Mandarin Spinach Salad with Teriyaki Dressing
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This mandarin pasta spinach salad with teriyaki dressing is easy, quick, healthy, and tossed in the most addictive teriyaki vinaigrette dressing!
If you love pasta salad as much as I do, then you’ll want to make these other reader favorites: Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad, Strawberry Avocado Chicken Pasta Salad, Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad, and Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad.
Why This Recipe Works
Teriyaki dressing — The combination of craisins + spinach + mandarin oranges + pine nuts + cilantro borders on magical. But the dressing! The dressing is stuff actual dreams are formed of.
The dressing easily doubles — I’ve actually doubled the pasta salad dressing and saved half to keep in the fridge for another salad. However, all day long I find myself looking for anything and everything to dip in this stuff. Pasta, chicken, pretzels, cucumbers, my finger…
Mandarian oranges — These little, tasty citrus wedges are an unexpected (but totally amazing) addition to this spinach salad. They offer a nod to Asian food, pair well with spinach (a little bitter, a little sweet), plus offer a soft texture to the chewy craisins and crunchy pine nuts. Don’t sleep on the oranges, is what I’m getting at.
Teriyaki sauce — The dressing simply wouldn’t work without teriyaki sauce. Salty, sweet, savory, it’s all the things in one lovely bottle.
Here’s How You Make It
- First, cook the bowtie pasta (or other smallish) according to the package’s directions, then drain and rinse in cold water. Set it aside. (not pictured)
- You can make the dressing while the pasta is boiling. Just add all of the dressing ingredients to a jar with a tight fitting lid or in a bowl (again with a lid if it has one). Either shake the dressing ingredients in the jar with the lid on or whisk in a bowl to combine. Let the dressing chill in the fridge. (photos 1-2)
- Now combine the pasta, spinach, nuts, oranges, raisins, and cilantro to a bowl and toss. (photos 3-4)
- Pour the chilled dressing over the pasta salad right before serving and give it a toss again to combine. Serve and enjoy! (photos 5-6)
Ideas for Customizing this Recipe
- Add some bite and flavor to this spinach salad with some finely diced red onions or shallots. (I recommend shaking up finely diced shallots with the dressing.)
- Crumbled feta or goat cheese would make an amazing addition to this spinach salad.
- Instead of pine nuts, you could add slivered almonds or finely chopped pistachios.
- Any type of smaller pasta shape you have on hand is fine in this pasta salad. I just like the bowties because they add a fun, pretty shape. But rotini, fusilli, and penne would work great too.
- If you’d prefer a different dressing in this pasta salad, try my Orange Poppyseed Dressing (it’s amazing!).
- Instead of mandarins you could use thinly sliced apples, ripe pears, or even peaches.
Is Raw Spinach Healthy?
Do you love raw spinach? Then you’re in luck because not only is it delicious, but it’s also nutritious. Raw spinach contains tons of iron, vitamin C, niacin, potassium, folate, and riboflavin. Not to mention it’s a green, leafy veggie that has protein, fiber, and calcium too!
What’s the Difference Between an Orange and a Mandarin?
Mandarins are a kind of orange. Mandarin is a broad term for smaller, sweeter orange fruit like clementines and tangerines. So tangerines are a kind of mandarin. They are easier to peel too, thanks to a thinner skin that’s more loosely attached to the fruit.
Expert Tips
- The thicker the teriyaki sauce, the better the pasta salad dressing will be. My favorite brand is Kikkoman, but you can use whatever thicker brand you like.
- Unless you purchase your spinach already bagged and washed, I recommend rinsing the spinach leaves first. They can still have dirt/grit on it that doesn’t taste so great when you go to chew it. I simply soak my leaves in the sink/colander/salad spinner, then let the water drain through.
- If you prefer to use fresh mandarin oranges, it’s best to peel them and then try to remove as much of the pith as you can before slicking and adding to the pasta salad.
