Blueberry Citrus Spinach Salad

Fresh blueberries, mandarin oranges, goat cheese, and pistachios make this simple salad extra special. Top with my homemade honey citrus dressing and enjoy as an entree or side dish!

Update: This recipe was originally published in 2019 and has been republished with all new photos.

Warm days mean I want all the summer salads and I have a few favorites I keep in rotation. They all feature tasty ingredients like fresh berries, a bit of creaminess from cheese, a simple homemade dressing, and a delightful crunch from nuts. Salads like these make healthy eating an actual joy! I love this blueberry spinach salad recipe in particular because it just doesn’t get easier than this.

This beautiful salad is so simple to throw together. Just assemble the salad ingredients (there are only five), stir together three ingredients for the dressing, and drizzle it over everything! If you want even more blueberry flavor you can opt for a blueberry vinaigrette like my Blueberry Dressing instead.

This is the perfect salad to serve alongside a main course like grilled chicken, steak, or seafood. You can also enjoy this healthy salad as your whole meal! To make this salad an entree, top with shredded rotisserie chicken or slices of steak.

Want more of my favorite salads? I recommend my Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad and Blueberry Goat Cheese Salad with Chicken. They both feature fresh fruit and so much good stuff I promise you’ll return to those recipes again and again.

Blueberry Spinach Citrus Salad Ingredients

• Fresh spinach or spinach arugula blend: Fresh baby spinach leaves or a combination of spinach and arugula is the perfect base for this salad. Spinach is filled with antioxidants, vitamin K (one cup has almost double the daily requirement), and iron. It’s considered one of the best superfoods! Mixed greens or any other leafy greens you enjoy are a good swap.
• Mandarin orange slices in 100% juice: While I’m typically a big proponent of all the fresh veggies and fruits, we’re not using fresh oranges in this simple salad. I prefer those 4 oz cups of mandarin oranges in 100% juice here because they are perfectly soft and sweet all year round! You can find them by the canned fruit in your grocery store.
• Goat cheese: Goat cheese crumbles add a creaminess to our salad. The creamy goat cheese breaks apart some and coats the leaves so every boat has plenty of that tangy goat cheese flavor. If you’re looking to use a different cheese I recommend blue cheese crumbles, gorgonzola, or feta cheese.
• Blueberries: The natural sweetness of juicy blueberries makes every bite feel like summer.
• Pistachios: Pistachios add a salty crunch to our salad. A good salad always needs some crunch! You can substitute another nut if you like but I strongly recommend sticking with pistachios. You can also opt to use sunflower seeds if you prefer.
• Olive oil: I recommend extra virgin olive oil for the vinaigrette we’re making for this salad.
• Honey: Honey adds sweetness to our salad dressing.
• Orange juice: We’re adding orange juice to really bring out the citrus flavor in this delicious summer salad.

How to Make Blueberry Citrus Spinach Salad

Rinse the spinach or spinach arugula blend. Pat dry with paper towels. Add to a large bowl.

Top with blueberries, mandarin slices (drained), pistachios, and crumbled goat cheese.

In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, honey, and orange juice. Pour the dressing over the other salad ingredients and stir. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

How to Store Leftover Blueberry Citrus Spinach Salad

If you’d like to enjoy this easy blueberry spinach salad later I recommend storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to up to one day. It’s best to store the dressing separately so that it doesn’t make your salad soggy. Pour the dressing in at the last minute to keep all that fresh produce the perfect texture. It will still taste delicious if you do decide to dress the salad and then refrigerate, but the spinach (or spinach and arugula) will be wilted.

Share the Love: