Baby Orange – Spinach Walnut Salad Recipe

Prepare spinach

Wash baby spinach thoroughly in cold water, spin or pat dry until only slightly damp. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and refrigerate briefly while you prepare other components.

Prepare peppers

Rinse the sweet mini/orange drop peppers. Slice each pepper in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes if desired (they are sweet, but removing seeds gives a cleaner bite). Pat dry and set aside.

Prepare cauliflower

Separate cauliflower into small, bite-size florets. For a slightly softer texture, blanch florets in boiling salted water for 1 minute, then shock in ice water and drain thoroughly. Alternatively, leave raw for crunch. Pat dry before adding to salad.

Toast walnuts

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast walnuts, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3–5 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then coarsely chop.

Assemble base

Add the halved peppers, cauliflower florets, and most of the toasted walnuts (reserve about 1 tablespoon for garnish) to the bowl with spinach. Toss gently to combine.

Add cheese

Shave or thinly slice the Sonoma Dry Jack and scatter the pieces over the salad, reserving a few shavings for garnish.

In a small bowl or jar, combine white wine vinegar, fresh orange juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk until salt and honey dissolve.

While whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil until the vinaigrette emulsifies and thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt or pepper as needed. If you want extra brightness, stir in the optional orange zest and/or a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Just before serving, drizzle about 3–4 tablespoons of vinaigrette over the salad (reserve remaining vinaigrette for guests to add more). Toss gently but thoroughly so all ingredients are lightly coated. Taste and add small additional amounts of vinaigrette if needed.

Plate the salad on a large platter or divide among 4 plates. Sprinkle the remaining toasted walnuts and cheese shavings over the top. Finish with a light grind of black pepper and an optional pinch of orange zest for aroma.

Serve immediately.