This Classic Spinach Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing has all the flavor of a traditional spinach salad: crisp bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and fresh mushrooms. A creamy avocado dressing replaces traditional buttermilk-mayo dressing, adding a light, bright touch.
When I think of a classic spinach salad, I think of tender spinach leaves crowned with crisp bacon, sliced hard-boiled eggs, and fresh white mushrooms all slathered in a creamy buttermilk-mayonnaise dressing. It's a tasty, totally satisfying, high-calorie, high-fat meal in a bowl, but I've discovered something even better.
Spinach salad with creamy avocado dressing checks the boxes for special diets. It's low-carb, keto, paleo, and Whole 30-friendly!
Ingredients
- spinach leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces
- bacon, cooked until crispy
- eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
- Cremini mushrooms sliced thinly
- red onion, sliced thinly
Dairy-Free Avocado Cream
- cilantro
- avocado
- lime juice
- fresh garlic clove
- olive oil
- apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- sea salt
Instructions
- Blend the dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy.
- Arrange the washed and dried spinach leaves, sliced hard-boiled eggs, sliced mushrooms, and crisp, cooled bacon in a shallow salad serving bowl.
- Toss with the avocado dressing just before serving.
This low-carb spinach salad with creamy avocado dressing delivers all our familiar favorite flavors but adds a light, bright twist to an old classic.
Using fresh avocado instead of buttermilk and mayonnaise provides all the creaminess we crave but in a dairy-free dressing. A simple remake that's even better than the original classic spinach salad!
Try this dairy-free avocado dressing on this Kiwi Mandarin Spinach Salad or as a dip for fresh vegetables or tacos.
And if you love spinach salads, try this Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad with Maple Walnuts and Bacon, Blackberry Spinach Salad, or Strawberry Spinach Salad.
More healthy salad recipes
- Thai-Style Coleslaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Blackberry Spinach Salad with Blackberry Balsamic Dressing
- Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad with Nutritional Yeast Dressing
- Winter Persimmon Kale Salad
📖 Recipe
Classic Spinach Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 cups washed spinach leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 4 strips bacon, cooked until crispy
- 2 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
- 6 - 8 Cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
- ¼ cup red onion, sliced thinly
Dairy-Free Avocado Cream:
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro
- ½ large avocado
- juice of ½ lime
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Arrange salad items in a bowl, blend avocado cream ingredients together in a food processor, drizzle on salad and serve.
Teresa
Love love love this dressing!!!!!
Thx you just made day 22 of whole 30 even better!
Elaine
Hi Teresa! Happy to hear you liked it as much as I do! 8 more days!
Angela @marathonsandmotivation.com
I love Spinach Salad, but have not had it with Avocado Dressing. The Dressing sounds amazing & I am pinning it to make sure and try it! Have a great week!! 🙂
Flavour & Savour
Thanks, Angela! Same to you!
marie
Love the idea of avocado dressing but I am not a fan of cilantro, what could I use instead?
Flavour & Savour
Hi Marie,
Thanks for a great question! I immediately thought of parsley as a substitute for the cilantro, but I wasn't sure what it would taste like, so I whipped up a batch just now. I'm happy to report that I really liked it. I used flat-leaf Italian parsley and because parsley has a milder flavour than cilantro, I added a little extra lime juice and an extra pinch of salt. Success! Thanks for asking, as I know there are many people, my husband included, who have an aversion to too much cilantro.
Nene
What would I put if the dressing is too thick, I want a bit more liquid dressing, thanks!
Flavour & Savour
Hi Nene,
To make the dressing a little thinner, you could reduce the amount of avocado and cilantro OR you could increase the amount of olive oil, lime juice and vinegar. I hope this helps!