Winter Spinach Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Square side shot of winter salad on a green and white tray.

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5 from 1 vote

Winter Spinach Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

This easy winter salad is finished with a bright orange dressing.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword Christmas Salad, spinach salad winter, winter salad, winter salad recipes, winter spinach salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Cooling Time 15

Total Time 40

Servings people

Calories 360kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD

3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (5 ounce) container fresh baby spinach leaves
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ of a small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup chopped candied pecans (use store-bought candied pecans for a shortcut or homemade candied pecans)

FOR THE ORANGE VINAIGRETTE

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (from about 1 medium orange)
⅓ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons maple syrup
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste

Instructions

Prepare the Dressing

Place all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a mason jar. Seal the lid and shake until completely combined. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Assemble the Salad

Place all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl or on a large serving platter.
Drizzle with dressing, to taste, just before serving.

Notes

Make it a meal! Add rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey to the salad and serve it as a light entree. It's delicious paired with cornbread muffins or warm bread.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. The spinach will get soggy if it sits in the dressing for too long, so wait to add the dressing until you're ready to serve.

Nutrition