Baby Spinach Recipe

Toast walnuts

Preheat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts in an even layer and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and slightly darker, about 4–6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool, then roughly chop.

Prep vegetables and cheese

Rinse and thoroughly dry the baby spinach using a salad spinner or clean towels. Thinly slice the red onion into half-moons. Crumble the goat cheese into small bite-sized pieces. Set all components aside in separate bowls.

If using frozen raspberries, thaw and drain excess liquid. Place raspberries, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Pulse until mostly smooth.

With the blender running on low, slowly stream in the olive oil to emulsify the dressing. If the dressing is too thick, add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a pourable consistency (about 1–2 tablespoons). Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or honey as needed.

For a very smooth dressing, strain the vinaigrette through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract juices; discard seeds. Alternatively, leave unstrained for a more rustic texture.

In a large salad bowl, place the dried baby spinach. Add the toasted chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, and sliced red onion, and gently toss to combine.

Drizzle about half of the raspberry vinaigrette over the salad (reserve the remainder for guests to add more to taste). Using salad tongs or two large spoons, gently toss the salad until the leaves are lightly coated and the toppings are evenly distributed.

Scatter the crumbled goat cheese over the top. Taste a small forkful and add more dressing if desired. Serve immediately.