Spinach and Bacon Salad

Sometimes it's fun to just cook the basics. Like any other food blogger, I enjoy letting the creative juices flow, adding twists and turns to my dish making it unique and exotic. However, sometimes simple classic flavor combinations are enough. 

Therefore with this elegant Spinach and Bacon Salad, that is a rendition of a Craig Claiborne creation in the New York Times Cookbook (originally published in 1966), I give you the option of just sticking with the basics or jazzing it up with a bit of feta cheese and cherry tomatoes.

The combination of spinach and bacon is definitely enough flavor to make your salad sing. However, for photographic purposes, I wanted to add some color and texture. Plus the flavors really work. I personally can put feta cheese on anything and the sweet tomatoes are a nice contrast to the salty bacon.

The colors and flavors work and I highly recommend going old school with this yummy salad.

Spinach and Bacon Salad

*Recipe note - I used heirloom red spinach from Trader Joe's as well as regular spinach. The color is beautiful!
Recipe by Liz Hughes - Virtually Homemade

Prep time: 10 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh baby spinach, pre-cleaned
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
• 8 slices bacon
• salt and pepper to taste
• Cherry tomatoes and feta cheese for garnish (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Whisk the vinegar, oil, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper to taste until emulsified. 
2. Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry until crisp. Drain on paper towels and then crumble it.
3. When ready to serve, toss the spinach with the dressing and sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Add cherry tomatoes and feta cheese if desired.

Check out more delicious salad recipes from Food Network and some of my favorite food bloggers:

Creative Culinary: Mixed Greens with Smoked Mozzarella and a Warm Roasted Garlic Dressing
The Cultural Dish: Three Quick and Easy Salad Recipes
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Salad Greens with Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Red or Green: Salad Greens with Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette
The Heritage Cook: Chopped Steakhouse-Style Salad (Gluten-Free)
Weelicious: Southwestern Salad
Taste with the Eyes: Teacher Appreciation Farmers Market Salad
Swing Eats: Kale Salad with Lemon, Pecorino Romano, and Toasted Walnuts
Virtually Homemade: Spinach and Bacon Salad
Domesticate Me: 8 Gorgeous Green Salads for Spring
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Arugula and Grapefruit Salad
Dishin & Dishes: Tangle Thai Rainbow Salad
Homemade Delish: Grilled Pineapple Spinach Salad
FN Dish: Why Side Salads Are the Best Salads