Healthy Recipes Salad Green Salad Spinach Salad Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette, Red Onion & Avocado 5.0 (2) 1 Review Jessica B. Harris loves green salads, especially those that she can throw together quickly from whatever she has on hand in her fridge. After crisping bacon, she uses the fat in the pan to make a flavorful hot vinaigrette that she pours over the greens, onion and creamy avocado. The result is a beautiful, semi-wilted, warm spinach salad. By Jessica B. Harris, Ph.D. Jessica B. Harris, Ph.D. Jessica B. Harris, Ph.D. is a culinary historian and the author of 13 books related to the African diaspora, including Vintage Postcards from the African World (University Press of Mississippi), My Soul Looks Back (Scribner) and High on the Hog (Bloomsbury USA). She is the 2020 recipient of the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 4, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Jillian Atkinson Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 4 Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly Nut-Free Dairy-Free Healthy Pregnancy Soy-Free Heart-Healthy Egg-Free Gluten-Free Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe East or West, sometimes home is best. Such is the case with my diaspora dining. Sometimes, it's just time to take a small step back from the world to savor the world that is right at my fingertips. It may seem strange to be talking about the foods of home after our lengthy period of enforced home stay, but now that I am back on the road—in London, actually—I find myself wishing for my kitchen and the ability to throw together a quick meal from what I have. At home, in Brooklyn, I am a fridge stocker: condiments, cheeses, salamis and more are staples. I always have two or three things that can be transformed into something that will not only keep me going, but also keep me smiling. There's always bacon on hand for adding smoky flavor to things, and, as I often have salad cravings, there's always a bag or two of greens that often includes some fresh spinach. Now, after only two days of meals from the lobby café, where things tend to be fried or wrapped, I've been craving green: the green of a well-dressed wilted spinach salad. I don't remember where or when I learned how to prepare this wilted spinach salad, but its simplicity is part of its charm. The bacon is fried to render the fat, which is then used as the oil in the salad dressing. With a bit of sugar and whatever vinegar is at hand, it all comes together in finger-snap time, and the hot dressing is poured over the spinach. Voilà! I also love the fact that there can be additions. There are always onion slices, and I have been known to thrown in a handful of blueberries, some avocado pieces or a few sliced mushrooms— whatever my magic fridge yields. In the time it takes to fry the bacon, I'm eating. That's one of the pleasures of home that I will miss now that I have begun to travel again. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 8 ounces spinach 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 small avocado, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 4 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar ⅓ cup red-wine vinegar 1 tablespoon water, as needed Freshly ground pepper for garnish Directions Wash spinach thoroughly under cold running water and dry it in a salad spinner. Place the spinach, onion and avocado in a salad bowl. Place bacon in a skillet or medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the bacon is crisp and browned, about 4 minutes. Working quickly and stirring constantly, add sugar then carefully add vinegar (the mixture will bubble up). Continue to stir until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes total. The hot vinaigrette should be slightly thinner than maple syrup. Remove from heat, taste and add up to 2 tablespoons water, if desired, to thin the vinaigrette or dilute the flavor to your preference. Pour the hot vinaigrette over the spinach, onion and avocado. Toss to coat and partially wilt the spinach. Garnish with pepper, if desired, and serve immediately. EatingWell.com, May 2022 Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 153 Calories 10g Fat 13g Carbs 5g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Serving Size 1 1/4 cups Calories 153 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 13g 5% Dietary Fiber 5g 18% Total Sugars 6g Added Sugars 5g 10% Protein 5g 10% Total Fat 10g 13% Saturated Fat 2g 10% Cholesterol 8mg 3% Vitamin A 5390IU 108% Vitamin C 25mg 28% Vitamin E 2mg 13% Folate 154mcg 39% Vitamin K 284mcg 237% Sodium 171mg 7% Calcium 67mg 5% Iron 2mg 11% Magnesium 62mg 15% Potassium 593mg 13% Zinc 1mg 9% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.