The recipe card for this salad is old, wrinkled, and stained. Its shabby condition confirms that we’ve enjoyed eating spinach salad brightened by jewel-like oranges and raspberries, tangy feta, and crunchy nuts over and over through the years. Taking out the recipe card brought memories of my mother and father, as they served this salad to me for the first time many years ago. I recall how my father was proud that raspberry vinegar—an unusual ingredient for a Cajun pantry–gave the salad a kind of sparkle . My parents liked serving a salad that had flair. 
I started craving this spinach salad with oranges and raspberries earlier this spring while reading posts from Emily Nunn’s Department of Salad newsletter. One of the recipes she shared early on used raspberry vinegar in the dressing. Like me, she had none in her pantry, so she ordered a bottle to be shipped. I decided I would try to make my own.
Making Raspberry Vinegar
To make the vinegar, I used a recipe from Nigel Slater. It started with the simple ingredients of fresh raspberries and white wine vinegar. After that mixture sat at room temperature for a couple of days, I strained it through cheesecloth. Next, I cooked it with a small amount of sugar and strained it again, this time with a paper coffee filter, into a sterilized jar.
About a week after bottling the vinegar, it was ready to use. So it was salad time.
Prepping Ahead
With the raspberry vinegar on hand, I had two more steps to do ahead of time. The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of thinly sliced raw red onion. I was afraid of raw onion overpowering the other flavors in the salad, so I decided to use a smaller amount and to quick-pickle it. This treatment mellowed the flavor of the onions and turned them a lovely shade of purple.
While the onions briefly steeped, I prepped the walnuts and oranges. Toasting the walnuts ensures that the nuts are extra crunchy and rich with flavor. That way they contrast with the silky spinach leaves, tart raspberries, and tangy feta. As the walnuts cooled, I sectioned two oranges, being careful to capture the juices that fell as I sliced.
Taking care of the onions, walnuts, and oranges ahead of time means that assembling the salad takes only a few minutes.
Let’s Make that Spinach Salad
The dressing features the famous raspberry vinegar, combined with olive oil and a bit of honey. I added about a tablespoon of the fresh orange juice to the vinaigrette. What a beautiful hue it has when mixed together.
I like to bring this salad to the table with all its ingredients atop the spinach and then toss it right before we eat. 
My mother explained recently that she rarely used fresh raspberries when she made this salad, as it was hard to get good ones in Louisiana. She used strawberries instead. As it’s written, this recipe calls for fresh spinach leaves, but any mild greens would work. I used navel oranges, but satsumas or blood oranges are fine substitutions. If someone at your table is allergic to nuts, use sunflower or pumpkin seeds. This recipe is a salad template, and you can get creative with it however you wish.
As I put the salad together, I was reminded of the colors of spring tulips blooming now in our neighborhood. Beautiful shades of magenta, orange, and purple against a backdrop of green invite everyone to enjoy this dish. 
This salad is a springtime treat, but really works any time of year. And you can buy your raspberry vinegar, if you wish.
Spinach Salad with Oranges and Raspberries
Ingredients
For the quick-pickled red onion:
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 red onion very thinly sliced
For the salad:
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced pickled red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts --see below
- 2 oranges --peeled and sectioned into suprèmes
- 6 cups fresh spinach leaves, stems removed --torn into small pieces if large
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh raspberries --about 1/2 of a 6 ounce package
For the vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- Orange juice leftover from sectioning slices—about a tablespoon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Quick-pickled red onion
- Microwave red wine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt together in medium bowl until simmering, about 2 minutes. Whisk to ensure that sugar is dissolved. Stir in thinly sliced onion and let sit, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Drain. (Drained pickled onions can be covered and refrigerated up to one week.)
Walnuts
- Toast walnut pieces in skillet over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove to plate to cool.
Vinaigrette
- Whisk together olive oil, raspberry vinegar, honey, a tablespoon or so of orange juice, and a light sprinkle of salt.
Salad
- Place spinach leaves in large bowl. Arrange orange segments, feta cheese, raspberries, pickled onion slices, and walnuts on top of spinach. Bring to table for everyone to admire.
- Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add more dressing as needed.
Notes
