Easy Vegan Spinach Salad Recipe

Author: Mila Stevens Published: 04/08/2026

Here’s a fresh and easy spinach salad with bagel chips that’s just right for a light vegan lunch or a colorful side. Bonus tip: you can even wrap it up for a tasty on-the-go meal!

Note: This recipe is a fresh update of one I originally posted back in 2016.

Did you know March 26th is National Spinach Day?

How did that completely slip past me until a few days ago?

Spinach is definitely my all-time favorite green vegetable, so learning there’s a whole day just for it made me smile—and honestly, feel a bit sheepish for missing it for so long!

When I first mixed up this salad back in 2016, I piled it right onto a toasted bagel, and wow, that combo was amazing!

I ended up eating that every day for about half a year—that’s how much I loved it. Plus, including spinach like this everyday really did wonders for my skin.

Skin struggles, especially with acne, have been a longtime challenge for me. So I’m always on the lookout for natural ways to help, and honestly, I didn’t expect spinach to make such a difference!

Even now, spinach remains my go-to when I want my skin to glow. It’s simple but powerful, fitting easily into daily meals.

Bright, simple, and maybe a little nostalgic—this spinach salad is the one I first shared in 2016, now refreshed to make weeknight lunches or side dishes a breeze. It combines tender baby spinach with juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumber and red onion, all dressed in a zingy lemon‑Dijon vinaigrette, topped off with the perfect crunch of bagel chips. Enjoy it as a light vegan meal, a side salad, or wrapped up for a handheld lunch.

Keep reading to get everything you need: a clear list of ingredients, step‑by‑step assembly tips, smart make‑ahead and storage advice, plus easy swaps so you can personalize it your way. The dressing whisks up in no time, most ingredients can be prepped ahead, and tossing it all together takes minutes—so you’ll always have a fresh, crunchy salad ready in a snap.

What you get: full ingredients and exact amounts, helpful photos of key steps, plus serving ideas
What you’ll learn: how to keep bagel chips crisp, prep tips, and simple ways to shake up the salad (think avocado, feta, nuts, tofu)
Why it works: the light lemony vinaigrette highlights the spinach and veggies, while bagel chips bring that satisfying crunch

What Makes It So Good

If you love food that’s fresh, fuss-free, and packed with texture, this salad is right up your alley. It’s one of those go-to recipes I return to time and again because it nails all the mealtime wins without demanding too much effort.

Bright, balanced flavors: The lemon-Dijon vinaigrette lets tender spinach and veggies take center stage — tangy and light, never heavy or overpowering.
Great texture mix: Soft baby spinach, juicy cherry tomatoes, crispy cucumber and red onion, plus crunchy bagel chips (way better than regular croutons!) keep every bite interesting.
Quick and simple to make: Chop most ingredients and mix the dressing ahead — assembly takes just minutes when you’re ready to eat.
Totally flexible: Toss in avocado, nuts, feta, or swap bagel chips for beet chips—dress it up or down depending on what you want or have on hand. For a fruit-forward twist, try a strawberry–avocado spinach salad with poppyseed dressing.
Healthy and filling: It’s a light, low-carb, nutrient-rich option perfect as a lunch, side, or stuffed into a wrap for a heartier bite. Or pair it with creamy vegan asparagus soup for a more substantial meal. (Full scoop: adding spinach to my diet helped my skin glow, so that’s a personal plus!)
Great for meal prep: Keep ingredients separate, make dressing in advance, and you’ll have a crisp, fresh salad ready fast — perfect for busy days or packed lunches.

Bottom line? It’s quick, tasty, and easy to adapt. Give it a try and you’ll see why it became such a daily favorite in my kitchen.

This spinach salad really hits the spot. It’s all about fresh, bright flavors and lively textures that keep each bite delightful—without any complicated steps.

The tender baby spinach blends beautifully with juicy cherry tomatoes, while crisp cucumber and sharp red onion add just the right crunch. Then bagel chips finish it off with a crispy twist that’s way more fun than plain old croutons.

And it’s truly good-for-you food. Spinach packs a serious nutrient punch (and yep, adding more spinach helped brighten my skin!). The lemon-Dijon dressing keeps things light and fresh, letting all the veggies shine. Bonus: it’s vegan by default, but you can easily sprinkle on some feta for a richer flavor.

I also appreciate how practical this salad is. Most of the ingredients and the dressing can be prepped ahead and kept separate. In fact, the dressing tastes even better if you make it the day before! When hunger strikes, just toss it all together, and you’ve got a fresh, tasty meal in minutes.

Bright and fresh — the tangy lemon dressing brings lightness so the spinach and veggies shine.
Perfect texture play — tender greens, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy bagel chips make each forkful interesting.
Flexible and personalizable — add avocado, nuts, feta, or tofu to make it truly your own.
Convenient — chop veggies in advance, make dressing early, then toss salad just before eating so chips stay crunchy.
Healthy and refreshing — loaded with nutrients without heavy or overpowering dressings.

