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Warm Spinach Potato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Warm salad lovers: this German-style warm spinach potato salad pairs hot sliced red potatoes with wilted spinach in a sharp bacon vinaigrette. Crispy bacon and tender onion finish the bowl with savory crunch and steam.
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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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes and spinach
  • 3 lb red potatoes
  • 6 cup fresh spinach
Bacon vinaigrette
  • 8 bacon
  • 1 onion
  • 0.333 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 0.5 tsp Salt Season to taste; start with this amount.
  • 0.5 tsp pepper Season to taste; start with this amount.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Boil potatoes
  1. Boil the sliced red potatoes in a Dutch oven until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Keep a gentle boil and look for pieces that offer no resistance when pierced.
  2. Drain the potatoes and keep warm. Spread them out briefly to prevent sticking while you prepare the dressing.
Make bacon vinaigrette
  1. Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet until crispy, 8 to 12 minutes. Set aside the crispy bacon and reserve the drippings in the pan.
  2. Sauté the diced onion in the bacon drippings until softened and lightly golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir often so the onion cooks evenly without browning too fast.
  3. Stir in the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes, until the flavors meld.
Wilt and assemble
  1. Place the fresh spinach in a large bowl. Keep it ready so the hot dressing can wilt it immediately.
  2. Add the warm potatoes to the bowl with the spinach. Mix gently so the potatoes contact the spinach throughout.
  3. Pour the hot bacon vinaigrette over the spinach and potatoes and toss to wilt the spinach. The spinach should turn deep green within 30 to 60 seconds.
  4. Crumble the crispy bacon on top. Add it last so it stays crunchy.
  5. Serve immediately while warm. For best texture, don’t let the salad sit more than a few minutes before eating.

Notes

Pro tip: slice the potatoes evenly so they finish tender at the same time, then use the vinaigrette immediately—hot dressing is what wilts the spinach into a glossy green. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days, but note the spinach will soften on cooling. Freezing isn’t recommended for texture. For a lighter option, use turkey bacon and swap butter-free bacon drippings; the vinaigrette will still work with a similar salty tang.