Welcome » Baby Spinach Feta Salad

Baby spinach is wonderful. Growing up, the only place we could find it was in our garden. Thankfully, it is now available at any grocery store, and so unless I am making a Ceasar salad, I typically ignore the iceberg lettuce and head straight for the “real” greens. The feta plays satisfyingly well against the crunch of the peppers and the roasted onions. Serve it as a light lunch, or as a tasty side.

Cholesterol Buster Tip: Reduce the feta cheese by half, or replace with 1 ounce pumpkin seeds.

Baby Spinach Feta Salad Recipe

Servings: 4
Calories per: 291
Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 30 min
Difficulty: Easy

WHAT YOU NEED	WHAT TO DO	WHY
6 ounces (1 ½ cups) yellow onion, wedged to 1/4 inch ¼ cup slivered garlic 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon roughly ground black pepper	Add all to a toaster oven sheet pan; massage with hands to coat evenly. Spread in an even layer and roast at 400°F until onion has golden edges (~18 minutes). Meanwhile…	Large pieces of garlic are less likely to burn during roasting. Regular olive oil is sufficient here; heat destroys and wastes the subtle flavors of expensive extra-virgin. Onion and garlic mellow and sweeten as they roast.
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon honey ½ teaspoon fine sea salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil	Dressing: Whisk all but the oil together in a 3-quart bowl. Slowly drizzle in oil while whisking vigorously.	Honey acts as an emulsifier (an agent that helps prevent the separation of other ingredients). Slowly incorporating the oil helps create the emulsion.
4 ounces loose leaf greens, torn into bite-sized pieces 4 ounces baby spinach, long stems pinched off ⅓ of a medium red bell pepper, cubed to 3/4 inch ⅓ of a medium yellow bell pepper, cubed to 3/4 inch ⅓ of a medium orange bell pepper, cubed to 3/4 inch 4 ounces (2 cups) sliced mushrooms	Add to dressing, along with roasted onion and garlic. Toss all together.	Adding mixed greens adds texture to the spinach.
4 ounces Greek feta, crumbled Cracked black pepper	Plate attractively; top with cheese and pepper. Serve promptly.	Adding feta at the last minute protects its texture and color.