The Only Spinach Salad Recipe You’ll Ever Need

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This bright spinach salad, with sweet notes from the fresh orange segments and briny feta cheese, is sure to make it into your regular rotation. Make this easy salad a more substantial main dish by adding grilled chicken or roasted tofu on top.

a recipe photo of the Spinach Salad
Photo:

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

Active Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
15 mins
Servings:
4
the ingredients to make the Spinach Salad

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons orange juice

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

  • 5 cups packed baby spinach

  • 1 1/2 cups orange segments

  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot

  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

  • 1/4 cup pine nuts

Directions

  1. Whisk orange juice, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Add spinach; toss until well coated.

    a step to make the Spinach Salad

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

  2. Top with orange segments, shallot, feta and pine nuts.

    a step to make the Spinach Salad

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

Calories 232, Fat 16g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 13mg, Carbohydrates 18g, Total Sugars 9g, Added Sugars 1g, Protein 6g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 330mg, Potassium 86mg

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is spinach healthy?

    Spinach is a dark leafy green vegetable that is chock-full of nutrition, including vitamins A, C and K. Eating spinach has been linked with healthy eyes, skin and bones, as well as lower blood pressure.

  • Is feta cheese good for you?

    Like most other cheeses, feta delivers some protein and calcium. It’s considered a higher-sodium cheese, so if you’re watching your sodium intake, eat it in moderation and watch how much salt you’re adding to other foods. Thankfully, due to feta’s pungent taste, you need just a little bit to get its flavor.

  • What are some good substitutes for pine nuts?

    For this recipe, you could swap out pine nuts (also known as piñón, pinoli or pignoli) for roasted or raw cashews, pistachios or toasted walnuts, but we suggest chopping them to the size of pine nuts so they are sprinkled evenly over the salad. Botanically speaking, pine nuts are seeds, but the FDA classifies them as tree nuts. Anyone sensitive to nuts should consult with their allergist before indulging. In the meantime, if you don’t have a seed allergy, you could top your salad with sunflower seeds, hemp seeds or pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas).

  • Is there a difference between rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar?

    They’re the same cooking ingredient—a flavoring agent resulting from a fermentation process that converts rice to alcohol to vinegar. The keyword here is vinegar. If the label shows rice wine without the mention of vinegar, you’re looking at a different product—an alcoholic beverage. Also, note that if your rice vinegar shows the word “seasoned” on the label, skip it unless your recipe calls for it, as it has a different flavor. At the grocery store, you should be able to find rice vinegar in the international aisle or the aisle with salad dressings, olive oils and vinegars.

Additional reporting by Carrie Myers, M.S. and Linda Frahm

EatingWell.com, April 2024

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