Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
Tender baby spinach, sliced mushrooms, crisp red onion and hard-boiled eggs get tossed in a warm, tangy dressing built from rendered bacon fat, red wine vinegar and Dijon. The heat wilts the spinach just slightly and mellows the onion.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Makes
- 4 generous salads (about 2 cups / 100 g each, with toppings)
Steps
Before you start
- Wash the spinach and dry it completely (a salad spinner works best). Wet leaves dilute the dressing and turn slimy.
- Use a large bowl, at least 4 quarts (4 L), so you can toss the salad without bruising the leaves.
- Have everything sliced and the bowl ready before you make the dressing. The dressing must go on while it is hot, and the salad is best eaten right away.
- Bacon is salty, so season the dressing only at the end after tasting.
Cook the eggs
- Place the 4 eggs in a single layer in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- Set over high heat and bring to a full rolling boil, about 6 minutes.
- As soon as it boils, turn off the heat, cover with a lid and leave the eggs in the hot water for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: After 10 minutes off the heat, the yolks are fully set, pale yellow and not shiny or wet.
Tip: Starting the eggs in cold water prevents cracking and the grey-green ring around the yolk.
Chill the eggs
- Pour off the hot water and cover the eggs with cold water.
- Let them cool for 10 minutes, refreshing the water once after 5 minutes when it turns warm.
- Use this time to do the next step.
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Ready when: Eggs feel cool, not warm, in your hand.
Soak the onion
- Put the thinly sliced red onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water.
- Let it soak for 10 minutes while the eggs chill and you prep the rest, then drain well and pat dry with a paper towel.
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Ready when: The slices look slightly translucent and smell mild rather than sharp.
Tip: Soaking takes the harsh bite off raw onion and keeps it crisp.
Prep the salad base
- Tap each egg on the counter, roll it gently and peel under cold running water.
- Cut each egg into quarters lengthwise.
- Put the dry spinach in a large (4-quart / 4 L) salad bowl and scatter the drained onion over it.
- Set the bowl next to the stove.
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Ready when: Peeled eggs are smooth with no bits of shell; the spinach is completely dry.
Tip: Keep the egg quarters on a plate for now so they don't get crushed during tossing.
Crisp the bacon
- Put the chopped bacon in a cold 12-inch (30 cm) skillet and set over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are deep golden brown and crisp.
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Ready when: Bacon pieces are deep golden brown, shrunken and crisp, and the bubbling in the fat has slowed.
Tip: Starting in a cold pan renders the fat gently so the bacon crisps without burning.
Drain and measure fat
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Use a slotted spoon to move the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Leave about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of fat in the skillet and pour off any extra.
- If there is less than 3 tablespoons, add olive oil to make up the difference.
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Ready when: About 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of fat remain in the pan.
Tip: Leave the browned bits in the pan. They add a lot of flavor to the dressing.
Sauté the mushrooms
- Return the skillet to medium-high heat.
- When the fat shimmers, add the sliced mushrooms in an even layer.
- Cook, stirring only every 30 seconds or so, for 4 to 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Mushrooms have released their liquid, which has evaporated, and the slices are golden brown at the edges.
Tip: Don't salt the mushrooms yet. Salt draws out water and keeps them from browning.
Build the dressing
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the minced garlic and stir for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Pour in the red wine vinegar (it will sizzle and steam) and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a spoon.
- Whisk in the Dijon, brown sugar and pepper.
- Simmer for 1 minute.
- Taste and add salt, starting with ¼ teaspoon.
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Ready when: Garlic smells fragrant but is not browned, the sugar has dissolved, and the dressing looks slightly glossy and blended.
Tip: If the garlic starts to brown, add the vinegar right away to avoid a bitter taste.
Toss while warm
- Return the bacon to the skillet and stir for 10 seconds.
- Immediately pour the hot dressing and mushrooms over the spinach and onion.
- Toss gently with tongs for 20 to 30 seconds, until every leaf is coated.
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Ready when: Spinach is glossy and just beginning to soften but still has body and bright green color.
Tip: Don't let the salad sit after tossing, or the spinach will keep wilting and turn limp.
Top and serve
- Divide the salad among four plates and arrange 4 egg quarters (1 egg) on each.
- Spoon any remaining dressing and bacon from the bowl over the top.
- Finish with a little more pepper if you like, and serve right away while still warm.
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Ready when: The salad is served warm, with the leaves still lightly wilted.
Good to know
Tips
- Use a large bowl and toss gently with tongs. Baby spinach is delicate and bruises if overworked.
- Pour the dressing over the spinach while it is hot. A lukewarm dressing won't wilt the leaves or mellow the onion.
- If the dressing tastes too sharp, whisk in an extra ½ teaspoon of brown sugar. If it's too sweet, add a splash of vinegar.
- Mature (flat-leaf) spinach also works, but remove tough stems and tear large leaves into bite-sized pieces.
Make ahead
"Boil, cool and peel the eggs up to 3 days ahead and keep them in a covered container in the fridge. Slice the onion and mushrooms up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately. Crisp the bacon up to 1 day ahead, store it in the fridge, and reheat the bacon and fat in the skillet before making the dressing. Don't dress the spinach until you are ready to serve."
Storage & reheating
"Best eaten immediately. Undressed components keep in separate covered containers in the fridge for up to 3 days (eggs) or 1 day (bacon, mushrooms). Leftover dressed salad can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 1 day, but it will be very soft and won't be crisp; eat it cold. Dressed salad does not freeze well. The bacon dressing (without spinach) can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and gently reheated in a skillet over low heat until pourable and warm."
Substitutions
- red wine vinegar → apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar. Use the same amount; cider vinegar is slightly fruitier and sherry vinegar is a bit mellower.
- light brown sugar → honey or maple syrup. Use 2 teaspoons (10 ml) for the same sweetness.
- cremini or white button mushrooms → thinly sliced raw mushrooms, or omit. For a more classic, crisp version, add raw sliced mushrooms to the bowl in step 4 and skip the sauté. Increase the fat to 4 tablespoons (60 ml) by adding olive oil.
- thick-cut bacon → turkey bacon or pancetta. Turkey bacon is leaner, so you will need to add olive oil to reach 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of fat; pancetta works with the same method.
