High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Spinach Mandarin Almond Salad
Bright, citrusy, and loaded with crunch, this spinach salad is the kind of dish that looks impressive but comes together in minutes. The mandarin oranges bring a natural sweetness that pairs beautifully with the nutty bite of dry-roasted almonds and the sharp edge of thinly sliced red onion. What makes this recipe such a smart choice is the homemade dressing — whisked together from olive oil, fresh orange juice, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of honey, it contains zero processed sweeteners or hidden additives. Bottled dressings are one of the sneakiest sources of high fructose corn syrup, so making your own here is a genuinely easy win. A little fresh ginger and ground turmeric give the dressing a subtle warmth and golden hue that elevates the whole bowl. Torn mint leaves scattered over the top right before serving add a fresh, aromatic finish that makes this feel like something you'd order at a nice restaurant. It's a clean, vibrant salad you can feel completely good about eating.
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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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