• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Closet Cooking

Cooking adventures in a small, closet sized, kitchen. - I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.

  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Top Recipes
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • 6 Ingredient Meals
    • Slow Cooker Meals
    • One Pan Meals
    • By Course
      • Main Course
      • Side Dish
      • Dessert
      • Appetizer/Snack
      • More
    • By Diet
      • Gluten-free
      • Low-carb
      • Vegetarian
      • More
    • By Meat
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Lamb
      • Egg
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Turkey
      • More
    • By Cuisine
      • Cajun and Creole
      • Chinese
      • Greek
      • Italian
      • Japanese
      • Korean
      • Mexican
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
      • More
    • By Type
      • Burger
      • Cake
      • Cookie
      • Dip
      • Pasta
      • Pizza
      • Salad
      • Sandwich
      • Soup
      • More
    • By Ingredient
      • Avocado
      • Bacon
      • Cauliflower
      • Mushroom
      • Pumpkin
      • Quinoa
      • Shrimp
      • Strawberry
      • More
  • Cookbooks
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
Never miss a recipe! Subscribe to the email Newsletter!

Spinach Salad with Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms and Blue Cheese in a Bacon Pan Sauce Dressing Topped with a Hard Boiled Egg

[heart_this] · Feb 19, 2010 · 45 Comments

Spinach Salad with Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms and Blue Cheese in a Bacon Pan Sauce Dressing Topped with a Hard Boiled Egg

Bacon, caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms are among my favorite foods and when I saw a spinach salad on The Pioneer Woman that contained all three it, immediately made it to my meal plan. This salad is just packed with flavour! Not allowing any flavour to go to waste this salad starts by cooking the bacon in a pan and then setting it aside, reserving some of the bacon grease. The remaining bacon grease is then used to caramelize the onions and finally to saute the mushrooms. After cooking everything in that one pan it is just covered with those caramelized brown bits of flavour and they are recovered by making the dressing like a simple pan sauce where the pan is deglazed with the dressing’s vinegar and then the reserved bacon grease is used as the dressing’s oil component. As if this salad were not already flavourful enough, I could not resist adding some mellow creamy blue cheese. This salad would make a great side dish or you can easily add a hard boiled egg and turn it into a light meal.
Option: Use easy ramen eggs instead of regular hard boiled eggs!

Spinach Salad with Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms and Blue Cheese in a Bacon Pan Sauce Dressing Topped with a Hard Boiled Egg

Spinach Salad with Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms and Blue Cheese in a Bacon Pan Sauce Dressing Topped with a Hard Boiled Egg

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Servings: 2
ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 slices bacon (cut into 1 inch slices)
  • 1 cup red onion (sliced)
  • 4 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 small clove garlic (grated)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 ounces baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup mild blue cheese (crumbled)
directions
  1. Cover the eggs in water, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 7 minutes.
  2. Transfer the eggs to cold water and let cool enough to hold.
  3. Remove the shells from the eggs and slice.
  4. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a pan and set aside reserving 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.
  5. Caramelize the onions in the remaining bacon grease and set aside.
  6. Caramelize the mushrooms in the remaining bacon grease and set aside.
  7. Add the vinegar to the pan and deglaze it.
  8. Add the reserved bacon grease, sugar, mustard, garlic and season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
  9. Assemble salad and toss with dressing.
Similar Recipes:
Steak Tenderloin in a Mushroom and Blue Cheese Sauce
Burgers Smothered in a Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Blue Cheese Sauce
Teriyaki Mushroom Salad
Wild Mushroom and Double Smoked Bacon Linguine
Bacon Double Cheese Burger Salad
Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Kale Salad in a Creamy Asiago Balsamic Dressing
Grilled Chicken and Asparagus Caprese Spinach Salad with Bacon and Avocado
Asparagus Bacon and Egg Salad

More summer salads!

Bacon, Egg, Food, Gluten-free, Low-carb, Main Course, Mushroom, Recipe, Salad

eCookbook Bundle Cover

Get ALL 16 Closet Cooking eCookbooks in a bundle for 70% off! Enjoy some of the tastiest recipes from Closet Cooking along with exclusive cookbook recipes!

Get the Cookbook Bundle Now!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lin says

    February 19, 2010 at 1:48 am

    All I can say is "WOW"!!!

    Reply
  2. Queen B. says

    February 19, 2010 at 1:48 am

    WOWZER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I WILL MAKE THIS……..
    THIS LOOKS AMAZING !!!!!!!!

    Reply
  3. Zoe Sotet Art Studio says

    February 19, 2010 at 1:58 am

    I think I would prefer it without eggs, but Wow, this looks amazing. Your photographs are great. I bet even unappetizing food would look great if you photographed it.

