Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges

posted by Katya on Jan 19, 2022 (updated Apr 20, 2023) 1 comment »

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

This spinach salad is all about simple ingredients with big flavor. Baby spinach leaves with roasted beets, sweet mandarin oranges, creamy goat cheese, and walnuts drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette.

Just like our mandarin crunch salad, this is a great side salad to serve alongside just about any main dish or turn the salad into a dinner salad by adding your favorite protein, such as roasted bone-in chicken breast.

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.

Ingredients for Spinach Mandarin Salad

Salad

baby spinach
canned mandarin oranges
cooked beets
goat cheese
walnuts

Vinaigrette

balsamic vinegar
honey
dijon mustard
olive oil

Can I Use Fresh Mandarin Oranges?

I actually prefer canned mandarin oranges in this salad. They are sweeter, and more tender as they are peeled, and 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 and Mandarin Orange Salad

This spinach salad with mandarin oranges comes together in a cinch. Here’s how you make it:

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

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.

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