Spinach Salad with Vinegar Dressing is a delightful addition to any meal. It’s hard to go wrong with the bacon, boiled eggs, and croutons, plus a homemade vinaigrette that has just the right amount of seasoning and sweetness.
This Spinach Salad is always a Hit at Church Potluck Dinners.
My husband’s Aunt Ruth often brought this salad to our church potluck dinners, and it was always enjoyed by all. I especially like the dressing, which goes perfectly with the spinach salad and toppings.
Bacon, boiled eggs, mushrooms, red onion, and carrots. Plus Croutons–homemade, if possible.
See my Homemade Sourdough Crouton Recipe Here. Browse more Dinner Salad Ideas Here.
Ingredients for Spinach Salad with Vinegar Dressing
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Instructions For Making This Recipe
Gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Make the Homemade Vinaigrette
In a glass measuring cup, mix together the extra virgin olive oil, granulated sugar, red wine vinegar, celery seed, dried minced onion, ground mustard, smoked paprika, and kosher salt. Mix well with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
If desired, you may pour the vinaigrette into a medium cruet or pint jar. Refrigerate until ready to toss into the salad.
Cook the Bacon and Eggs
Cook the bacon in a large skillet until browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up the extra grease. When cool, break into small pieces with your hand.
A good time-saving tip is to cook extra bacon for breakfast and refrigerate it until ready to use.
Boiling Farm Fresh Eggs
This method works for both fresh and store bought eggs, and has about a 99% success rate!
Remove 4 (or more) large eggs from refrigerator and allow to set out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water. Heat over medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmering boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
Using a wire strainer, lower eggs into the simmering water. The water should cover the eggs by at least 1-inch. Return water to a gentle boil, then set timer for 10-12 minutes.
Place ice in a pan of cold water. Remove eggs with a wire strainer and place in the ice cold water. Allow to cool for 8-10 minutes.
After allotted time, begin tapping one egg shell on the counter multiple times. Then start peeling from the largest end of the egg where there is likelihood of a bubble. Use fingers to get under the membrane and start peeling the shell off.
Dip the peeled egg in the ice water to finish cleaning it and place on a plate or bowl. Repeat with remaining eggs.
Prepare the Vegetables
Trim the stems of any large spinach leaves. Place spinach in a large serving bowl.
Trim ends of mushrooms with a knife. Slice the eggs and mushrooms using a knife or an egg/mushroom slicer. I find the little gadget most handy, but you decide.
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Buy Now → Thinly slice the red onion on a cutting board using a sharp knife. Peel and julienne the carrots, slicing them into thin narrow sticks. I like to use my Santoku knife for this job.
Assemble the Salad
In a large bowl, combine baby spinach, bacon pieces, sliced mushrooms, red onion, julienned carrots, sliced boiled eggs, and croutons. Lightly toss to mix.
Right before serving, whisk or shake the homemade vinaigrette to emulsify. Then drizzle the dressing over the salad, and lightly toss to coat. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper as desired. This recipe will serve 6-8 people.
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Spinach Salad with Vinegar Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
- 5 slices thick-cut bacon cooked and crumbled
- 4 large eggs boiled
- 8 cups baby spinach
- 6 whole button mushrooms sliced
- 1 large carrot peeled and julienned
- 1/3 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup croutons See my Recipe Here
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Instructions Click to Start Cooking
- Gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
- In a glass measuring cup, mix together 1/2 cup (1.18 dl) Extra Virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons (29.57 ml) red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon (2.46 ml) celery seed, 1/2 teaspoon (2.46 ml) dried minced onion, 1/2 teaspoon (2.46 ml) ground mustard, 1/2 teaspoon (2.46 ml) smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon (2.46 ml) kosher salt.. Mix well with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
- If desired, you may pour the vinaigrette into a medium cruet or pint jar. Refrigerate until ready to toss into the salad.
- Cook 5 slices (5 slices) thick-cut bacon cooked and crumbled in a large skillet until browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up the extra grease. When cool, break into small pieces with your hand.
- Remove 4 large (4 large) eggs boiled (r more) from refrigerator and allow to set out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water. Heat over medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmering boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Using a wire strainer, lower eggs into the simmering water. The water should cover the eggs by at least 1-inch. Return water to a gentle boil, then set timer for 10-12 minutes.
- Place ice in a pan of cold water. Remove eggs with a wire strainer and place in the ice cold water. Allow to cool for 8-10 minutes.
- After allotted time, begin tapping one egg shell on the counter multiple times. Then start peeling from the largest end of the egg where there is likelihood of a bubble. Use fingers to get under the membrane and start peeling the shell off. Dip the peeled egg in the ice water to finish cleaning it and place on a plate or bowl. Repeat with remaining eggs.
- De-stem any large spinach leaves from 8 cups (240 g) baby spinach. Place spinach in a large serving bowl.
- Trim ends of 6 whole (6 whole) button mushrooms sliced with a knife. Slice the eggs and mushrooms using a knife or an egg/mushroom slicer.
- Thinly slice 1/3 cup (53.33 g) red onion thinly slicedon a cutting board using a sharp Chef's knife or Santoku knife. Peel and julienne 1 large (1 large) carrot peeled and julienned, slicing them into thin narrow sticks.
- In a large bowl, combine baby spinach, bacon pieces, sliced mushrooms, red onion, julienned carrots, sliced boiled eggs, and 1 cup (30 g) croutons See my Recipe Here. Lightly toss to mix.
- Right before serving, whisk or shake the homemade vinaigrette to emulsify. Then drizzle the homemade dressing over the salad, and lightly toss to coat. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) freshly ground black pepper as desired. Serves 6-8.
Yum! This looks delicious. Salads in the summer are mainstays in our home. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
I hope you will enjoy this Spinach Salad as much as we do!