    Reply
  4. Rebecca says

    February 19, 2010 at 2:19 am

    I think the only thing that would make this salad better would be roasted duck 🙂 mmm…. looks great!

    Reply
  5. Caroline says

    February 19, 2010 at 2:22 am

    That sounds incredible! Looks like I know what to make for dinner tomorrow 🙂

    Reply
  6. ♥peachkins♥ says

    February 19, 2010 at 2:28 am

    I love salads with bacon and hard-boiled egg

    Reply
  7. Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite says

    February 19, 2010 at 3:03 am

    Yup I have already eaten dinner but I could eat this! Looks amazing. Great blog, by the way – I cant believe it's taken me this long to find it!

    Reply
  8. Nina Timm says

    February 19, 2010 at 4:03 am

    My spinach salad from last night did not look nearly as good as this….I did not even take a picture!!!!

    Reply
  9. Megan says

    February 19, 2010 at 4:26 am

    This is my kind of spinach salad. And only pan to clean, I'm all over it!

    Reply
  10. Foy Update - Garden Cook Write Repeat says

    February 19, 2010 at 4:52 am

    This does look amazing. I can actually see keeping the dressing hot, so it lightly wilts the spinach when you pour it over. Yum.

    Reply
  11. Mother Rimmy says

    February 19, 2010 at 5:34 am

    Truly delicious. The ultimate salad!

    Reply
  12. Jenn says

    February 19, 2010 at 6:05 am

    If only I lived closer to you, I'd be at your place for dinner almost everyday.

    Reply
  13. Angela says

    February 19, 2010 at 6:06 am

    That sounds super tasty! But also like all the bacon grease would defeat the reason for eating a salad. lol…

    Reply
  14. Rachael says

    February 19, 2010 at 6:15 am

    Those mushrooms look really tasty; the bacon doesn't hurt either 😉

    Reply
  15. MeetaK says

    February 19, 2010 at 7:33 am

    kevin this salad has my name all over it! i love the variety of flavors and how each one complements the other. brilliant!

    Reply
  16. Kara's "Original Greek" says

    February 19, 2010 at 8:01 am

    This meal looks so tasty, colorful, and healthy! its a winner..

    Reply
  17. Sook says

    February 19, 2010 at 8:18 am

    Oh wow that looks beautiful! What a great looking dish!

    Reply
  18. Rosa's Yummy Yums says

    February 19, 2010 at 9:01 am

    That looks like the Easter salads that we used to eat at my grandparents… So tasty!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  19. Joanne says

    February 19, 2010 at 11:15 am

    I'm pretty sure that PW is a genius. I am also pretty sure that you just won the prize for longest recipe name ever! Haha :p

    Can't go wrong with bacon. Ever.

    Reply
  20. Bellini Valli says

    February 19, 2010 at 12:55 pm

    I have all of the ingredients here Kevin and jusy love a delicious spinach salad.

    Reply
  21. Peter M says

    February 19, 2010 at 1:18 pm

    Kevin, a beautifully composed salad, right down to the perfectly hard-boiled eggs.

    Reply
  22. Fun and Fearless in Beantown says

    February 19, 2010 at 1:56 pm

    This salad looks GORGEOUS!

    Reply
  23. Ed Schenk says

    February 19, 2010 at 3:06 pm

    I like evrything on this salad except the mushrooms.

    Reply
  24. Cookie baker Lynn says

    February 19, 2010 at 3:29 pm

    Everything's better with bacon. And mushrooms. And onions. This salad's a winner!

    Reply
  25. All Our Fingers in the Pie says

    February 19, 2010 at 8:28 pm

    I love spinach salad. I'll have to make it – back to the store I go!

    Reply
  26. teresa says

    February 19, 2010 at 10:05 pm

    wowowowow! love it!

    Reply
  27. Blackberry Jam Cafe says

    February 19, 2010 at 10:16 pm

    Wonderful photos – and recipes. So glad I found you! I'm now following so I don't miss anything……
    Susan

    Reply
  28. Bridgett says

    February 19, 2010 at 11:42 pm

    Kevin, this is one gorgeous looking salad. I love this.

    Reply
  29. Lynn says

    February 20, 2010 at 12:06 am

    Oh my, I want to eat this salad immediately. You have the BEST recipes!

    Reply
  30. Snooty Primadona says

    February 20, 2010 at 1:23 am

    This has to be the most decadent salad ever and I love it! However, I can't help but wonder how my next blood test would turn out if I ate this the night before…. heart attack warning?! Oh Yeah! It would be so worth it!

