BHA & BHT Free Spinach Mandarin Almond Salad
Bright, refreshing, and packed with color, this spinach salad is the kind of dish that looks like it came from a restaurant but comes together in minutes with a handful of whole, clean ingredients. The sweet burst of mandarin oranges plays beautifully against the peppery spinach, while dry-roasted almonds add a satisfying crunch in every bite. What makes this salad especially appealing for anyone avoiding synthetic preservatives is that every component is straightforward and recognizable — no bottled dressings with mystery additives, no processed toppings with hidden chemical stabilizers. The homemade dressing is whisked together from extra-virgin olive oil, fresh orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, and a little grated ginger and turmeric, so you know exactly what's going into it. BHA and BHT are commonly found in packaged nuts, bottled dressings, and even some canned goods, which is why building this salad from scratch matters so much. Thinly sliced red onion adds a gentle sharpness that ties everything together, and a handful of torn fresh mint leaves takes the whole bowl somewhere truly special. Toss it right before serving and enjoy every clean, vibrant forkful.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 2 cans (11 oz each) mandarin oranges, drained
- ½ cup dry-roasted almonds, roughly chopped
- ¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, grated ginger, turmeric, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
- 2
Add the baby spinach, drained mandarin oranges, chopped almonds, and sliced red onion to a large salad bowl.
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