Spinach Salad with Blood Oranges and Macadamia Nuts

Blood oranges are only in season for a few brief times a year, but they are so delicious and unusual that I wanted to create a recipe worthy of them. This colorful salad always gets rave reviews, and I always get asked for the recipe. My husband says it is the best salad he's ever had!

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Calories: 304 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, or more to taste
• 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• 1 (6 ounce) package fresh spinach
• 1 (10 ounce) basket cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 red onions, thinly sliced
• 1 large navel orange, juiced
• 4 blood oranges
• 8 ounces pitted Kalamata olives, drained
• 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
• 4 ounces roasted, salted macadamia nuts

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Fill a covered bowl halfway with ice, add onion slices, and top with more ice. Add cold water until you're just able to get the lid on. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Step 2

Cut a slice off the top and bottom of each of the blood oranges, and slice downward to remove all skin and white pith. Be careful, as blood oranges will stain like beet juice. Cut oranges into 1/4-inch horizontal slices and remove seeds. Retain any juice and add to the juice of the navel orange. Put slices in a covered bowl or plastic bag with the olives and refrigerate for 3 hours along with onions.

Step 3

Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, sugar, mustard, oregano, pepper, and garlic powder in a jar with a lid, close, and shake well to combine. Refrigerate until 15 minutes before serving the salad. Remove from refrigerator to barely come to room temperature.

Step 4

Drain onions and add to a large salad bowl. Add spinach, cherry tomatoes, onions, blood orange slices, and kalamata olives. Drizzle dressing on top and toss to combine. Sprinkle with blue cheese and macadamia nuts.