diff --git a/esphome/components/ethernet/__init__.py b/esphome/components/ethernet/__init__.py
index 6bb51d4843..04729aa891 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ethernet/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/ethernet/__init__.py
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ def _final_validate_spi(config):
 
     if spi_configs := fv.full_config.get().get(CONF_SPI):
         # get_spi_interface() returns strings like "SPI2_HOST"
-        spi_host = config[CONF_INTERFACE].upper() + "_HOST"
+        spi_host = f"{config[CONF_INTERFACE].upper()}_HOST"
         for spi_conf in spi_configs:
             if (index := spi_conf.get(CONF_INTERFACE_INDEX)) is not None:
                 interface = get_spi_interface(index)
@@ -535,8 +535,7 @@ async def _to_code_esp32(var: cg.Pvariable, config: ConfigType) -> None:
 
         cg.add_define("USE_ETHERNET_SPI")
 
-        if CONF_INTERFACE in config:
-            cg.add(var.set_interface(SPI_INTERFACE_MAP[config[CONF_INTERFACE]]))
+        cg.add(var.set_interface(SPI_INTERFACE_MAP[config[CONF_INTERFACE]]))
         add_idf_sdkconfig_option("CONFIG_ETH_USE_SPI_ETHERNET", True)
         # CONFIG_ETH_SPI_ETHERNET_{TYPE} Kconfig options were removed in IDF 6.0
         # ENC28J60 was never built-in to IDF, so it has no Kconfig option
diff --git a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h
index 33240ceedf..b760ba2af7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ class EthernetComponent final : public Component {
   int reset_pin_{-1};
   int phy_addr_spi_{-1};
   int clock_speed_;
-  spi_host_device_t interface_{SPI2_HOST};
+  spi_host_device_t interface_{SPI3_HOST};
 #ifdef USE_ETHERNET_SPI_POLLING_SUPPORT
   uint32_t polling_interval_{0};
 #endif
diff --git a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component_esp32.cpp b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component_esp32.cpp
index 5745ccf3a7..d4585bf100 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component_esp32.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component_esp32.cpp
@@ -453,12 +453,11 @@ void EthernetComponent::dump_config() {
                 "  MOSI Pin: %u\n"
                 "  CS Pin: %u",
                 this->clk_pin_, this->miso_pin_, this->mosi_pin_, this->cs_pin_);
-  {
-    constexpr std::array<const char *, 3> values{"spi1", "spi2", "spi3"};
-    if (this->interface_ < values.size()) {
-      ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Interface: %s", values[this->interface_]);
-    }
+  const char *spi_interface = "spi3";
+  if (this->interface_ == SPI2_HOST) {
+    spi_interface = "spi2";
   }
+  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Interface: %s", spi_interface);
 #ifdef USE_ETHERNET_SPI_POLLING_SUPPORT
   if (this->polling_interval_ != 0) {
     ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Polling Interval: %" PRIu32 " ms", this->polling_interval_);