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Mediterranean Mandarin Orange Salad
Sweet mandarin oranges, still dripping with juice, meet salty feta cheese and briny black olives in this bright spinach salad. It's a combination that hits every flavor note, balancing rich cheese with the sharp bite of crisp red onion rings. You'll toss everything in a simple dressing of extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice for a light, acidic finish. It makes a fantastic quick lunch or a colorful side dish next to grilled chicken or fish.
Ingredients
- 2 cups torn spinach
- 1 (11-ounce) can drained mandarin oranges
- 1 cup red onion rings
- 6 ounces cubed feta cheese
- ½ cup pitted ripe olives
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Celtic salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1Toss the torn spinach, drained mandarin oranges, red onion rings, cubed feta cheese, and pitted olives together in a large mixing bowl.
- 2Whisk the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a separate small bowl until fully blended. Emulsifying the dressing first ensures it coats the greens evenly.
- 3Pour the lemon dressing over the spinach and orange mixture, tossing gently to coat.
Notes
- Make ahead: Whisk the dressing and prep the vegetables in advance, but don't toss everything together until right before eating so the spinach stays crisp.
- Swap: If you don't have canned mandarin oranges, fresh segmented navel oranges or blood oranges work beautifully.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the spinach will soften over time.