Orange Almond Salad

This recipe for orange almond salad has been around for years and it’s still a great one. I took it to a party and it was big a hit. The traditional recipe (and this one) has candied almonds, but as with many of the recipes on the site, you are welcome to leave out the sugar (in this case coconut sugar) and sprinkle on the almonds as-is, if you prefer.

The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of olive oil but you could leave this out completely, as well. Just keep in mind that omitting the oil makes the dressing a little more tart.

I added dried (unsweetened) cranberries for color or you could use raisins. Purchase dried cranberries without palm oil and sugar if you can find them. Some health markets sell them sweetened with apple juice. In a pinch you could substitute raisins instead.

Pair this salad with a tasty main dish:

• Moroccan Chickpea Vegetable Tagine
• Cauliflower Pasta Alfredo
• Tempeh Reuben Sandwich
• Sweet Potato Veggie Lasagna

If you’d like to learn about making your own oil-free salad dressings, see my “Salad Dressing Formula” freebie.

I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Orange Almond Salad recipe! If you have a photo, post it on my Instagram page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking in your caption, and I won’t miss it!

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3.88 from 16 votes

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Orange Almond Salad

A dash of sweetness from the oranges and caramelized almonds with the bright tanginess of the vinegar makes this salad a crowd-pleaser.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

1/21x2x3x

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Glass Mixing Bowls with Lids
• Whisk

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (you can buy these in a package)
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar or date sugar (optional)
• 1 head Romaine lettuce chopped or torn into small pieces
• 1 can mandarin oranges drained
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup parsley roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup green onion diced

Dressing

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (red wine or rice vinegar works, too)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
• 1 clove garlic finely minced
• salt and black pepper to taste

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• If you'd like to "candy" the almonds, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the almonds to a strainer and rinse with water, shaking off the excess water.
• Add the soaked almonds to a bowl along with the coconut sugar and stir to combine. Place the almonds on the lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring at 10 minutes. The almonds will be done when the coconut sugar coating is hardened and starting to turn brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes.
• Put lettuce, oranges, cranberries, almonds, green onions, and parsley into a large salad bowl.
• Whisk dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Toss to coat.

Notes

• Purchase sliced almonds in a package or slice them yourself.
• For an oil-free version, leave out the olive oil in the dressing.

 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Orange Almond Salad

Amount per Serving

Calories

248

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

12.2

g

19

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Cholesterol

 

0

mg

0

%

Sodium

 

18.4

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

33.1

g

11

%

Fiber

 

7

g

29

%

Sugar

 

21.9

g

24

%

Protein

 

6.6

g

13

%

Vitamin A

 

3950

IU

79

%

Vitamin C

 

22.3

mg

27

%

Calcium

 

130

mg

13

%

Iron

 

3.1

mg

17

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutrition information is a rough estimate. Values will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it’s recommended that you calculate your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

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