Coconut Free Spinach Mandarin Almond Salad
Bright, refreshing, and packed with contrasting textures, this spinach salad is the kind of dish that disappears fast at any table. Juicy mandarin oranges bring a burst of citrus sweetness, while dry-roasted almonds add satisfying crunch and thinly sliced red onion gives just enough bite to keep things interesting. The homemade dressing is where it really shines — a quick whisk of olive oil, fresh orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, ginger, and turmeric creates something vibrant and complex without a single drop of anything derived from coconut. That matters more than you might think, since store-bought dressings and bottled vinaigrettes frequently sneak in coconut aminos, coconut sugar, or coconut-derived emulsifiers that can be easy to miss on a label. Here, every ingredient is straightforward and easy to verify, so you can toss this together with total confidence. Torn fresh mint scattered over the top at the end is optional but genuinely worth it — it lifts the whole bowl into something that feels almost restaurant-worthy. Serve it immediately after dressing so the spinach stays crisp and the almonds keep their crunch.
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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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