Shellfish Free Spinach Mandarin Almond Salad
This bright, refreshing salad is the kind of dish that looks like it came from a restaurant but comes together in minutes with just a bowl and a whisk. Baby spinach forms the base, layered with juicy mandarin oranges, crunchy dry-roasted almonds, and paper-thin slices of red onion for a little bite. The homemade dressing is where things get really interesting — olive oil, fresh orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, grated ginger, and a pinch of turmeric create something citrusy, warm, and just slightly sweet all at once. Torn fresh mint scattered over the top adds an herby finish that makes the whole bowl feel alive. Because every ingredient here is naturally free from shellfish and there's no need to scrutinize labels for hidden seafood-based additives, this is a genuinely stress-free recipe to pull together. It's the kind of salad that converts people who think salads are boring — colorful, layered with texture, and packed with flavor from the very first 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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