Rice Free Spinach Mandarin Almond Salad

Total time15 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time0 min

4.6

(8)

This vibrant salad is a genuine crowd-pleaser — tender baby spinach, juicy mandarin oranges, and crunchy dry-roasted almonds come together in a bowl that looks as good as it tastes. The homemade citrus dressing is the real star: a quick whisk of olive oil, fresh orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, grated ginger, and turmeric creates something bright, slightly sweet, and warmly spiced all at once. It's the kind of dish that feels fancy enough for a dinner party but comes together in minutes with zero cooking required. Avoiding rice-based fillers or grain-heavy add-ins is effortless here because every ingredient earns its place on pure flavor alone — nothing is padding, nothing is filler. The thinly sliced red onion adds a little sharpness that balances the sweetness of the mandarins beautifully, and a handful of torn fresh mint at the end lifts the whole thing into something genuinely special. Toss it right before serving so the spinach stays crisp and the dressing coats every leaf perfectly.

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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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