Simply put: it’s an easy, adaptable salad that’s full of big flavor. Make a batch and you’ll get why it’s a recipe I keep going back to.

What You’ll Need

1.5 cups baby spinach, washed well, dried, and stems removed
½ cucumber, washed and cut into thin julienne strips
¼ red onion, thinly sliced into julienne
6 cherry tomatoes, ideally a colorful mix
¼ cup kalamata olives
½ cup bagel chips
Juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon agave syrup
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) as needed

Build and Toss the Salad

Remove stems from baby spinach, wash thoroughly, and dry completely.
Place the clean spinach into a large salad bowl.
Wash the cucumber and slice it into thin julienne strips.
Rinse and dry the cherry tomatoes, then cut each one in half.
Optional: quickly warm the halved cherry tomatoes in a hot skillet 1–2 minutes per side.
Thinly slice the red onion and add it to the bowl.
Toss in the kalamata olives.
Whisk the dressing by combining extra-virgin olive oil, juice of 1/2 lemon, Dijon mustard, agave syrup, minced garlic, salt, and dried basil.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
Scatter the bagel chips on top just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Serve immediately.

Pro Tips for Best Results

Whenever you can, pick organic spinach for the freshest, tastiest leaves—it really makes a difference.
Feel free to prep and chop your veggies the day before to save time when you need it most.
Assemble your salad right before serving to keep those bagel chips crunchy and delightful.
No need to peel the cucumber skin—its color, nutrients, and crunch add so much to your salad.
I love using a colorful mix of cherry tomatoes here, but any kind you have on hand will work beautifully—check out our spinach salad recipe for more mix-in and dressing ideas.
If you have a moment, warming the tomatoes on the stove for about a minute boosts their juiciness and flavor.
Making the dressing ahead of time lets flavors meld perfectly, but whipping it up fresh is great too.
If you’re adding feta cheese, stirring it in just before serving adds a lovely creamy touch.

Toppings, Swaps, and Add-Ins

Red onions – thinly sliced to add a gentle zing
Kalamata olives – briny and full of rich flavor
Avocado – adds creamy, satisfying goodness
Croutons, crispy air-fried tofu, or crunchy air fryer cauliflower – for an extra crunch boost
Candied walnuts, pecans, or almonds – bring a touch of sweetness plus crunch
Feta cheese – a creamy, salty finish that pairs wonderfully
Beet chips – colorful and crunchy for a fun salad twist (or try quick air fryer radishes)

Feel free to mix and match any of these toppings to keep your spinach salad vibrant and exciting every time you make it.

How to Store and Prep Ahead

Keep each ingredient stored separately to keep everything fresh and the bagel chips crisp. Assemble your salad just before eating for the best taste and texture.

Make-ahead: You can chop cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions up to 24 hours in advance. Store them in airtight containers in the fridge. Whisk up the dressing a day ahead too—this really helps the flavors come together.
Spinach: When washed and dried well, baby spinach lasts about 3–5 days refrigerated in a sealed container or bag lined with a paper towel to soak up extra moisture.
Dressing: Keep your lemon-Dijon vinaigrette in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just give it a shake or whisk before drizzling over your salad.
Bagel chips: Store at room temperature in a sealed container or bag, and they stay crunchy for 1–2 weeks. Don’t toss them in with the salad until serving time to keep that crunch.
Leftovers: If there’s any salad left after dressing, remove the bagel chips and keep the rest refrigerated for up to 24 hours. After that, the texture won’t be as great.
Warming tomatoes: If you like your tomatoes warm, quickly sauté them in a hot pan for a minute or two on each side just before mixing the salad. Avoid reheating the whole salad. Prefer a hot side instead? Serve it with 10-minute air fryer asparagus for warmth without wilting the greens.
Freezing: Don’t freeze the salad or spinach leaves; freezing ruins the texture. The dressing can stay in the fridge but freezing it isn’t a good idea.

Common Questions About This Salad

What dressing goes with spinach salad?

Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Orange Dressing
Creamy Avocado Dressing
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Lemon Vinaigrette
Greek Dipping Oil

Spinach salad pairs well with almost any light dressing. The key is picking dressings that lift the natural flavors of spinach and veggies instead of overpowering them. If you love tangy, herb-forward vinaigrettes, you might also enjoy our Italian Salad.

I find that dressings that are too sweet or too sour can clash with spinach and onion’s stronger flavors. That’s why I usually stick to light, oil-based vinaigrettes that enhance without stealing the spotlight.

Is Spinach Salad Low Carb?

Absolutely! This spinach salad is naturally low-carb since it’s made with fresh vegetables and simple, whole ingredients. For a crunchy, low-carb side to serve with it, try zesty baked zucchini sticks.

If you add nuts, cheese, or avocado, keep in mind that the carb count changes a bit, so check those if you’re tracking closely.