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Fresh juicy mandarins make this Spinach Mandarin Salad a perfect way to brighten your day! Easily tossed together in about 15 minutes. Toasted almonds, cranberries, a fresh honey balsamic dressing and more will make this the perfect go to salad for any dinner!
This recipe was originally published January 2019 and updated in May 2023. The only modification to the recipe was the addition of goat cheese!
I am a big believer in fully loaded salads, packed with cheese, nuts, veggies, and more. This Spinach Mandarin Salad is no exception.
From my strawberry goat cheese salad, to this chickpea avocado salad, or this lemon orzo salad--you can always find a salad that is far from boring, and I hope this recipe doesn't disappoint!
Why You Will Love This Spinach Mandarin Salad:
- It takes about 10 minutes to prepare.
- Loaded with veggies and more.
- A delicious way to get more greens in.
- Super simple to vary or even make into a meal.
Recipe Ingredients:
- baby spinach: Baby spinach is clearly in the recipe name, but if spinach is a touch too much for you, feel free to mix in another green. Toss in some arugula, a bit of spring mix, etc.
- mandarin oranges: canned or fresh, whichever is preferred. We typically do the canned for this spinach mandarin salad, but have used fresh as well plenty of time.
- onion: very thin sliced and only a touch is needed. Red onion is preferred.
- goat cheese: the crumbles are what we opt for in this recipe. You can use a goat cheese log if that is all you have. Feta can work well if preferred. For dairy free, omit the cheese or use a vegan/dairy free cheese instead.
- almonds: sliced almonds, toasted lightly for just the right amount of flavor. Another nut can be used or in case of an allergy, pepitas or sunflowers seeds are great.
- dried cranberries: these add just the right amount of tartness to the salad, we like to use a lower sugar version of dried cranberries, but any will work!
Dressing Ingredients:
- olive oil: extra virgin olive oil, pull out a nice one for this balsamic dressing if you can!
- balsamic vinegar: a good aged balsamic for the best flavor.
- honey: the honey balances and smooths out the dressing. You can use maple if you need to make the recipe vegan. Adjust sweetness as desired.
- dijon mustard: key ingredient for the honey balsamic dressing. A classic dijon mustard will do just fine.
- salt and pepper: adjust to taste, usually about ¼ - ½ teaspoon pepper and up to ½ teaspoon sea salt, but ease into it as you please!
How To Make It:
- Toast the almonds, if desired. You can do this stove top on medium for about 3-4 minutes or bake at 350°F for about 4-6 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Allow to cool.
- Add the salad ingredients to a medium bowl.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Just before serving, toss in about ½ the dressing. Add more if desired. Enjoy! Keep leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. (It will be best eaten within 2 days).
Spinach Mandarin Salad Recipe Notes/Tips:
- For best results, wait to add dressing until just before serving. If you prepare this salad in advance, don't toss in the dressing until about 15-20 minutes before serving. You can serve the dressing on the side and allow everyone to dress their salad as desired.
- There is no need to remove the baby spinach stems, but you certainly can. Some people are turned off by the stems of baby spinach. Depending on where you get your baby spinach, they can be several inches long. While they are totally edible, you are welcome to remove them if desired!
- Store your salad for up to 4-5 days. This spinach mandarin salad is best eaten within the first two days but it will still be ok up to 5 days. The ingredients may become a bit soggy or mushy, but still ok to eat. Toss in some extra dressing before serving, if desired.
Possible Add-Ins:
You can make this mandarin salad even more fun with some other optional add ins that we like to toss in from time to time.
- chopped bacon (still warm if possible!)
- blueberries, or really any other berries
- poppy seeds
- chickpeas
- croutons, try these easy sourdough croutons
- sesame sticks
- sliced boiled eggs
- grilled chicken or steak--this lemon pepper chicken is great sliced over top
- salmon, citrus maple glazed salmon is our go to!
- cubed avocado
- sliced cucumbers
Other Salads to Try:
- Watermelon Feta Salad
- Pesto Orzo Salad
- Roasted Pear Salad
- Mixed Berry Spring Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
- Cucumber Feta Quinoa Salad
- Black Bean + Cauliflower Rice Salad
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
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Spinach Mandarin Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing
Fresh juicy mandarins make this Spinach Mandarin Salad a perfect way to brighten your day! Easily tossed together in about 15 minutes. Toasted almonds, cranberries, a fresh honey balsamic dressing and more will make this the perfect go to salad for any dinner!
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Servings: 4
Calories: 275kcal
Ingredients
- 10 oz baby spinach
- 1 can mandarin oranges (approx. 15 oz) drained, or 4 fresh mandarins, peeled and sectioned
- ¼ c red onion thinly sliced
- ½ c goat cheese crumbles
- ½ c sliced almonds
- ½ c dried cranberries
Dressing Ingredients:
- ½ c olive oil
- ¼ c balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 T honey
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place almonds on a baking sheet and toast for about 4-6 minutes or until fragrant.
- Combine all salad ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and whisk well until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If dressing is too thick, add a small amount of water to thin out.
- Add desired amount of dressing to salad and toss just before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- For best results, wait to add dressing until just before serving. If you prepare this salad in advance, don't toss in the dressing until about 15-20 minutes before serving. You can serve the dressing on the side and allow everyone to dress their salad as desired.
- There is no need to remove the baby spinach stems, but you certainly can. Some people are turned off by the stems of baby spinach. Depending on where you get your baby spinach, they can be several inches long. While they are totally edible, you are welcome to remove them if desired!
- Store your salad for up to 4-5 days. This spinach mandarin salad is best eaten within the first two days but it will still be ok up to 5 days. The ingredients may become a bit soggy or mushy, but still ok to eat. Toss in some extra dressing before serving, if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 452mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 5557IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you try this recipe? I would love to see it! Mention @LemonsAndZest or tag #LemonsAndZest!
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Paula says
Awesome!
Lorie says
Wonderful to hear this! Thanks!
Steve says
I forgot to mention I also sometimes substitute chopped walnuts for the almonds, and that tastes great too.
Lorie says
Yum!
Steve says
I'm not someone who makes their own salad dressings. But this looked good in the pictures, so I thought I would try it.
It tasted so good! Even my daughter who doesn't particularly like uncooked spinach liked it a lot.
I have made it several times since, and sometimes I also add fresh blueberries, which seem like they are halfway between the dried cranberries and the juicy mandarin sections, and they work really well with the rest of the ingredients.
Lorie says
Thanks so much for sharing Steve! If your daughter gives approval then that makes my day too! The blueberries sound perfect to me.