In this warm spinach salad, the combination of cooked mushrooms, red onion, and garlic mixed with the spinach creates a satisfying and delicious flavor. Add crumbled bacon and a touch of balsamic vinegar, and you have a tasty and pretty salad.
There is so much to love about this spinach salad. First off – bacon. Second off – sautéed onion and mushrooms warm the spinach, which makes the spinach nutrients more readily available.
Toss it with a little balsamic vinegar, and the taste is spectacular, and you have a whole lot of yum going on.
Table Of Contents
Helpful tips
- I use purple onion but if you prefer, you can use either a yellow or Vidalia onion or even shallots.
- I recommend nitrate free and uncured bacon because I feel it is better for you than typical bacon. But use what you like.
- To save time, cook the bacon and veggies at the same time in separate pans. I use a sauté pan for the bacon and a wok for the vegetables.
- I like to serve the finished salad in a serving bowl that’s different from the bowl I’ve used to mix the veggies with the spinach.
- I only crumble as much bacon onto the salad as we can eat because it will soften if it sits in the refrigerator in the leftover salad. Save the rest of the bacon for the next time you heat up the salad.
- If you have any leftovers, you can store the salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- I like the simplicity of this salad, but if you want a little extra yumminess? Add hard-boiled eggs, leftover chopped chicken, goat cheese, walnuts, pecans, or raisins.
- I have also made this with a storebought vinaigrette and a dijon mustard dressing. Both ways are delicious, but I prefer just the balsamic vinegar.
How to make warm spinach salad
PRE-STEP
Get a sauté pan, skillet, or wok and a large bowl.
STEP ONE
Gather the ingredients – spinach, mushrooms, purple onion, bacon, and garlic paste.
STEP TWO
Heat a sauté pan on medium heat. Place the bacon in the pan and sauté 4 minutes on each side or until the bacon has finished cooking and has a nice crisp to it. I find it takes around 8 minutes.
STEP THREE
Lay the bacon on paper towels and blot the grease off the slices. (A)
STEP FOUR
While the bacon is frying, heat another sauté pan or wok on medium and when it comes to temperature, add olive oil.
Alternately, you can wait for the bacon to be done and use the bacon drippings to sauté the mushrooms and onion.
STEP FIVE
Add onions and salt and sauté for 10 minutes or until translucent. (B)
STEP SIX
Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. (C)
STEP SEVEN
Place spinach in a big mixing bowl, add 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar and as soon as the veggies are done cooking, transfer them onto the spinach.
Use a spatula to gently mix the vegetables with the spinach for a minute or two. This will cause the spinach to wilt. (D)
STEP EIGHT
Transfer the spinach and veggies to a serving bowl and crumble as much bacon as you like on it.
Time to serve it up.
So good!
I really hope you enjoyed this warm spinach salad recipe! It’s super delicious and a fun addition to your salad rotation.
Warm Spinach Salad
Cooked vegetables help wilt the spinach so you have a flavorful and delicious salad that is easy to make and beautiful to serve. And crumble bacon on it and it's a party going on in your mouth.
Instructions
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncured bacon (fried and cut into bite sized pieces)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium purple onion (sliced into rings)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces sliced portobello mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste (or 2 cloves of garlic, minced)
- 8 ounces baby spinach (I use pre-packaged)
- 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Fry the bacon on medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with some paper towels and blot the grease off with another paper towel and set aside. Once the bacon has cooled, cut in bit sized pieces
- Heat a wok or sauté pan on medium and once that has heated up, add olive oil and once that has heated up, add the onion and salt and sauté for 10 minutes
- Add mushrooms and garlic and continue sautéing for 3 minutes
- Put the spinach in a large mixing bowl
- Add the hot onion mixture and balsamic vinegar to the spinach and mix with a spatula until combined
- Transfer the spinach to a serving bowl and top with bacon
Notes
Helpful tips
- I use purple onion but if you prefer, you can use either a yellow or Vidalia onion
- I recommend nitrate free and uncured bacon because I feel it is better for you than typical bacon. But use what you like.
- To save time, cook the bacon and veggies at the same time in separate pans. I use a sauté pan for the bacon and a wok for the vegetables.
- I like to serve the finished salad in serving bowl, different from the bowl I’ve used to mix the veggies with the spinach.
- I only crumble as much bacon onto the salad as we can eat because it will soften if it sits in the refrigerator in the leftover salad. Save the rest of the bacon for the next time you heat up the salad.
