Bacon & Bleu Spinach Recipe

Prepare spinach and tomatoes

Wash and thoroughly dry 5 cups baby spinach. Place spinach in a large salad bowl. Rinse 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes and slice each in half. Add tomatoes to the spinach and gently toss to combine.

Optional onion prep

If using, very thinly slice a small amount of red onion (about 2 tbsp). Separate into rings and add sparingly to the salad greens for a mild bite.

Cook bacon

Cook 3 strips of smoked bacon to crisp in a skillet over medium heat (about 6–8 minutes), turning occasionally. Alternatively, bake on a sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then chop or crumble into bite-size pieces. Reserve 1 tsp of the rendered bacon fat if you want extra flavor (optional).

Hard-boil and halve eggs

Place 2 large eggs in a small pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce heat and cook for 9 minutes for fully set yolks. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes, peel, then cut each egg into quarters or halves. Add eggs to the salad bowl or reserve for plating on top.

Add cheese

Crumble 1 oz Gorgonzola (or equivalent bleu cheese) and sprinkle over the spinach and tomatoes. Save the additional 2 tbsp bleu cheese for the dressing as listed in the dressing section.

Make dressing

In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup cold low-fat buttermilk, 1 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sour cream, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1 tsp lemon juice until smooth. Stir in 2 tbsp crumbled bleu cheese and 0.5 tsp minced garlic. Season with 0.25 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper. If the dressing is thicker than desired, whisk in up to 2 tsp cold water, 1 tsp at a time, until it reaches a pourable but creamy consistency. For a smoother dressing, pulse the mixture briefly in a blender or use an immersion blender—this will incorporate the bleu cheese into the buttermilk for a creamier texture.

Taste and adjust

Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice to preference. If you prefer more bleu flavor, fold in an extra tablespoon of crumbled bleu cheese.

Assemble the salad

Drizzle about 2–3 tablespoons of the buttermilk bleu cheese dressing over the spinach and tomatoes (reserve extra dressing on the side). Toss gently to coat the leaves without bruising. Arrange the quartered hard-boiled eggs on top, then scatter the chopped/crumbled bacon evenly across the salad. Sprinkle the 1 oz crumbled Gorgonzola over the top for additional pockets of flavor.

Garnish and serve

Finish with a light dusting of coarse black pepper (about 1/4 tsp) and a pinch of chopped chives if using. Serve immediately with the remaining dressing passed on the side. This salad is naturally gluten-free; confirm that your mayonnaise and any prepackaged cheeses are labeled gluten-free if needed.