Description
A fresh and vibrant Raspberry-Spinach Salad featuring creamy avocado, crunchy toasted walnuts, and a zesty citrus dressing made with oranges and lemon juice. Perfect for a light, nutritious meal or a refreshing side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing Ingredients
- 2 medium oranges, divided (1 for supreming and 1 for zest and juice)
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salad Ingredients
- ¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1 medium avocado, chopped
- 1 (6-ounce) package raspberries
- 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
- 1 orange, supremed (peeled and segmented, from the orange used in dressing)
Instructions
- Prepare the citrus dressing: Using one orange, supremé the segments and set aside for later use in the salad. Zest the remaining orange to get about ½ teaspoon of zest, then juice it to yield approximately 2 tablespoons of juice. In a large bowl, combine the orange zest and juice.
- Mix dressing ingredients: Whisk in the lemon juice, finely chopped shallot, Dijon mustard, and salt into the orange mixture. Let the dressing sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Toast the walnuts: Place the chopped walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently and cook until they become fragrant and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Emulsify the dressing: While whisking the dressing constantly, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil until the dressing is fully emulsified and has a smooth texture.
- Assemble the salad: Gently fold the chopped avocado, raspberries, baby spinach, and reserved orange segments into the dressing, tossing carefully until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Finish and serve: Sprinkle the toasted walnuts evenly over the top of the salad before serving to add a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.
Notes
- Supreming an orange means peeling and segmenting fruit to remove peel, pith, and membrane; this creates neat, membrane-free segments.
- To toast walnuts evenly, stir frequently and watch closely as nuts can burn quickly.
- For best flavor, let the dressing sit for at least 10 minutes before tossing with the salad ingredients.
- This salad is best served fresh to maintain the texture of the ingredients.
- Can be made gluten-free and vegetarian as is.
