Quick & Easy Summer Salads to Beat the Heat

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Spinach salad with creamy poppyseed dressing

This spinach salad recipe is a classic for a reason! Made with crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, red onion and sauteed mushrooms, it turns your everyday spinach salad into a well-rounded dish. Topped with creamy poppyseed dressing, it's got the perfect ratio of sweet and savory.

Ingredients for 6 servings

• 8 cups (1 12-oz. bag or 240 g) fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1.5 cups (125 g) white button mushrooms, sliced*
• 1/2 lb (225 g) bacon strips, cooked and roughly chopped (substitute cured ham if you like)
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Dressing

• 1/3 cup (80 g) neutral vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3/4 tsp poppy seeds
• 3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Heat a bit of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms in one layer and let cook undisturbed for 3-5 min. Stir well and cook for 3-5 min. longer, until tender and golden brown on all sides. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the baby spinach leaves, cooked mushrooms, chopped bacon, hard-boiled eggs and red onion. 
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth and fully combined.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
5. Serve.

*If you're short on time, feel free to skip the cooking step for the mushrooms and add them to the salad raw.