Sesame Citrus Salad Recipe

Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine and spinach. Shred the romaine into bite-sized pieces and chop the spinach roughly. Place both in a large salad bowl.

Prepare the carrots (julienne or shred), thinly slice celery and red bell pepper, dice the tomato (remove seeds to prevent extra liquid), and thinly slice the red onion. Add all prepared vegetables to the bowl with the greens.

Cook quinoa according to package instructions (roughly 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water). Fluff with a fork and let cool to room temperature. If using leftover quinoa, ensure it is chilled. Add 1 cup cooled quinoa to the salad bowl.

If edamame is frozen, cook briefly according to package directions (boil 3–5 minutes or microwave), then drain and cool. Add 1/2 cup cooked edamame and 1/2 cup corn to the salad bowl.

Peel and dice the avocado; toss the pieces gently with a squeeze of lime or a pinch of salt if desired to slow browning. Drain canned mandarin segments if using; reserve any juice for the dressing if you like extra citrus flavor. Add avocado, mandarin segments, and chopped cilantro to the salad bowl and gently fold to combine.

Make the dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp neutral oil, 1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup), 2 tbsp fresh orange juice, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk vigorously or shake in a jar until emulsified. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity to preference (add up to 1 tsp more honey or 1/2 tbsp more rice vinegar).

Pour about 3–4 tablespoons of the sesame soy vinaigrette over the assembled salad (reserve extra dressing on the side). Gently toss the salad until ingredients are evenly coated. Add more dressing in small increments to avoid overdressing — you may not need all of it.

Just before serving, sprinkle the chopped roasted peanuts and wonton strips over the top for crunch. Optionally garnish with additional cilantro and a light sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Serve immediately so wonton strips remain crisp. Leftover salad (without wonton strips) can be stored refrigerated up to 1 day; keep dressing separate and add before serving.