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This is the salad that I can’t stop eating…and it couldn’t be easier! Meghan’s 4-Ingredient Party Salad tastes fancy enough for all of your special holiday meals this season, but it’s so fast and simple that you’ll want to serve it every night of the week!

Two stacked images show a bowl of party salad - a spinach salad topped with walnuts, mandarin orange slices, and a creamy poppyseed dressing. Text on the image reads "Meghan's 4-ingredient party salad"
Table of Contents
  1. Spinach and Mandarin Orange Party Salad Recipe
  2. Party Salad Dressing
  3. How to Make a Party Salad with 4 Ingredients
  4. More Simple Salad Recipes
  5. Meghan’s 4-Ingredient Party Salad Recipe

Spinach and Mandarin Orange Party Salad Recipe

Some of my regular readers might remember when our family dressed up in our Halloween costumes last month and headed north for my nephew’s 2nd birthday party…

An selfie of Blair dressed up as Princess Laia from Star Wars, sitting in the front passenger seat of a car.

My sister-in-law, Meghan, is always a great hostess and this particular party was no exception. With 5 little boy cousins running around (all ages 5 and under), Meghan was a smart gal and she kept the menu festive but simple — appetizers, pizza, salad, and cake. But not just any salad…THIS SALAD…

A bowl of four-ingredient party salad, made made with baby spinach, mandarin oranges and walnuts, topped with a poppyseed salad dressing.

As soon as I took a bite, I asked her for the recipe on the spot. The combination of tastes and textures just works. Really well. It’s so easy that I almost didn’t share it on the blog. BUT, it’s just too good to keep secret, so here it is:

Party Salad Dressing

First, THE DRESSING!!

A bottle of Brianna's creamy poppyseed salad dressing sits on a marble countertop.

No, this isn’t a sponsored post. I’m just keepin’ it real and sharing the salad dressing that Meghan used, and that I have continued to purchase since then. I’m not normally a big fan of store-bought salad dressings, but this is a rare exception. This poppyseed dressing is so rich, creamy, and slightly sweet, but without any of the weird ingredients or funky bottled taste. You know what I mean, right?

An overhead shot of a bowl of salad - spinach leaves topped with mandarin slices, walnuts, and poppyseed dressing, - on a white marble countertop served with a fork and a small bowl of walnuts.

How to Make a Party Salad with 4 Ingredients

Meghan just tossed together some baby spinach, walnuts, and mandarin orange slices in a big bowl with the dressing. That’s it! Two minutes later, a beautiful party salad is ready to…party!

A white bowl filled with a spinach salad topped with mandarin orange slices, walnuts, and a creamy poppyseed dressing.

But if you love it as much as I do, don’t just save this salad for a special occasion. It has become my go-to weeknight recipe when I need a quick side dish. I keep the walnuts and oranges in my pantry, so I always have the ingredients on hand at the last minute.

And on those nights when Keith’s not coming home for dinner or he’s traveling for work? This becomes my main course! I top it with leftover rotisserie chicken, hardboiled egg, or some canned tuna for added protein. Served with an Orange Cranberry Corn Muffin (thawed from my freezer stash), I have a delicious and perfectly seasonal meal ready in about 3 minutes! Can’t beat that.

[Tweet “Meghan’s 4-Ingredient Party #Salad will WOW your guests and it’s ready in 2 minutes!”]

A bowl of spinach and mandarin salad, topped with a stream of creamy poppyseed dressing.

More Simple Salad Recipes

Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dish: Fall Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Goddess Dressing

50 minutes mins

Lightened-Up Broccoli Salad

15 minutes mins

Southern Peach Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

15 minutes mins

Meghan’s 4-Ingredient Party Salad

5 from 2 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 104 kcal
You can toss this super quick 4-ingredients salad together in five minutes! Spinach, sweet mandarin oranges, and walnuts all topped with a creamy poppyseed dressing – the perfect party salad!

Ingredients
  

  • 10-12 ounces baby spinach leaves
  • 1 15 oz. can mandarin orange slices drained
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • Brianna’s Homestyle Rich Poppyseed Salad Dressing to taste

Instructions

  • Place spinach, orange slices, and walnuts in a large serving bowl. Just before serving, drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss everything together!

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 28mgPotassium: 262mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 3327IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg
Keyword: Salad, simple salad, spinach salad
Course: Salad, Side
Cuisine: American
Author: The Seasoned Mom

blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

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Comments

  1. I love simple salads like this! Sounds delicious, Blair! Especially with the poppy seed dressing and mandarin oranges. What a perfect combo!

  2. Sometimes, the simplest of recipes can be the most delicious! And this salad definitely looks so, so delicious! Saving this for my next get-together!

  3. 5 stars
    This is a fantastic salad!!! I’ve made it five times over the past several weeks, and I recently added bacon, which takes it over the top. Thank you (and Meghan) from Blacksburg!