    Reply
  31. Melissa says

    February 20, 2010 at 7:20 am

    I made this for lunch yesterday. Then I made it for dinner. Its so amazing. I just love it! I once ate a salad that I later had dreams about, I'll bet this one does that too!

    Thanks Kevin!

    Reply
  32. Butterfly says

    February 20, 2010 at 4:27 pm

    Looks good!!

    Reply
  33. Michelle @ Greedy Gourmet says

    February 21, 2010 at 2:43 pm

    Love the look of this salad. Now this is a REAL salad, unlike the bland salad leaves and sliced tomato and cucumber mumbo jumbo restaurants serve here so often!

    Reply
  34. Bente says

    February 21, 2010 at 4:07 pm

    Just stumbled onto your website today, when I was looking for a recipe for a BLT sandwich. Thanks to you I've just made a good BLT sandwich and this salad!!! I'm usually a mess in the kitchen and I'm so happy that I managed to make something that tasted good. I will definitely look for more of your recipes 🙂

    Reply
  35. Bente says

    February 21, 2010 at 4:08 pm

    Just stumbled onto your website today, when I was looking for a recipe for a BLT sandwich. Thanks to you I've just made a good BLT sandwich and this salad!!! I'm usually a mess in the kitchen and I'm so happy that I managed to make something that tasted good. I will definitely look for more of your recipes 🙂

    Reply
  36. Cookin' Canuck says

    February 22, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    Perfect! The bacon pan sauce sounds positively mouth-watering.

    Reply
  37. Jeanne @ Cooksister! says

    February 23, 2010 at 12:53 pm

    Oh, that looks wonderful. I am a huge fan of salads using spinach as a base – not only tastier but also more nutritious than lettuce!

    Reply
  38. Julie says

    February 26, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    I can almost smell this one it looks so delicious! I am going to have to figure out a light version of this one.

    Reply
  39. Anonymous says

    March 14, 2010 at 2:02 am

    I bookmarked your salad from Tastespotting and decided to try it out tonight. I have to say, this is definitely restaurant quality! I loved it. BF opted out of the dressing (he's a die hard French guy) and no onions for him either…though I made mine exactly. It was delicious. Paired it with a shrimp cocktail. Great dinner, thanks!

    Reply
  40. Dani says

    March 15, 2010 at 3:24 pm

    made it last weekend and OMG it was amazing 🙂

    Reply
  41. Colleen @ The Taste Place says

    December 23, 2010 at 12:01 am

    I made this salad (sans the egg) for a Christmas dinner party that my husband and I threw this past weekend, and it was a huge success.

    We paired it with a formal dinner of baked brie, potato leek soup, roasted goose, roasted brussel sprouts with bacon, and a wild rice salad with chestnuts, mushrooms and bacon.

    Reply
  42. Chocolate Covered Bacon says

    January 19, 2011 at 3:14 am

    I am about to like spinach salad. A great recipe for the day. I am starting to think that I will prepare this one at home. This is an amazing recipe and would be very helpful for a business venture.

    Reply
  43. Priceless says

    July 8, 2012 at 1:32 pm

    Spinach Salad is one of my alltime favourite salads. There was restaurant that I used to go to years ago at the Eaton Centre in T.O called Mr. Greenjeans and I would always order thier spinach salad. I don't think that restaurant exist anymore 🙁 but just looking at this salad reminded me of that place. I will definately be making this salad. thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  44. Joanne Voth says

    July 20, 2014 at 8:36 pm

    This salad looks amazing! I have to make this soon.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 55 Greatest Spinach Salad Recipes Ever – The Salad Website says:
    September 27, 2020 at 8:59 am

    […] https://www.closetcooking.com/spinach-salad-with-bacon-caramelized/ […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to the free Closet Cooking email newsletter and get a FREE copy of the eBook:
The Best of Closet Cooking!

About Me

Kevin: I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.
Read More

The Best of Closet Cooking 2023 – FREE eCookbook

The Best of Closet Cooking Book Cover

eCookbook Bundle

eCookbook Bundle

Top Recipes

Chicken and Avocado Burritos
Ham and Potato Corn Chowder
Mexican Street Corn Nachos
Balsamic Garlic Grilled Mushroom Skewers
Baked Firecracker Chicken
Caprese Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Balsamic Soy Roasted Garlic Mushrooms
Cheesy Beef Enchilada Tortellini Skillet
Parmesan Roasted Carrot Fries
Asiago Roasted Onions
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
About | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
Copyright © 2007-2023, Closet Cooking Ltd. All Rights Reserved.