Description
A refreshing and vibrant Raspberry-Spinach Salad featuring creamy avocado, toasted walnuts, and a citrusy lemon-orange vinaigrette. This salad offers a beautiful blend of sweet and tart flavors with a satisfying crunch, perfect for a light lunch or a colorful side dish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dressing
- 2 medium oranges, divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salad
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1 medium avocado, chopped
- 1 (6-ounce) package raspberries
- 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
Instructions
- Prepare the orange segments and dressing base: Suprȇme one orange by carefully cutting away the peel and pith, then segmenting the orange. Set aside these segments. Zest the second orange to obtain about ½ teaspoon of zest, then juice it to yield 2 tablespoons of juice. In a large bowl, combine the orange zest and juice.
- Make the dressing: To the orange juice mixture, add 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, the finely chopped shallot, 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Whisk these ingredients together and let the mixture stand for at least 10 minutes to develop flavors.
- Toast the walnuts: Place ¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the nuts are fragrant and golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Emulsify the dressing: While continuously whisking the lemon-orange mixture, slowly pour in 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil until the dressing is fully emulsified and combined.
- Assemble the salad: Add the chopped avocado, 6 ounces of fresh raspberries, 5 ounces of baby spinach, and the reserved orange segments to the bowl with the dressing. Gently toss the salad ingredients until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve: Sprinkle the toasted walnuts evenly over the salad just before serving for added crunch and flavor.
Notes
- The dressing and toasted walnuts can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator and the walnuts at room temperature in an airtight container.
- If raspberries are unavailable, substitute with strawberries, blackberries, or pomegranate seeds.
- For nut variations, try pecans, slivered almonds, or pistachios. For a nut-free crunch, use roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
- Prepare and serve the salad fresh for best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1½ cups
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 146mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
