Crispy Bacon Spinach Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
A hearty spinach salad with crispy bacon, red onion, and a tangy buttermilk-blue cheese dressing, topped with hard-cooked eggs.
- Prep15 min
- Cook10 min
- Total25 min
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings8
This salad takes the classic Cobb salad and gives it a fresh twist by using tender spinach leaves instead of iceberg lettuce. The combination of salty, crispy bacon, tangy blue cheese, and a creamy buttermilk dressing creates a satisfying and flavorful dish.
It's perfect as a light lunch or a side dish for dinner. The dressing is quick to whisk together, and the bacon cooks in minutes, making this an easy and delicious option for any day of the week.
Ingredients
Servings
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, shallot, and cider vinegar until smooth.
- Stir in the crumbled blue cheese, then season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat and cook the bacon strips until crisp, about 6 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain excess fat.
- In a very large bowl, combine the spinach, red onion, and bacon; toss to mix.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is well coated.
- Mound the salad onto serving plates, top with the quartered eggs, and serve immediately.
💡 Tips
- For a milder onion flavor, soak the sliced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes and pat dry before using.
- If you don't have buttermilk, you can substitute with a mixture of milk and lemon juice (1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice, let sit for 5 minutes).
- Make the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate; it will keep for up to 2 days.
Inspired by a recipe from Food & Wine