This Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad is pretty much a guaranteed hit at parties. My insanely picky 5-year-old eats it with minimal coaxing. My 2-year-old closes her eyes and sighs (she does it when she eats sushi, too…it’s pretty darn cute). Plus, it’s quick, easy, and cheap.
It has that addictive sweet and salty thing going on with smoky crumbled bacon, bright red onion, creamy avocados, and sweet mandarin orange segments. It’s all topped off with a sprinkle of cheese and a good dousing of poppy seed dressing to bring everything together. I promise you’ll love this one!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Baby spinach
- Romaine lettuce
- Red onion
- Avocado
- Shredded cheese – Moazzarella or Swiss.
- Bacon – Cooked and crumbled.
- Canned mandarin oranges
- Poppyseed dressing – Grab your favorite brand from the store, or make your own using this Homemade Poppyseed Dressing recipe.
How to Make a Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad
- For your salad base, you’ll use a mixture of baby spinach and romaine lettuce.
- Toss in some thinly sliced red onions, cubed avocado, cooked bacon crumbles, mandarin orange segments, and shredded cheese.
- That all gets tossed together with your favorite poppy seed dressing for a delicious, easy salad!
Storing and Other Tips
- This salad is best eaten soon after assembly. If you’re making it for an event, combine everything but the avocados and dressing. Add those when ready to serve.
- Add some grilled chicken to make it a meal!
Frequently Asked Questions
In my opinion, yes! I also like that I know exactly what ingredients went into it. This Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing recipe has just a handful of simple ingredients and is so good!
Sure. Some toasted or candied pecans, walnuts, or almonds would great, in my opinion! Craisins would also be delicious.
This salad works well for either. I love serving it at parties, but it’s delicious as a meal as well, especially if you add some protein like leftover grilled chicken!
Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces baby spinach (about half a bag)
- ½-1 head Romaine lettuce chopped
- ½ thinly sliced medium red onion
- 1 large avocado cubed
- 8 ounces mozzarella or Swiss cheese shredded
- 12 ounces bacon (1 package) cooked and crumbled
- 1 large can Mandarin oranges drained
- poppy seed dressing to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. When ready to serve, toss with desired amount of salad dressing and serve immediately.
Notes
- Nutritional information does not include dressing.
- If you anticipate leftovers, just let your eaters dress their own salads because the dressing will make the greens wilt.
Questions & Reviews
This has been my go-to salad for years and I get compliments every single time I make it! It’s so yummy and the dressing brings it all together so beautifully
This salad never fails. I always leave with an empty bowl. Thanks for posting such a great recipe. We LOVE it!!
I LOVE this salad!!
this salad is amazing! i love it