Spinach Mandarin Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

White salad bowl with spinach, cranberries, almonds, goat cheese, oranges and balsamic dressing drizzled on top.

4.88 from 8 votes

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!

Prep Time10

Cook Time7

Total Time20

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 275kcal

Author: Lorie Yarro

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 information is only an estimate. For this recipe, nutrition is based off all salad ingredients and half of the dressing.

Nutrition