With a five-star rating and a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors, this mandarin orange salad is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s quick and easy to prepare, making it my go-to side dish not just during the winter months, but all year long.

spinach salad with mandarin oranges

I also love making a smaller batch for quick lunches, especially when paired with a protein like grilled garlic shrimp or roasted bone-in chicken breast. Chopping the salad into smaller pieces makes it even more convenient, allowing you to enjoy a little bit of everything in every bite.

Simple yet well-balanced, this vibrant salad is far from boring. Its colorful, fresh ingredients make it a visually appealing addition to any meal!

What You’ll Need for Spinach Mandarin Orange Salad

Salad

  • baby spinach
  • canned mandarin oranges
  • cooked beets
  • goat cheese
  • walnuts

Vinaigrette

  • balsamic vinegar
  • honey
  • dijon mustard
  • olive oil
spinach mandarin salad ingredients

Can I use fresh mandarin oranges?

I prefer canned mandarin oranges in this salad. They are sweeter and more tender as they are peeled, and they add just the right amount of sweetness to the salad.

Look for canned mandarin oranges that are “unsweetened” or “no sugar added”.

How to Make Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges

salad dressing in a bowl

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey, and mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in the oil until blended.

spinach salad with dressing in a bowl

Add spinach to a large platter. Then add drained mandarin oranges, thinly sliced beets, goat cheese, and walnuts. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad. Lightly season with salt and pepper to taste.

Favorite Shortcut to Cooked Beets

Beets are one of winter’s sweetest treats. When raw they taste earthy and bitter but when roasted they turn pleasantly sweet. Making them a delicious vegetable to add to salads. If you want to roast beets yourself, I have detailed step-by-step instructions in roasted beet salad with avocado.

If you want to skip roasting the beets in the oven, simply pick up steamed, vacuumed-packed beets in the produce section. They are readily available at most supermarkets. Cut open the package, slice the beets, and add them to the salad. It couldn’t be easier.

Spinach Mandarin Orange Salad Variations

You can easily adjust the recipe to suit your preferences and use up any ingredients you have on hand. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Cheese: Swap the goat cheese with feta cheese, blue cheese, or even mozzarella.
  • Fruit: Add to or replace the oranges with apples, dried cranberries, or blueberries.
  • Produce: Include cucumbers and red onions for extra crunch. Or, add avocado for a boost of healthy fats and a creamy consistency.
  • Dressing: Replace the vinaigrette with any store-bought or homemade salad dressing you like best such as Italian dressing or poppy seed dressing.
  • Protein: Include protein options like hard boiled eggs, crumbled bacon, salmon, shrimp, or shredded chicken to make this salad a complete meal.
  • Toppings: Add sunflower seeds, croutons, sesame sticks, or crispy chickpeas for extra crunch.

What to Serve with Spinach Mandarin Orange Salad

Enjoy this salad as a side dish with pretty much any main course such as roasted chicken thighs, chicken kabobs, maple mustard salmon, or jalapeño turkey burgers. Or, top it with your favorite protein to transform it into a complete meal.

Then, don’t forget to add a side of sourdough garlic bread, gluten free cheese bread, or naan!

How to Store Leftover Orange Spinach Salad

I recommend serving this salad right away as the spinach will start to soften the longer it sits. If planning on leftovers, store the salad and dressing separately for up to 1 day. Toss together just before serving and enjoy.

spinach and mandarin orange salad

More Spinach Salad

Strawberry Chicken Salad

Strawberry Avocado Salad

Berry Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Chopped Spinach Apple Salad

If you try our mandarin spinach salad, please leave a star rating and a comment letting us know how you liked the recipe.

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spinach salad recipe

Mandarin Spinach Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Chopped
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

Spinach salad with mandarin oranges, roasted beets, goat cheese, and walnuts makes a simple but well-balanced salad. 

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4–5 oz. fresh baby spinach
  • 11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
  • 2 medium cooked beets, thinly sliced, about 6–8 oz.
  • 2 oz. crumbled goat cheese
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Vinaigrette

  • 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 ½ tsp. honey
  • 1 ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the vinegar, honey, and mustard. Slowly whisk in the oil until blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. On a large platter arrange the spinach with all the toppings on top. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Lightly season the salad with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Mandarin Oranges: Look for oranges labeled “unsweetened” or “no added sugar”.
  • Beets: Use your favorite method for cooking beets. Or pick up cooked vacuum sealed beets at the supermarket, usually found in the produce section.
  • Goat Cheese: Not a fan of goat cheese? Try crumbled feta cheese instead – it’s equally as delicious.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 234
  • Sugar: 11.6 g
  • Sodium: 122.6 mg
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Carbohydrates: 16.4 g
  • Protein: 5 g
  • Cholesterol: 4.4 mg

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