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This easy avocado bacon spinach salad recipe has a mouthwatering honey mustard dressing that perfectly complements the crispy bacon and fresh spinach. It’s topped off with mozzarella!
Got avocados you need to use up? Try my restaurant-style Homemade Guacamole Recipe or Garlic Shrimp and Avocado Crostini next.
Why you’ll love it
This avocado spinach salad is the best because not only does it look gorgeous, it tastes just as good as it looks! I’m one of those people who really enjoys a salad that’s hearty and packed with fresh and satisfying ingredients. This is not a lackluster salad and makes a fantastic entrée.
Just picture this colorful avocado, bacon, and spinach salad at your next BBQ or picnic this summer. It’s the ideal crowd-pleasing salad since it’s so quick and easy to make. It’s equally good for a lazy warm evening on the patio or for date night. The crown jewel is the homemade honey mustard dressing.
What you’ll need
For the salad
- Bacon – for that savory and delicious crunch
- Tomatoes – use grape, cherry, or any variety of little tomatoes that’s ripe and fresh at the grocery store or farmers’ market to give a sweet quality
- Spinach – it’s a healthy and hearty leafy green
- Avocados – the creamy star of our salad. To find a ripe avocado, make sure that it’s fairly dark in color, just soft to the touch, and flick off the little nub to reveal green (not brown).
- Mozzarella – we’re using the mini kind that’s also known as bocconcini for cheesy goodness
- Red onion – this is the ideal variety for salads since it’s milder
For the dressing
- Yellow mustard – this is a typical American variety that’s quite mild
- Honey – for a touch of sweetness and that signature honey mustard taste
- Lemon juice – always use fresh lemon juice. It adds a little acidity for overall balance.
- Olive oil – for the base of the dressing
- Garlic powder – it adds an irresistible savory dimension
- Parsley – a burst of freshness
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Kitchen shears make cutting up the bacon simple.
- Use a classic metal whisk for making the dressing.
- I recommend this pair of scissor salad tongs for serving it up.
- These glass jars are a favorite of mine to keep homemade salad dressing in.
How to make spinach salad with avocado and bacon
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut the bacon into small pieces. Fry until nice and crispy. Prep the rest of the salad ingredients, and add them to a large bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
Give the dressing a taste, season with salt & pepper, and adjust to your preferences. Dress the salad, toss, and enjoy immediately.
Substitutions and variations
- If mozzarella isn’t your thing, try substituting with feta instead.
- This salad is fairly flexible, so if there’s something you’re not fond of, simply leave it out.
- A handful of whatever fresh garden herbs you’ve got on hand would be great to throw in!
What to serve with this spinach salad
- Since this salad is filling, it makes a fabulous meal on its own on a hot day. Serve it with a slice of crusty bread, and you’re all set.
- You can also serve it as a side dish along with other BBQ or potluck favorites like Tequila Lime Shrimp, my Cajun Grilled Corn on the Cob, or The Best Ground Chicken Burgers.
Leftovers and storage
- As with many salads, this bacon spinach salad is best eaten fresh.
- If you are planning on having leftovers or assembling it later, though, I’d store all of the ingredients separately and make a fresh salad when you’re ready and wait to cut up the avocado until the last minute.
Hope you enjoy this easy avocado spinach salad recipe! Did you make it? Let me know in the comments below, and tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.
Avocado Bacon Spinach Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 6 strips bacon
- 10 ounces little tomatoes (e.g. grape or cherry) cut into halves
- 1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach
- 2 avocados diced
- 3.5 ounces mini fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
- Salt & pepper to taste
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Cut the bacon into small pieces (I use kitchen shears to make this easy) and add it to a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until crispy (about 10 minutes). Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
- Meanwhile, add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until combined.
- Prep your other salad ingredients and add them to a large salad bowl. Add the bacon in once it's cooled down a bit.
- Toss salad with dressing, season with salt & pepper as needed, and serve immediately.
Notes
- As always, adjust salad dressing ingredients to your tastes (e.g. add more lemon or oil).
- Serves 2 as a main course or 4+ as a side salad.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on June 11, 2018. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
When you say calories – do you mean per serving or total for that meal? Thank you!
Hi Val! It’s per serving. Keep in mind it’s just an estimate and taken from an online database. Your individual ingredients may vary. Enjoy the salad!
This sounds so good. Going to get what I need from the store to make it. I think I’m going to add some garlic sauted shrimp and make it a meal.
Love that idea!! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know. 🙂
Good choices for summer! Thank you!
You’re very welcome! 🙂
Perfect
🙂
When you say yellow mustard do you mean Dijon ?
We have English mustard which is yellow also but it’s strong ?
Hi! No, I don’t mean Dijon or English mustard. It is definitely more mild. This is the kind I used for this recipe: https://www.mccormick.com/frenchs/products/mustard/classic-yellow-mustard – I recommend doing a quick Google search and reading up on it in case this brand isn’t available in your area. Yellow mustard is widely available and sold by various brands in North America, though.
Would any mustard work or only yellow mustard?
Hi! You could definitely change it up. Yellow mustard is fairly mild so that’s why I chose it.
Awesome recipe! I only had spinach, avocado, bacon, red onion and croutons on hand and it was still delicious. Definitely will be using the honey mustard dressing recipe over and over again, thanks!
Excellent! So pleased the dressing will get more use! 🙂
Natasha, Love your site and love all these healthy salads.
Thanks, Gloria in Arizona
Thanks so much, Gloria! 🙂
Yes I will make this salad, Natasha! Obsessed with all these flavors together. Pinned for my next BBQ!
That’s great! Thanks, Tracy. Hope you like it!
Since I got you that bowl for your birthday, the least you could do is make me this salad but without bacon. Are you going to?
No.
You made me snort with that reply. Just what my sister would have said!
Also love the bowl, and am going to make the salad for tonight’s dinner with some added grilled chicken breast. My stomach’s growling at the thought right now. Your pictures really sold this!
Haha sisters are the best, right?! Thanks! I really like it too! I hope you love the recipe!! Grilled chicken would be an excellent addition.