Spinach Salad Recipes

Though Popeye preferred his spinach in a can, this cool-season crop goes from the backyard to the salad bowl beautifully. Pick, wash, dry and serve it in one of these nutrient-filled salads.

Spring Vegetable Salad

At Indaco Italian Food & Wine in Charleston, South Carolina, executive chef Michael Perez dresses his spinach salad with other seasonal favorites like asparagus and icicle radishes. “I love this salad because it includes all the spring vegetables, and the subtle lemon anchovy vinaigrette allows their flavors to shine.”

Yields 4 servings

• 2 pounds of spinach, cleaned
• 2 bunches of asparagus, cleaned, halved and quartered
• 2 bunches icicle radish, cleaned and quartered 
• 4 eggs soft boiled for 7 minutes
• 4 each baby carrots
• 6 ounces fresh spring peas
• 1 head radicchio, quartered and leaves gently pulled apart

Lemon Anchovy Vinaigrette

• 12 anchovies
• 10 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces white wine vinegar
• 5 dashes of Tabasco sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1-½ cups of olive oil

For the dressing, add all ingredients except the olive oil and blend until smooth. While the blender is running, slowly add the oil until the dressing is emulsified and blended together.

Turn off the blender, taste the dressing and adjust seasoning as needed.

When ready to serve, toss all of the ingredients with the dressing and serve immediately.

Bountiful Barley and Greens Salad

“When creating recipes, I love to think outside the box and introduce ingredients that are delicious and less commonly used in the average household,” says Mary Russ, healthy eating specialist at Whole Foods Market in Tallahassee, Florida. “This hearty salad not only features delicious and vibrant produce that will provide you with a vast array of phytonutrients, it’s full of hearty whole grain that will keep you satisfied and provide tons of potassium and fiber.”

Serves 2

• ¼ cup uncooked barley
• 1-½ cups baby spinach
• 3-4 kale leaves, shredded
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

Bring ½ cup water to a boil. Add barley and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until barley is tender.

Let barley cool slightly, then combine all ingredients and toss with your favorite oil-free salad dressing.