If you’re looking for a quick, filling, and light summer meal, this wilted spinach salad recipe is a great choice. This salad can be a light main dish or a side to go with your grilling. Follow Apronese to see how to make it in this article.
What’s in This Wilted Spinach Salad?
Basically, the classic wilted spinach salad is made by cooking bacon, then using the bacon fat to make a warm vinaigrette, which is then poured over fresh spinach to slightly wilt the spinach. Hard boiled eggs and red onions are often added to the salad.
But I swapped the usual hard-boiled egg for some cannellini beans. I also used a bit of garlic instead of fresh red onion and made the vinaigrette right in the skillet instead of trying to pour off the bacon grease into another container.
What Else Can I Add to This Salad?
Here are a few other ingredients you can add to the salad:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Red onion
- Crispy fried onions
- Blue cheese
- Goat cheese
- Boiled baby potatoes
- Apples
- Walnuts
- Thinly sliced radish
- Chicken
Wilted Spinach Salad Recipr
Wilted spinach salad is a quick, easy, and light summer meal.
Author: Beth
Prep Time: 5 mins / Cook Time: 15 mins / Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 6 oz. bacon ($2.06)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 2 15oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained ($1.78)
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar ($0.18)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard ($0.12)
- 1 tsp sugar ($0.01)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
- 8 oz. fresh spinach ($1.99)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it is brown and crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and sauté over medium heat for about one minute.
- Add the rinsed and drained beans, vinegar, Dijon, sugar, pepper, and salt to the skillet. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat until the beans are heated through and a sauce has formed.
- Add the fresh spinach to the skillet, carefully stirring it into the hot beans until it is partially wilted. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Crumble the bacon over top and fold to combine. Taste and add salt or pepper to your liking. Serve warm!
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving ・ Calories: 443 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 49 g ・ Protein: 23 g ・ Fat: 18 g ・ Sodium: 438 mg ・ Fiber: 12 g
The nutritional values shown here are only estimates. Please see our nutrition disclaimer.
How to Make Wilted Spinach Salad – Step-by-step Photos
Step 1: Cook 6oz. bacon in a skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and leave the bacon grease in the skillet.
Step 2: Add two minced cloves of garlic to the skillet and sauté in the bacon fat for about one minute.
Step 3: Add two rinsed and drained 15oz. cans of cannellini beans to the skillet along with 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/8 tsp salt.
Step 4: Heat and stir the ingredients until everything is heated through and the vinaigrette ingredients have combined.
Step 5: Add 8oz. fresh spinach and carefully stir until the heat partially wilts the spinach. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Step 6: Crumble the cooked bacon over the skillet and fold to combine. Taste the salad and add salt and pepper to your liking. Serve warm.
You can try these other spinach salad recipes:
- Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Salad
- Roasted Vegetable Salad Meal Prep
- Spinach and Orzo Salad
- Chicken and Mandarin Salad
This wilted spinach salad has plenty of things you can add in or substitute to make it your own. Pair it with a glass of white wine to have the perfect meal. Follow Apronese for more updates!
