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This Spinach Salad is the one dish that is requested at more of our family dinners than any other salad. The secret is in the dressing!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Every family has that one dish everyone requests, and at our house, it’s my niece Emily’s Spinach Salad. When Emily asked what she could bring to Thanksgiving dinner, there was no hesitation on my part. It had to be her famous spinach salad! In fact, it wouldn’t feel like a Wilkes family gathering without it. The combination of fresh spinach, delicious toppings and different textures makes every bite so good, but the real secret is the homemade dressing. The addition of red onion gives it an amazing flavor that brings everything together. It’s one of those salads that everyone goes back for seconds of, and I’m pretty sure once you try it, you’ll understand why it’s been a family favorite for so many years.
Ingredients Needed
- Spinach. I prefer to use baby spinach
- Romaine lettuce
- Bacon
- Mushrooms
- Swiss cheese, grated
- Strawberries
- Olive Oil, or Canola Oil
- White Vinegar
- Sugar, or honey
- Red Onion
- Yellow Mustard
- Poppy Seeds
How to Make Spinach Salad Dressing
- Place oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar, diced rec onion and poppy seeds in a jar.,
- Shake or whisk the ingredients together until they combine.
- Refrigerate for several hours to let the flavors combine and meld together. The flavor of the red onion just infuses throughout, it is so good!
How to Make Spinach Salad
- Combine spinach, lettuce, mushrooms cooked bacon and strawberries in a large bowl. I like to remove the stems from the spinach leaves.
- Toss with salad dressing.
- Add grated Swiss cheese on top.
Tips from leigh Anne
- This salad is very versatile. You can switch it up by candied pecans, dried cranberries, goat cheese or feta cheese, diced chicken, avocado, or sunflower seeds.
- Use fresh spinach. Choose fresh baby spinach for the best flavor and texture. Baby spinach is tender, mild and perfect for salads.
- Make the dressing ahead of time. Preparing the homemade red onion dressing a few hours ahead allows the flavors to blend together. Store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
- Shake or whisk the dressing before serving. Homemade salad dressings can separate as they sit. Give the dressing a good shake or whisk to bring everything back together.
- Wait to add the dressing. For the freshest salad, toss everything together with the dressing right before serving. Adding it too early can cause the spinach to wilt.
- Start with less dressing. Add a little dressing at a time and toss until the spinach is lightly coated. You can always add more, but too much dressing can make the salad soggy.
- Prepare ingredients ahead of time. You can wash and dry the spinach, prepare the toppings and make the dressing ahead of time. Store everything separately and assemble just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will salad dressing keep?
This dressing will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. I store mine in a mason jar with a lid.
How far ahead can I dress spinach salad?
It is best to dress this salad right before serving as spinach will wilt after dressing is added.
Can you prep Spinach Salad ahead of time?
You can prepare the various components of this salad ahead of time but I recommend assembling it right before serving..
You can toast or sugar your nuts, slice the mushrooms, make the dressing, slice the strawberries, fry the bacon and grate the cheese ahead of time. Just store the perishable items in the fridge with the dressing in a separate container.
When it’s time to enjoy, all you have to do is toss the salad ingredients together with the dressing and enjoy!
How I keep spinach salad from wilting?
The secret is to start with completely dry spinach and wait until just before serving to add the dressing. If you’re transporting the salad to a potluck or family dinner, bring the dressing in a separate container
Can I use a different kind of lettuce rather than spinach?
Absolutely! While spinach is the star of this recipe, you could substitute spring mix or a combination of baby spinach and mixed greens. The flavor and texture will be a little different, but the homemade dressing will still be delicious.
Can I use bottled salad dressing rather than homemade?
You can, but I highly recommend making the homemade red onion dressing. It’s what makes this spinach salad so special and gives it that delicious flavor everyone loves.
There’s a reason this Spinach Salad has become a must-have at our family gatherings! It’s fresh, flavorful and easy to put together, but it’s the homemade red onion dressing that really makes it something special. Whether you’re serving it for a holiday dinner, taking it to a potluck or adding it to your Sunday dinner menu, this easy spinach salad is sure to become a favorite at your house too. Just don’t be surprised when everyone starts requesting it for every family gathering!
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Spinach Salad
Ingredients
- 20 ounces Spinach
- 1-2 heads Romaine Lettuce
- 3/4 cup Mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 pound Bacon pieces
- 3/4 pound Swiss Cheese grated
- 2 cups Strawberries sliced
Spinach Salad Dressing:
- 1/3 cup White Vinegar
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Canola Oil or olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1-2 tsp yellow wet mustard
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
Instructions
- Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake or mix well.
- Refrigerate for two hours or longer.
- Mix all salad ingredients together and top with dressing.
Tips & Notes:
- This salad is very versatile. You can switch it up by candied pecans, dried cranberries, goat cheese or feta cheese, diced chicken, avocado, or sunflower seeds.
- Use fresh spinach. Choose fresh baby spinach for the best flavor and texture. Baby spinach is tender, mild and perfect for salads.
- Make the dressing ahead of time. Preparing the homemade red onion dressing a few hours ahead allows the flavors to blend together. Store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
- Shake or whisk the dressing before serving. Homemade salad dressings can separate as they sit. Give the dressing a good shake or whisk to bring everything back together.
- Wait to add the dressing. For the freshest salad, toss everything together with the dressing right before serving. Adding it too early can cause the spinach to wilt.
- Start with less dressing. Add a little dressing at a time and toss until the spinach is lightly coated. You can always add more, but too much dressing can make the salad soggy.
- Prepare ingredients ahead of time. You can wash and dry the spinach, prepare the toppings and make the dressing ahead of time. Store everything separately and assemble just before serving.
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Nutrition Facts:
Originally shared January 19, 2012
Bridget says
I wanted to check— Is the yellow mustard regular yellow mustard from a jar kept in the refrigerator? And not the ground mustard (spice)? Thank you!
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
yes, the wet, yellow mustard
Bridget says
Thank you so much. What a fast response-very appreciated.
Tammy says
How much red onion did you use? Looks fantastic. Thanks!
Leigh Anne says
Sorry, guess that got left out of the list of ingredients. I used half of a medium size red onion, sliced
Adah says
Hi Leigh Anne,
I’ve been reading your blog for a while and love all the wonderful tips and recipes you post. I had this recipe bookmarked to try since my husband is a huge fan of red onions. We tried it and loved it and I’ve made it again, but adapted it a bit to our tastes. đŸ™‚ I’ve linked your recipe to my blog on of my posts. Thank you for sharing.
Romy Greenwood says
Leigh Ann,
I am making this for the 2nd time. Super delicious! And that says a lot coming from someone who rarely enjoys a salad.
Thank you Leigh Ann for sharing so much of yourself through your website!
Heather @ new house, new home, new life says
This sounds great Leigh Anne. I like the thought of putting the onion slices in for a quick marinade to infuse the dressing. Think this one is a keeper. I’ll be pinning it for future reference.