Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Mandarin Pasta Spinach Salad with Teriyaki Dressing
Mandarin oranges bring juicy sweetness to this cool pasta salad, with spinach and nuts giving each bite a different feel. The teriyaki dressing has a savory tang that ties it together. It's a generous bowl to enjoy slowly, choosing a different combination with every forkful.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 14 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Cuisine
- Asian
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
- Dish type
- Salads · Pasta
A few quick notes
1. Cool the pasta down
After draining the bowties, rinse them with cold water as directed. It stops them carrying heat into the spinach, which keeps the salad fresh instead of wilty.
2. Shake the dressing while the pasta cooks
The dressing is just combined in a jar and chilled until needed, so it fits neatly into the pasta cooking time. Give it a good shake before it goes over the salad.
3. Dress it at the table moment
Wait until just before serving to pour on the dressing. The pasta, spinach, fruit, nuts and cilantro all get tossed together first, then coated at the end.
Get to know the ingredients
Bowtie pasta
Cook the bowties according to the package, then rinse them cold and set them aside. That shape is sturdy enough for tossing with spinach, oranges, nuts and dressing without disappearing into the bowl.
Mandarin oranges
Use the canned mandarins drained, as listed. Extra liquid from the can would thin the dressing and make the salad wetter than it needs to be.
Teriyaki sauce
Choose a thicker teriyaki sauce if you can; it helps the dressing cling to the pasta and spinach.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 3 steps completeMake room for Mandarin Pasta Spinach Salad with Teriyaki Dressing
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Pour the chilled dressing over the salad just before serving, then toss until the bowties and spinach are coated. That final toss is where the sweet mandarins, nuts and cilantro get tucked through evenly.
A little more help as you go
About the nuts
Pine nuts or cashews both work in the salad. Use whichever one you're adding as the crunchy piece, and toss them in with the pasta, spinach, craisins, mandarins and cilantro.
A flexible vinegar choice
Rice wine vinegar is listed for the dressing, with apple cider vinegar given as an option. Either way, it gets shaken into the jar with the teriyaki sauce, seasonings, sugar and oil.
A few questions you might have
Do I need to let the pasta cool before mixing the salad?
Yes. Drain it, rinse it with cold water, and set it aside before it goes into the bowl. Warm pasta would be rough on the spinach.
Can I make the dressing in a bowl instead of a jar?
The directions use a jar because you can cover it, shake everything together, and chill it until serving. If you follow that idea, the dressing comes together very simply.
Should the dressing go on early so the pasta soaks it up?
No, add it just before serving. The salad is tossed together first, then the dressing goes over at the end so the spinach and oranges stay in good shape.
Is onion powder required in the dressing?
Use it if you have it. The ingredient note says exactly that, and it gets shaken in with the other dressing ingredients.
What kind of oil should I use?
The recipe lists oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil or olive oil. Pick one of those and shake it into the dressing with the teriyaki sauce and vinegar.
Any more cooking tips?
If possible, opt for a thicker teriyaki sauce. My favorite brand is Kikkoman.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: lecremedelacrumb.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.