- For best results, do not dress the salad until just before you’re ready to eat it or the spinach will get too soggy. In fact, I wait to make the salad till just before we’re about to eat it or take it somewhere, then dress it. The dressing can be made a couple days ahead of time and stored in the fridge, though.
More Incredible Salad Recipes
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Greek Avocado Chicken Salad
- Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad
- Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Best Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
Did you try this simple pasta salad recipe? GREAT! Please rate the recipe below!
Mandarin Pasta Spinach Salad with Teriyaki Dressing
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bowtie pasta noodles
- 4 cups spinach leaves
- ½ cup craisins
- ⅓ cup pine nuts, or cashews
- 1 4-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Dressing
- ⅓ cup teriyaki sauce , (the thicker, the better!)
- ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar , (may sub apple cider vinegar)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder, (if you have it)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup oil, (such as vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- While pasta is boiling, prepare the dressing. In a jar combine all dressing ingredients. Cover and shake to combine. Chill until ready to use.
- In a large bowl toss together pasta, spinach, raisins, nuts, mandarin oranges, and cilantro. Just before serving pour dressing over salad, toss, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi. Are we supposed to toast the pine nuts the printed recipe does not call for it but the video shows it
It is whatever you prefer!
This is very good! Dressing is fabulous! I made it for Thanksgiving this year. I have suggestion though, if the entire salad will not be eaten at one meal, I would keep spinach and oranges on the side, became Too wilted to eat at a later time.
Super excited to hear that this salad was great on your Thanksgiving dinner table! It is a favorite here in our house! 😉 Thanks for your input!
DeLicIous!! Made this for thanKsgiving and it was a huge hit. After a couPle of bites, my husband declared this as a keeper! My sIster-in-law loved it so much, she asked for the recipe and will be making it next weEk. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Husband approved!!? Alright!! Way to go, Marlo! I am super happy to hear that this salad turned out so well on your Thanksgiving dinner table!
I just made this salad last night. Made half recipe, and didn’t pay close attention to salad ingredient measurements, just dressing. I felt like it had too much dressing, but perhaps I was off due to lack of measuring – that being said – it is REALLY good! Will make again. Even DH, who hates all things green, ate it and said it wasn’t bad. I loved it! Would be just as good without pasta or with like chickpeas or other type bean I would think. Used House of Tsang teriyaki sauce. I toasted the pine nuts, and used half olive oil, half canola in the dressing recipe. Very good!
Josephine- Sounds like you love this salad just as much as I do! 😉 Thanks for sharing your feedback!
How long will the dressing last in the fridge?
I would say up to a week at most. It will separate though, so make sure that you shake it well before using!
Excellent salad! We cut down the sugar by using what we had on hand: dried tart cherries, fresh mandarin orange, and baby spring mix greens. Brought to a potluck and took home an empty bowl.
Don’t you love bringing home an empty dish!!? Thanks for your feedback, Schilly!
This recipe is amazing and is so EASY to make.
My fav salad!! So glad that you loved it, too!
This salad is awesome! The dressing is delicious and you can easily make the parts and pieces ahead of time and then just throw it together when ready to serve. Made this and ate it up to a couple of days later.
So awesome! Way to go prepping ahead. Thanks for your feedback, Beth!
1/2 CUP OF ONION POWDER?? THAT SEEMS LIKE a lot? I’M MAKING DOUBLE THE RECIPE and REALLY SCARED to ADD a CUP OF ONION POWDER in THE dressing 2 HOURS BEFORE THE party!! Please HELP!
Sandra- this particular recipe is having an issue behind the scenes! It’s supposed to read 1/2 teaspoon! I am trying my best to get it fixed as quickly as I can!
reaLly 1/2 c onion powder? Sounds a lot.
Chloe- this particular recipe is having an issue behind the scenes! It’s supposed to read 1/2 teaspoon! I am trying my best to get it fixed as quickly as I can!