Mandarin Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans is colorful and packed with flavor! Tart pomegranates and sweet candied pecans give it a yummy crunch.
Mandarin Spinach Salad
This Mandarin Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans is the perfect salad to serve no matter the season. Spinach Salad is ideal for taking to potlucks and summer barbecues because it’s so pretty, it tastes fresh and delicious, and can feed a crowd, but is gorgeous enough to serve on a Christmas buffet or Thanksgiving Day table. Even my picky kids love this salad because they think the pecans taste like candy. Easy to make and versatile, you’ll want to make this salad all year round!
Make Spinach Salad a Meal
It’s easy to turn this Mandarin Spinach Salad into a full meal! All you need to do is add some diced meat and you’ve got a perfect summer supper that’s ready in no time!
- Add grilled chicken, sliced over the top
- Grill up a pork tenderloin and slice into the salad.
- Dice turkey or even leftover Sunday ham into the salad
Substitutions and Additions to Spinach Salad
- Serve this salad with pomegranate seeds and candied pecans for a sweet Christmas salad.
- Swap out the pomegranate seeds for fresh raspberries or strawberries during the summer months for a light summer supper.
- Add craisins, dried cranberries, raisins or dried mango for added texture and flavor.
- Toss with romaine lettuce or a spring mix to add bulk if you need to serve lots of people.
How to Make Candied Pecans
Making your own candied pecans is really easy! All you need are some pecan halves and some sugar. Add the pecans and sugar to a small skillet and heat up on the stove. The trick is to make sure to watch them close and stir constantly! They are perfect just after the sugar melts and coats the pecans. Once the sugar melts they can burn fast, so be sure to watch it really closely.
Other Delicious Salad Recipes
Some of our other favorite salads that make great side dishes are:
- Nuts About Berries Salad – a yummy berry salad with a berry dressing.
- Homestyle Potato Salad – the best potato salad ever!
- BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad – a pasta salad with a yummy BBQ ranch flavor.
- Asian Cucumber Salad – perfect side dish to Asian food.
- Kona Grill’s Red Pepper Coleslaw – a yummy twist on traditional coleslaw.
- Waldorf Salad – a tasty apple, grape, and walnut salad.
- Authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad – perfect with Hawaiian dishes like Kalua pork.
- Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad – great for BBQ’s.
- Light Greek Pasta Salad – a savory salad with greek dressing.
- Grilled Caesar Salad – Caesar salad with grilled romaine.
- Harvest Pear Salad – an Autumn favorite.
- Mom’s Traditional Macaroni Salad – a staple at our family picnics.
How to Make Mandarin Spinach Salad
Ingredients
- 6 c. baby spinach pre-washed
- 3/4 c. poppyseed dressing Brianna's
- 22 oz mandarin oranges 2 cans, drained
- 1/2 c. pomegranate seeds
- 1 c. blueberries
Instructions
For the Candied Pecans:
- In a small skillet cook the chopped pecans and sugar over medium heat over the stove. Stir constantly until the sugar melts and coats the pecans. Remove from heat and cool completely.
For the Salad:
- Toss the spinach in the poppyseed dressing, then sprinkle on all remaining ingredients.
Beth says
This salad looks so delicious and the perfect colors for Fall! I am a big fan of candied pecans but with all the other tasty ingredients in this salad, I may actually eat the whole salad and not just dig out the candied pecans!
Nellie Tracy says
Such a great recipe for a winter salad! Love this!!