress only when ready

Let the dressing stop bubbling while it remains warm, then drizzle it over the salad and toss briefly. Serving at once preserves the fresh spinach texture and the contrast between the leaves, warm dressing, eggs, and crisp bacon.

Classic Spinach Salad

4 side servings

43 minutes total

Ingredients

• 10 oz baby spinach, washed and thoroughly dried
• 6 thick-cut bacon slices
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups ice, for chilling eggs
• 1/2 small red onion
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

Hard-cook the eggs
Set the large eggs in a saucepan and cover with cool water by about an inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, turn off the heat, and leave for 10 minutes so the yolks set without becoming chalky.
Look for: The water reaches a full boil before the covered pan comes off the burner.
Chill and peel the eggs
Transfer the eggs to a bowl with the ice and enough cold water to cover them; chill for 8 minutes, then crack and peel them under a thin stream of water. Pat the peeled eggs dry and set aside.
Look for: The eggs feel cool, and their shells release without tearing the whites.
Render the bacon gently
Lay the bacon slices in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the slices are crisp. Move the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet.
Look for: Bubbles around the bacon are small and steady, and the slices are evenly crisp rather than dark.
Prepare the spinach and vegetables
If needed, rinse the baby spinach and spin or pat it completely dry. Thinly slice the red onion and cremini mushrooms; keep the spinach dry so the dressing clings instead of pooling in the bowl.
Look for: The spinach has no visible water, and the onion and mushrooms are thin enough to distribute through the leaves.
Build the warm dressing
Pour off any excess bacon fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the skillet. Whisk in the apple cider vinegar, water, Dijon mustard, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper over low heat just until the sugar dissolves; remove the skillet from the burner before the dressing boils.
Look for: The dressing is glossy and lightly steaming, with no vigorous bubbling.
Arrange the salad base
Put the dry baby spinach in a wide serving bowl and scatter over the sliced cremini mushrooms and red onion. Toss gently once to distribute the vegetables without bruising the leaves.
Look for: Mushrooms and onion are visible throughout the spinach rather than settled at the bottom.
Add eggs and bacon
Slice the peeled eggs into rounds and arrange them over the salad. Break the crisp bacon into bite-size pieces and scatter it across the top so each serving gets some bacon and egg.
Look for: Egg slices hold together, and the bacon stays crisp on top of the leaves.
Dress and serve promptly
Once the dressing has stopped bubbling but is still warm, drizzle it evenly over the salad and toss just enough to coat a few spinach leaves. Serve promptly while the bacon is crisp and the leaves remain tender rather than wilted.
Look for: The leaves are lightly glossed, with no hot pool of dressing at the bottom of the bowl.