Description
A refreshing Mandarin Orange Salad combining baby spinach, arugula, and sweet mandarin oranges, topped with toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and shaved Parmesan. The salad is dressed in a tangy and slightly sweet poppy seed dressing made with red wine vinegar, orange juice, honey, and Dijon mustard for a perfect balance of flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 3 cups arugula
- 1 (11-oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 cup toasted walnuts
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl, toss together the baby spinach, arugula, drained mandarin oranges, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Prepare the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, orange juice, honey, poppy seeds, and Dijon mustard. Gradually pour in the extra-virgin olive oil while continuing to whisk until the dressing is fully emulsified. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Toss salad with dressing and finish: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all components. Transfer the salad to a serving dish or individual plates and top with shaved Parmesan cheese and a pinch of flaky sea salt for an extra burst of flavor and texture.
Notes
- For extra crunch, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
- This salad is best served immediately to maintain freshness and crispness of the greens.
- You can substitute the Parmesan with a vegan cheese alternative to make it vegan-friendly.
- If fresh orange juice is unavailable, bottled orange juice can be used but opt for no-added-sugar varieties.
- Adjust sweetness of the dressing by modifying the honey amount to suit your taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Mandarin orange salad, spinach arugula salad, poppy seed dressing, healthy salad, easy salad recipe
