Nitrate & Nitrite Free Spinach Mandarin Almond Salad
Bright, citrusy, and satisfyingly crunchy, this spinach salad is the kind of dish that looks impressive but comes together in minutes with zero cooking required. Baby spinach forms the leafy base, layered with juicy mandarin oranges, roughly chopped dry-roasted almonds, and paper-thin slices of red onion for a little bite. The homemade dressing is where things really shine — a quick whisk of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, grated ginger, and turmeric creates something vibrant and complex without a single processed ingredient in sight. That matters a lot here, because many bottled dressings and packaged salad kits sneak in preservatives that people avoiding nitrates and nitrites need to watch out for. Every component in this recipe is whole and straightforward, so you know exactly what you're eating. A scatter of torn fresh mint over the top adds an optional but genuinely lovely finishing touch. Toss it right before serving and it's ready to go — fresh, clean, and full of flavor.
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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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