Spinach Poppy Seed Salad - Real Life Dinner

I am OBSESSED with this Spinach Poppy Seed Salad. I feel like it should have a different name because I don’t want you to confuse it with just any old spinach poppy seed salad. This one is filled with bacon, Swiss cheese, cottage cheese, mushrooms, and red onions that have been soaking in that poppy seed dressing and have the most incredible flavor. I am telling you, this salad is the absolute BOMB!!! If you love spinach salads, try this Sunshine Salad next.

When I was in college, I took a cooking class, and we had to cook and serve a 4-course meal to our favorite faculty members. I can’t even remember what I made, but I remember that the kid next to me made a salad like this and gave me some when we were done with our service. It was fantastic. This is kind of silly, but in college, young-married and poor, I couldn’t really afford to make it. I mean, bacon, Swiss cheese, poppy seeds, and even spinach felt out of the meager budget at that time. I kind of forgot about it.

A couple of weeks ago my friend, Ronica, sent me this recipe. I was, like, “Oh, heck, yes. This is the best, and I need to get it on the blog STAT!” Ronica does something that I think makes her version even better than my cooking classmate’s recipe. She makes the dressing in the morning, puts the sliced onions INTO the dressing to marinate, and then dresses the salad right before serving it. IT’S SO GOOD! I’m seriously obsessed!!!

The recipe calls for half a pound of bacon, but we all know you need to go ahead and add the whole pound.

Salads perfect for Summertime

Step-by-Step Pictures for How to Make Spinach Poppy Seed Salad

Frequently Asked Questions & Tips about How to Make Spinach Poppy Seed Salad

Can I use real bacon crumbles or bacon bits in place of the fried bacon?

Yes. Real bacon crumbles or bits are a good substitution.

I’m not a fan of Swiss cheese. What is a good substitution?

If you do not like Swiss cheese, Jack cheese is a good substitution.

Do I need to marinate the red onion slices in the dressing?

No, you don’t. However, I highly recommend marinating the onions in the dressing for the best flavor and texture. It adds a whole new level of deliciousness.

Can I make this salad in advance?

Up to a point. I recommend making the dressing the day before or the morning of the day you are going to serve it. Also, on the same morning, you can prepare and mix up the spinach and lettuce and add the rest of the ingredients on top, except the bacon. Cover and place in the refrigerator until right before you are ready to serve, and then add the bacon and dressing and toss it all together.

How long does the salad last?

The salad is the freshest and best on the day you make it. I recommend serving the salad immediately after you have added the bacon and the dressing. On the next day, the salad becomes a little soggy.

Tips:

Make the dressing several hours in advance so the red onion slices have time to marinate.
The recipe for the dressing makes a lot. Only add half of the dressing and toss before deciding to add more.
Mix in the bacon crumbles and dressing right before you are ready to serve.
Store the leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Chef’s Tools:

Spinach Poppy Seed Salad

Pickling red onion slices in the dressing results in the most incredible flavor, making it not just any old spinach poppy seed salad. You're going to love it!

Author: My friend Ronica's Aunt Janet

Recipe type: Salad

Serves: 10

Ingredients

DRESSING:
1½ tbsp poppy seeds
¾ cup white vinegar
1½ cup vegetable or canola oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
1½ tbsp grated onion
1½ tsp salt
¾ tsp ground mustard
1 large purple onion, sliced in rings
SALAD:
1 (8-10 oz.) bag of spinach
1 small head of iceberg lettuce
¾ cup grated Swiss cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
¾ lb sliced mushrooms
½ lb bacon, fried and crumbled

Instructions

DRESSING:
Make the dressing on the morning of the day you plan to serve the salad so the purple onion slices have time to marinate for several hours.
In a blender, mix the first 7 ingredients. Remove the blender cup from the base.
Next, place the sliced red onion in the blender and stir the slices with a wooden spoon, pushing the onion rings down into the dressing. Cover the blender cup with a lid and place it in the refrigerator until you're ready to put it on the salad.
SALAD:
Cook the bacon and break it into crumbles. Set aside, or place it in the refrigerator if not immediately serving the salad.
Clean the spinach and iceberg lettuce by washing and removing any wilted leaves.
Next, remove the core from the iceberg lettuce and chop it up. Place the lettuce and spinach in a large bowl.
Add and mix the Swiss cheese, cottage cheese, and mushrooms together with the spinach and lettuce.
When ready to serve, add the bacon crumbles and half of the dressing. Toss thoroughly. If needed, add more dressing and toss. Serve immediately.
Store the remainder of the dressing in the refrigerator for up to four days.