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Spinach Salad with Carrot, Orange, and Sesame

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on February 24, 2011

Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 6 as a First Course

Spinach Salad with Carrot, Orange, and Sesame

Ingredients

1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach (about 6 cups)2 medium carrots, peeled and shaved with vegetable peeler lengthwise into ribbons2 medium oranges, ½ teaspoon finely grated zest from one, both peeled and segmented2 medium scallions, sliced thin7 teaspoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon very finely minced shallot ¾ teaspoon mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons vegetable oil ¼ teaspoon table salt 1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Instructions

  1. Place spinach, carrots, orange segments, and scallions in large bowl.
  2. In small nonreactive bowl, combine vinegar, shallot, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and orange zest. Whisk until mixture appears milky and no lumps remain. Place oils in liquid measuring cup so they are easy to pour. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oils into mixture. If pools of oil gather on surface, stop addition of oils and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oils in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened.
  3. Pour dressing over spinach mixture and toss to coat; sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Spinach Salad with Carrot, Orange, and Sesame

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Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 6 as a First Course

Ingredients

1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach (about 6 cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled and shaved with vegetable peeler lengthwise into ribbons
2 medium oranges, ½ teaspoon finely grated zest from one, both peeled and segmented
2 medium scallions, sliced thin
7 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon very finely minced shallot
¾ teaspoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Ingredients

1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach (about 6 cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled and shaved with vegetable peeler lengthwise into ribbons
2 medium oranges, ½ teaspoon finely grated zest from one, both peeled and segmented
2 medium scallions, sliced thin
7 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon very finely minced shallot
¾ teaspoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Ingredients

1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach (about 6 cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled and shaved with vegetable peeler lengthwise into ribbons
2 medium oranges, ½ teaspoon finely grated zest from one, both peeled and segmented
2 medium scallions, sliced thin
7 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon very finely minced shallot
¾ teaspoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Why This Recipe Works

For our sweet and tender spinach salad recipe, we used thinly sliced carrots to break up the spinach leaves, then added fresh fruit for bright, clean flavor and textural appeal. For our spinach salad’s dressing, we altered the oil-to-acid ratio of our Foolproof Vinaigrette recipe until it was tangy enough to bring out the fruit’s natural acidity.

Instructions

  1. Place spinach, carrots, orange segments, and scallions in large bowl.
  2. In small nonreactive bowl, combine vinegar, shallot, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and orange zest. Whisk until mixture appears milky and no lumps remain. Place oils in liquid measuring cup so they are easy to pour. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oils into mixture. If pools of oil gather on surface, stop addition of oils and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oils in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened.
  3. Pour dressing over spinach mixture and toss to coat; sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

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