Fresh, Quick and Easy Orange Spinach Pasta Salad with tangy Mandarin Oranges, Fresh Baby Spinach, tossed with a quick Asian Dressing! Its seriously the Best Side Dish Recipe ever! Also this is Vegan & Low Carb.
This Easy Pasta Salad gets ready in just 10 minutes from scratch. Made with simple ingredients this is perfect for Summers.
Easy Orange Spinach Pasta Salad
Easy Orange Spinach Pasta Salad
This super easy and flavorful Orange Spinach Pasta Salad is bursting with Asian flavors. Its a quick side dish which takes just 10 minutes to make from scratch. Also you can make this ahead for potlucks or brunches. This is made with fresh orange vinaigrette based dressing so this can be stored for a long time!
Jump to:
- Easy Orange Spinach Pasta Salad
- What's in this Pasta Salad?
- What's in the Vinaigrette?
- Why this recipe works?
- What Ingredients Should I add to this Pasta Salad
- How to make Orange Spinach Pasta Salad
- Substitutions
- Making Orange Spinach Pasta Salad in advance
- Storage
- Expert Tips to make the Best Pasta Salad
- More Easy Salad Recipes
- Easy Orange Spinach Pasta Salad (Vegan)
What's in this Pasta Salad?
There's Spinach and Oranges which is given! Apart from that there's Dried Cranberries, Green Onions and of course aldente Pasta.
Its got a refreshing tang to it because of Mandarin Oranges.
Also the Asian Dressing is just too good and shall remind you of your favorite P.F Chang's Orange Chicken.
If you're looking for an easy Pasta Salad recipe, you should go with this Orange Spinach Pasta Salad. Its perfect to feed the crowd.
Also with Summers approaching, its time for Potlucks and BBQ Dinners.
Well this hearty and zesty Pasta Salad is your perfect side dish for BBQ Dinners.
What's in the Vinaigrette?
This easy to whisk together Asian Vinaigrette is something you would want to save and use in all your salads. Its SO GOOD!
Its made with Olive Oil, Cider Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Garlic Powder, Ginger Powder, Red Pepper Flakes, Honey and of course some Salt & Pepper to season.
Its immensely flavorful. And honestly that's what you require for this salad.
The Spinach is raw and you need a lot of flavors to make it tasty and honestly this ultra flavorful and satisfying Vinaigrette more than delivers!
Why this recipe works?
Unlike other side dishes which requires some effort, this one doesn't It needs zero effort, is super easy to make and is loved by everyone.
I love this recipe for Mandarin Pasta Spinach Salad because of the Asian Dressing which is almost like Teriyaki Sauce, except that I am using Dry Garlic & Ginger Powder instead of freshly chopped alternative!
And the Best Part is that this can be made ahead and stored for at least 5 days. So either meal prep it or make it ahead for a weekend party, it always works!
And it takes just 10 min to make this Pasta Salad from scratch!
What Ingredients Should I add to this Pasta Salad
- Mandarin Oranges - Use fresh Mandarin Oranges for this recipe.
- Pasta - use any Pasta of your choice. Go with smaller sized Pasta like small Shells or Elbow Macaroni or Farfalle because its easier to grab a spoonful with the veggies.
- Spinach - Fresh Baby Spinach is ideal for this recipe as it tastes best in the Salad.
- Crasins - Crasins or Dried Cranberries makes for a perfect addition to this very citrus-y Salad.
- Green Onions - Green Onions add a slight crunch to this Pasta Salad.
FOR THE PASTA SALAD DRESSING
- Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Honey
- Ginger Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Soy Sauce
- Salt & Pepper (as per taste)
See recipe card for quantities. Also, watch the video for a quick visual.
How to make Orange Spinach Pasta Salad
STEP 1: PREP THE SALAD
- Cook the Pasta as per package directions. Drain and set aside
- Roughly chop the Spinach. Cut the Oranges into slices.
- Chop the Green Onions
STEP 2: MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE
- In a mixing jar combine Olive Oil with Soy Sauce, Cider Vinegar, Honey, Garlic Powder, Ginger powder, Salt and Freshly cracked Black Pepper
- Whisk until combined.
STEP 3: TOSS THE SALAD
- Add the chopped Spinach as the base of the salad in a large bowl.
- Add the Orange slices over it. Add the aldente Pasta.
- Add the chopped Green Onions and Dried Cranberries
- Toss to combine everything
- Pour the dressing on top
- Toss to combine the salad
- Garnish with Sesame Seeds and Serve.
Substitutions
- Lettuce - instead of Spinach, you can use romaine lettuce or iceberg Lettuce.
- Gluten Free - Use your favorite gluten free Pasta to make Gluten Free Pasta Salad.
- Chicken - Cooked Chicken chopped to chunks or shredded Rotisserie Chicken is a welcome add in to this Orange Spinach Salad.
Making Orange Spinach Pasta Salad in advance
You know what, Pasta Salad is one such easy side dish which gets better over time. As the pasta sits in the dressing it soaks up the flavors getting extra juicy and delicious.
You can easily make this Pasta Salad and refrigerate this for 5-6 days in the refrigerator.
Storage
Store this Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days. You do not have to reheat it. Just serve as is!
Expert Tips to make the Best Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta as you chop the veggies. You do not want to cook the Pasta in advance as it will dry out quickly.
- You can add some orange Juice to the dressing to make it more tangy.
- Use small sized Pasta for this recipe like Bow Tie or Small Shells or Rotini or Ziti.
- Add more color and texture to this salad with Lettuce, Purple Cabbage, Olives, Red Bell Peppers and more!
More Easy Salad Recipes
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Chickpeas
- The Best Vegan Tuna Salad
- Easy Spinach Salad
- Avocado Salad
- Strawberry Chicken Salad
- Salmon Salad
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Refreshing Pomegranate Orange Salad
- Summer Potato Salad
Easy Orange Spinach Pasta Salad (Vegan)
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups Spinach freshly chopped
- 2 medium sized Mandarin Oranges thinly sliced
- 1 pound Pasta Farfelle or Fusili or Small Shells
- ½ CUP Green Onions finely chopped
- 1 cup Dried Cranberries
- ½ teaspoon Toasted Sesame Seeds for garnish
ASIAN DRESSING
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce light
- 2 tablespoon Honey
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Ginger Powder
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the Pasta and cook for 5-6 minutes or until aldente. Drain the Pasta and rinse under cold water.
- In a large mixing jar whisk all the ingredients until combined. Keep aside
- Add the chopped Spinach as the base of the Salad. Add the chopped Oranges, Pasta, Dried Cranberries, & Green Onions. Pour the dressing on top. Toss to combine. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve or store for later in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Leave a Reply