Crunchy Spinach Salad

This spinach salad gets its crunch from three different sources: fresh bean sprouts, sliced water chestnuts, and crumbled bacon. Every forkful snaps and crunches against the tender spinach leaves.

The dressing is the real surprise. Brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, oil, and Worcestershire sauce shaken together in a jar makes a sweet-tangy vinaigrette that tastes like a cross between a classic French dressing and barbecue sauce. It sounds unconventional, but it pairs brilliantly with the earthy spinach and smoky bacon.

Dress this salad at the last possible second. The sprouts and water chestnuts lose their crunch fast once the vinaigrette hits, and soggy bean sprouts are nobody’s idea of a good time.

Pro Tips

• Tear the spinach by hand into bite-sized pieces. Cutting with a knife bruises the leaves and turns them dark.
• Use fresh bean sprouts if you can find them. Canned sprouts are softer and waterier. If using canned, drain and rinse them thoroughly.
• Shake the dressing jar vigorously right before pouring. The brown sugar settles fast, and unshaken dressing will be oily on top and cloyingly sweet on the bottom.
• Crumble the bacon while it’s still slightly warm. It breaks apart more easily than cold, stiff bacon.

Variations

• Add sliced mushrooms or mandarin orange segments for extra freshness.
• Swap the ketchup-based dressing for a warm bacon vinaigrette to go full steakhouse-style.
• Use baby spinach to skip the tearing step entirely.