Sweet Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges

Finding a salad that actually excites you can feel impossible, especially when you’re tired of the same boring lettuce-and-tomato combo. And let’s be honest, getting your family to eat their greens is even harder when the salad looks uninspiring and tastes bland.

That’s where this spinach salad with mandarin oranges comes in. It’s got the perfect mix of sweet and savory flavors, a satisfying crunch from the toasted almonds, and enough color on the plate to make everyone curious. Plus, it comes together in about 15 minutes, which makes it ideal for both weeknight dinners and entertaining guests.

What Kind of Spinach Should I Use?

For this salad, baby spinach is your best bet since it’s tender and doesn’t need any chopping or prep work. Regular mature spinach will work too, but you’ll want to remove any thick stems and tear the larger leaves into bite-sized pieces. Fresh is definitely the way to go here – avoid using frozen spinach since it won’t give you that crisp, fresh texture you want in a salad. If you’re buying bagged spinach, give it a quick rinse and dry it well before using, or grab the pre-washed variety to save yourself some time.

Options for Substitutions

This salad is really forgiving and works well with whatever you have in your kitchen:

• Spinach: You can swap spinach for mixed greens, arugula, or even baby kale. If using arugula, keep in mind it has a peppery bite that pairs nicely with the sweet oranges.
• Mandarin oranges: Fresh mandarin segments work great if you have them, or try using regular oranges, grapefruit, or even sliced strawberries for a different fruity twist.
• Goat cheese: Not a fan of goat cheese? Feta crumbles work perfectly here, or you could use blue cheese for a stronger flavor. For a dairy-free option, just leave it out or add some avocado slices instead.
• Almonds: Feel free to use whatever nuts you have – walnuts, pecans, or candied walnuts all taste great. Toast them lightly in a dry pan for extra flavor.
• Cranberries: Dried cherries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots make good substitutes if you don’t have cranberries on hand.
• Balsamic vinegar: Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar work well too. You might want to add a tiny bit more honey if using these since balsamic is naturally sweeter.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this salad is adding the dressing too early, which causes the spinach to wilt and become soggy – always dress the salad right before serving to keep everything crisp and fresh.

Another common error is forgetting to watch your almonds in the oven, as they can go from perfectly toasted to burnt in less than a minute, so set a timer and check them at the 4-minute mark.

To prevent your goat cheese from clumping together, crumble it with your fingers rather than using a knife, and make sure to drain your mandarin oranges well so the excess juice doesn’t water down your dressing.

For the best flavor, let your dressing sit for 5-10 minutes before tossing it with the salad, which gives the honey time to blend smoothly with the vinegar and helps all the flavors come together.

What to Serve With Spinach Salad?

This spinach salad is pretty filling on its own with all the goat cheese and almonds, but it pairs really well with grilled chicken or salmon if you want to make it a complete meal. I love serving it alongside a warm bowl of soup – tomato basil or butternut squash are my go-to choices that don’t compete with the sweet and tangy flavors. For a lighter option, some crusty bread or garlic toast on the side is perfect for when you want something to munch on between bites. If you’re hosting brunch, this salad goes great with quiche or a frittata, and the mandarin oranges add a nice brightness to balance out richer dishes.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep the salad components separate if you’re prepping ahead. Store the washed spinach in the fridge wrapped in paper towels inside a container for up to 3 days. The dressing will keep in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to a week, just give it a good shake before using.

Make Ahead: This salad is perfect for meal prep! Prep all your ingredients and store them separately in the fridge. Keep the goat cheese, almonds, and cranberries in their own containers, and slice the onions a day ahead. When you’re ready to eat, just toss everything together with the dressing for a fresh salad in minutes.

