Description
This Mandarin Pasta Spinach Salad is a quick, vibrant, and refreshing meal or side dish. Perfect for potlucks, light lunches, or summer dinners, it combines sweet mandarins, tender pasta, and leafy spinach in a tangy-sweet teriyaki vinaigrette that’s both addictive and healthy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces bowtie pasta noodles
- 4 cups fresh spinach leaves
- ½ cup dried cranberries (craisins)
- ⅓ cup pine nuts (or substitute with cashews)
- 1 can (4 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
For the Dressing:
- ⅓ cup thick teriyaki sauce
- ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or canola/olive oil)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Boil the bowtie pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool it down quickly and prevent sticking. Set aside in a large bowl.
- Make the Dressing: In a jar or bowl with a lid, combine the teriyaki sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, sugar, and oil. Shake or whisk until the dressing is fully emulsified and slightly thickened. Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the rest of the salad.
- Assemble the Salad: In the bowl with pasta, add the spinach, mandarin orange segments, craisins, pine nuts, and chopped cilantro. Gently toss everything to distribute evenly and avoid bruising the spinach or breaking the oranges.
- Dress and Serve: Pour the chilled dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss everything again to ensure a nice even coat. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately for best texture.
Notes
- If using a thinner teriyaki sauce, simmer it briefly to thicken or add a tiny bit of cornstarch slurry. For extra crunch, toast the pine nuts or substitute with slivered almonds. Goat cheese or feta is an optional but delicious creamy addition. The dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Don’t dress the salad until ready to eat to prevent sogginess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 627 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 1094 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 32 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg