Tender cooked turkey and fresh baby spinach get brightened with a tangy-sweet mango chutney vinaigrette, then finished with creamy crumbled blue cheese and crunchy toasted pine nuts for contrast.
This salad assembles in about 15 minutes and serves Servings: 4 servings — make the dressing up to 2 days ahead for a fast, high-protein weekday lunch or a light dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
A fast, protein-forward salad that balances sweet, savory, and crunchy elements — the mango chutney dressing brings brightness while turkey and blue cheese add substance.
For a warm turkey-and-spinach sandwich riff, try the Heart-Healthy Turkey, Spinach & Balsamic Panini: Heart-Healthy Turkey, Spinach & Balsamic Panini.
Ingredients You’ll Need
How to Make the Salad
- Combine the mango chutney, peanut oil, Worcestershire sauce, and malt vinegar in a blender and blend until the dressing is smooth and well emulsified.
- In a large bowl, combine the ready-to-use spinach, cooked turkey, crumbled blue cheese, and toasted pine nuts. Pour enough dressing over to coat the salad, toss gently to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Make-Ahead Dressing Tips
The mango chutney vinaigrette is especially make-ahead friendly. Blend and store it chilled so you can toss the salad in minutes.
- Cover the dressing tightly and refrigerate up to 2 days.
- If the oil separates in the fridge, let the jar sit at room temperature briefly and shake or re-blend before using.
- Major Grey’s mango chutney works well here for a balanced sweet-tart flavor.
Toast Pine Nuts Perfectly
Toasting brings out the pine nuts’ buttery aroma and gives the salad a crunchy contrast—but it must be done with care.
- Use a dry skillet over low heat and keep the nuts moving with a spatula.
- Remove them from the pan as soon as they show a light golden color; residual heat will continue to brown them.
- Cool on a plate to stop the cooking before adding to the salad.
Use Leftover Turkey
Leftover roast or rotisserie turkey makes this salad fast and economical—no extra cooking required.
- Cube or shred the turkey so it distributes evenly through the greens.
- For a warm variation, gently reheat turkey before tossing with the chilled dressing so the spinach wilts slightly.
Tips for Success
Make the dressing ahead: The dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance; cover and refrigerate. Bring it to room temperature and shake or re-blend briefly before using if it separates.
Toast pine nuts carefully: Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over low heat, stirring frequently—watch closely, as they can go from browned to burnt very quickly.
Adjust dressing amount: Pour dressing gradually and toss as you go to avoid overdressing; you want coating, not pooling.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Serve
Toss chilled dressing with the salad just before serving so the spinach stays fresh and the textures remain distinct.
This turkey spinach salad is an easy make-ahead lunch or light dinner that holds up well—perfect for a busy weekday meal.
Turkey Spinach Salad with Chutney Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mango chutney Major Grey’s brand is good
- 1/4 cup peanut oil
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons malt vinegar
- 15 ounces ready-to-use spinach stems trimmed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- 21/2 cups cooked turkey cut into ½-inch cubes
- 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese or Gorgonzola
- 1/2 cup pine nuts toasted
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the mango chutney, peanut oil, Worcestershire sauce, and malt vinegar in a blender and blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the ready-to-use spinach, cooked turkey, crumbled blue cheese, and toasted pine nuts. Pour enough dressing over to coat the salad and toss to combine, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