Best Enjoyed: Once dressed, this salad is best eaten right away since the spinach will wilt. If you have leftovers that are already mixed, they’ll keep for a few hours in the fridge, but the texture won’t be quite as crisp and fresh.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1750-1900
• Protein: 32-38 g
• Fat: 110-120 g
• Carbohydrates: 170-185 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1/2 cup goat cheese
• 1/2 cup almonds (toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant)
• 1/4 cup red onion (thinly sliced across the grain)
• 10 oz spinach (I use Earthbound Farm baby spinach)
• 15 oz mandarin oranges (drained and patted dry with paper towels)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

For the dressing:

• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil (I prefer California Olive Ranch extra virgin)
• 2 tsp dijon mustard (I like Grey Poupon to help emulsify the oil)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Step 1: Toast the Almonds

• 1/2 cup almonds

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and add the almonds, stirring frequently for 4-6 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.

This brings out their nutty flavor and adds crucial texture to the salad.

Transfer to a plate to cool slightly, then roughly chop them into bite-sized pieces.

Step 2: Prepare the Salad Components

• 1/4 cup red onion
• 15 oz mandarin oranges
• 1/2 cup goat cheese
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• salt

While the almonds toast, prepare all your salad components.

Thinly slice the red onion across the grain and place in a small bowl with a pinch of salt—this softens the bite slightly and lets the flavors meld.

Pat the drained mandarin oranges dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which would otherwise dilute your dressing and make the salad soggy.

Crumble the goat cheese into bite-sized pieces and measure out the dried cranberries.

Step 3: Build the Dressing

• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt
• pepper

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, and balsamic vinegar until well combined.

The mustard acts as an emulsifier, helping the vinegar and oil blend together smoothly.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly—this gradual incorporation creates a properly emulsified dressing that clings to the leaves rather than pooling at the bottom.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to your preference.

I find that a touch more salt than you’d expect brings out all the flavors beautifully.

Step 4: Assemble and Serve the Salad

• 10 oz spinach
• toasted almonds from Step 1
• prepared salad components from Step 2
• dressing from Step 3

Place the baby spinach in a large bowl and add the toasted almonds from Step 1, the prepared red onion, mandarin oranges, goat cheese, and dried cranberries from Step 2.

Drizzle the dressing from Step 3 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly, making sure every leaf gets coated.

I like to use my hands for this final toss—it’s gentler on the delicate greens and gives you better control.

Serve immediately while the spinach is still crisp and the goat cheese is cold.

Sweet Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges

Delicious Sweet Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1825 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad:

• 1/2 cup goat cheese
• 1/2 cup almonds (toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant)
• 1/4 cup red onion (thinly sliced across the grain)
• 10 oz spinach (I use Earthbound Farm baby spinach)
• 15 oz mandarin oranges (drained and patted dry with paper towels)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

For the dressing:

• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil (I prefer California Olive Ranch extra virgin)
• 2 tsp dijon mustard (I like Grey Poupon to help emulsify the oil)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions

 

• Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and add the almonds, stirring frequently for 4-6 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. This brings out their nutty flavor and adds crucial texture to the salad. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly, then roughly chop them into bite-sized pieces.
• While the almonds toast, prepare all your salad components. Thinly slice the red onion across the grain and place in a small bowl with a pinch of salt—this softens the bite slightly and lets the flavors meld. Pat the drained mandarin oranges dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which would otherwise dilute your dressing and make the salad soggy. Crumble the goat cheese into bite-sized pieces and measure out the dried cranberries.
• In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, and balsamic vinegar until well combined. The mustard acts as an emulsifier, helping the vinegar and oil blend together smoothly. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly—this gradual incorporation creates a properly emulsified dressing that clings to the leaves rather than pooling at the bottom. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to your preference. I find that a touch more salt than you'd expect brings out all the flavors beautifully.
• Place the baby spinach in a large bowl and add the toasted almonds from Step 1, the prepared red onion, mandarin oranges, goat cheese, and dried cranberries from Step 2. Drizzle the dressing from Step 3 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly, making sure every leaf gets coated. I like to use my hands for this final toss—it's gentler on the delicate greens and gives you better control. Serve immediately while the spinach is still crisp and the goat cheese is cold.