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Warm Spinach Potato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Warm salad with spinach and hot bacon vinaigrette, built around tender sliced potatoes and wilted spinach. Crispy bacon and a tangy Dijon-vinegar dressing coat everything so it’s ready to serve the moment it’s tossed.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes and spinach
  • 3 lb red potatoes, sliced
  • 6 cup fresh spinach
Bacon vinaigrette
  • 8 bacon
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 cup red wine vinegar Use exactly 1/3 cup (measurement will be split by scale).
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp sugar Use 1 tablespoon.
  • 1 salt and pepper Season to taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the potatoes
  1. Boil the sliced red potatoes until tender, about 15-20 minutes. You want a knife to slide in easily, then drain and keep them warm.
Crisp the bacon and build the dressing
  1. Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet until crispy, about 8-10 minutes, then reserve the drippings. Keep the bacon aside for crumbling later.
  2. Sauté the diced onion in the reserved bacon drippings until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Stir often so the onion doesn’t brown too much.
  3. Add red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper to the skillet and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes. Reduce just slightly so it coats the potatoes.
Wilt and toss
  1. Place the fresh spinach in a large bowl, then add the warm potatoes. Toss lightly so the heat starts wilting the greens.
  2. Pour the hot bacon vinaigrette over the spinach and potatoes and toss to wilt the spinach, 1-2 minutes. Stop when the spinach is glossy and just wilted.
  3. Crumble the crispy bacon on top and toss once more. Serve immediately while everything is warm.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the potatoes warm and the vinaigrette simmering hot—this is what wilts the spinach instead of leaving it limp. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat so the spinach doesn’t overcook. Freeze not recommended. For a lighter option, use turkey bacon and reduce the drippings to about 1-2 tablespoons, keeping the same vinegar and Dijon base.