A Sweet, Crunchy, and Savory Spinach Salad With Raspberry Dressing

Don’t love the taste of spinach? Here’s an easy fix: Top your spinach salad with a host of flavorful foods and sweeten it with raspberry dressing.

This spinach salad recipe blends many flavors and textures into a tasty dish. Raspberry dressing adds a hint of sweetness. Walnuts and carrots bring crunch. And the red onions add a bit of spice, as well as some extra crunch.

Spinach Salad With Raspberry Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ cup red onions, sliced
• ¼ cup raspberry vinegar dressing (Buy or make your own.)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted walnuts, chopped

Directions

In a large bowl, combine spinach, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, and red onions. Mix raspberry vinegar dressing and canola oil, then add to veggie mixture. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Here’s the lowdown on the many health perks the ingredients in this spinach salad recipe have to offer.

Spinach

There’s a reason Popeye ate so much of it. This leafy green is a real superstar. Some research shows it can boost eye health, lower the risk of cancer, and help support healthy blood pressure. These and other perks come from vitamins like A, C, and K. Spinach is also packed with potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and iron. And the fiber in spinach is great for digestive health. Get a list of fermented foods that can also help boost your gut health.

Carrots

These sweet root vegetables are a fine source of vitamin A, which can help your body fight infections and support eye health. Some research also suggests that carrots can help support healthy cholesterol levels and protect your heart. Plus, they’re great for keeping your weight in check. They’re low in calories and high in fiber, which helps fill you up and keep hunger pangs at bay for longer. Learn how nutrient-rich foods help fuel your body.

Tomatoes

Summer and early fall are the best seasons to enjoy fresh tomatoes. These sweet, juicy veggies—which are technically fruits—are loaded with vitamins C, A, B9 (folate), and K, as well as potassium. And tomatoes are brimming with the antioxidant lycopene, which research suggests may help lower the risk of certain cancers. Lycopene also helps support healthy cholesterol levels and slow the formation of artery-stiffening plaque. These in turn help support your blood vessel and heart health.

Mushrooms

Everyone’s favorite fungus. Mushrooms bring a savory flavor to many dishes. Plus, they’re high in B vitamins, which can help boost mood and may even protect against depression. Mushrooms are also a good source of an amino acid known as glutamate. It’s thought to enhance signals between brain cells. Thus, it may support better learning and memory.

Red onions

Sure, they add a great pop of color to the dish. But red onions also give a spicy flavor without salt. Antioxidants in red onions, such as quercetin and vitamin C, may help lower inflammation and protect your cells against harm. And while more research is needed, one study found that quercetin may play a role in keeping blood sugar in healthy ranges.

Walnuts

Walnuts are great in savory dishes, like this salad. They’re loaded with omega-3 fats. Research suggests that these fats help lower blood levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. This in turn may help support heart and blood vessel health. Here’s one collection of studies that shows how walnuts may help lower the risk for heart disease.

Whether you enjoy this salad as a side or a main dish, it will be a welcome addition to your food plan.

Looking for another tasty yet healthy salad recipe? Here’s one that’s high in protein and flavored with a tangy ginger-sesame dressing.

Not a Silver&Fit^® member? Learn more about everything the program has to offer, including more helpful healthy living tips like this, here on our website.

This information is not intended to take the place of regular medical care or advice. Please check with your doctor before using this information or beginning any self-care program.

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2022, April 25). Glutamate. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22839-glutamate#:~:text=Glutamate%20is%20the%20most%20abundant,places%20at%20the%20right%20time.

Cleveland Clinic. (2020, November 12). Kale vs. spinach: Which is heart-healthier? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/kale-vs-spinach-which-is-heart-healthier/

Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Nutrition: Nuts and heart health. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/17283-nutrition-nuts--heart-health

Cleveland Clinic. (2021, March 23). Reasons why carrots (of all colors) are healthy for you. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/reasons-why-carrots-of-all-colors-are-healthy-for-you/

Eid, H. M., & Haddad, P. S. (2017). The antidiabetic potential of quercetin: Underlying mechanisms. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 24(4), 355-364. https://doi.org/10.2174/0929867323666160909153707

Fulgoni, V. L., 3rd, & Agarwal, S. (2021, March). Nutritional impact of adding a serving of mushrooms on usual intakes and nutrient adequacy using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2016 data. Food Science & Nutrition, 9(3), 1504-1511. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2120

Guasch-Ferre, M., Li, J., Hu, F. B., Salas-Salvado, J., & Tobias, D. K. (2018, July 1). Effects of walnut consumption on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors: An updated meta-analysis and systematic review of controlled trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 108(1), 174-187. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy091

Hall-Flavin, D. K. (2018, June 1). Vitamin B-12 and depression: Are they related? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/expert-answers/vitamin-b12-and-depression/faq-20058077

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Mushrooms. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/mushrooms/

Kralj, R. A. (2017, May 22). Health benefits of tomatoes. Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/health-benefits-of-tomatoes

MedlinePlus. (2021, March 11). Amino acids. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002222.htm

Shmerling, R. H. (2018, August 13). Health benefits of walnuts. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/health-benefits-of-walnuts-2018081314526

United States Department of Agriculture. (2020, April 1). Onions, red, raw. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/790577/nutrients

United States Department of Agriculture. (2019, April 1). Spinach, raw. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168462/nutrients

This article was written by Gail Olson, edited by Nora Byrne, and clinically reviewed by Elizabeth Thompson, MPH, RDN.

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