This spring mix salad features crisp greens with feta cheese, blood oranges, fresh mint and crunchy pistachios. Make this recipe for an easy brunch salad!
My love of cheese is eternal, and feta is no exception. The creamy texture and briny saltiness of a good quality feta can enhance so many recipes, especially salads. For this mixed greens salad, feta adds a perfect balance of flavor, texture and color.
Spring Mix Salad Ingredient Notes
- Feta cheese: I always purchase blocks of feta packed in brine as opposed to pre-crumbled feta. As with any cheese, it will taste more flavorful if you wait until the last moment to crumble it. The brine also helps the feta retain moisture, resulting in a cheese that’s both creamy and firm as opposed to slightly dried out.
- Blood oranges: Because they’re in season, I used blood oranges. They’re gorgeous and they add so much color to the salad. But you can substitute any variety (aside from perhaps the bitter types used to prepare marmalade).
- Pistachios: I like to save time by purchasing pre-shelled and roasted pistachios. They’re more expensive, but time is money.
- Honey: If you’re working with a thick honey, you can microwave it for a few seconds in a ramekin to thin out the consistency before adding it to the vinaigrette. This will prevent clumping when you emulsify it with the other ingredients.
- Salad ingredient quantities: How much of each ingredient you add to your mixed greens salad is a matter of personal preference. When I’m not creating a recipe for the blog, I just throw everything in a bowl and adjust to taste. Add more or less as you see fit.
Similar Recipes
Love blood oranges? Check out my Blood Orange Gin and Tonic!
If feta is your favorite, you should definitely make Baked Feta with Honey and Thyme!
Do you love the punchy crunch of pistachios? You will love them in Tahini Date Pistachio Granola!
Spring Mix Salad with Feta
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette:
- juice from 1/2 blood orange (navel orange may be substituted)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
For the salad:
- 3 cups baby arugula
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 2 blood oranges, segmented (navel oranges may be substituted)
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup salted roasted pistachios
- 4 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped or torn
Instructions
- In a blender or jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Puree or shake to combine.
- In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, spinach, orange segments, feta, pistachios, and mint.
- Drizzle the salad with some of the vinaigrette and gently toss to combine, taking care not to break up the feta. Taste and add more dressing if desired. Divide among four plates and serve. Extra dressing can be stored in the refrigerator.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
For immediate help troubleshooting a recipe, please email me using the form on my contact page. I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! For all general questions, please leave a comment here :)
This post is sponsored by Wisconsin Cheese. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Savory Simple!
Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain says
After my weekend of gluttony, this salad sounds perfect!!
naomi says
I’m with you – cheese lover for life! Love the how simple and flavorful this salad is!!
Laura Dembowski says
I eat salads all the time and loving mixing them up with fruit and nuts. They add so much variety and flavor to what can become boring. That dressing sounds beyond amazing!
thalia says
such a gorgeous salad jennifer! my love for cheese is eternal too, and i can definitely see myself making this recipe because its so hot right now in australia! Xx
bella says
I love the combination of blood oranges & feta, the tanginess of the feta is the perfect compliment to the raspberry notes of blood oranges :)
betty says
perfect salad for winter! Also, pistachio is the one tree nut I can eat, so I can actually make this :)
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
Those blood oranges are seriously gorg. I love the combo of feta, oranges, mint and pistachios! This salad sounds mega fresh and I want to dive in for dinner!
Christiann says
This looks like the perfect winter salad!! What a delicious combination, can’t wait to try!!
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says
Can’t go past good feta! Love the citrus and nuts you’ve got going on too :)
Shelly @ Vegetarian 'Ventures says
Love this salad! I’m always looking for new ways to use blood oranges (because I can’t help buying them when I see them in the store since they are so gorgeous!).
Jenny // HelloMyDumpling.com says
Feta and citrus are my go to ways to jazz up a salad too! The contrasting earthy and bright zing of the two play so well against each other. Lovely recipe!
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
I cannot get enough of the wonderful variety of citrus right now. I pick up blood oranges and Cara Caras every week at the store, and I love the sound of them with feta and mint. Beautiful salad!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
All of these flavors sound crazy good!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says
What a pretty salad – love all the flavors too!
Carolyn says
Those oranges are stunners! What a great salad.