Mandarin Orange Salad

5 from 1 vote

Sweet combines with savory to create this colorful mandarin orange salad. You’ll love the mixture of textures and flavors, and it’s easy to scale up for a party—which is good because it’s definitely a crowd-pleaser!

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: 4th of July/Memorial Day, Salad, Sides & Vegetables

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Rachel Gurk

Ingredients

For the Salad:

6 cups (5 oz. container) baby spinach or mixed greens
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup thinly sliced red onions
½ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
1 can (15 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained well
½ cup sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, or ¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted and cooled

For the Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice (zest first!)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon orange zest
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Instructions

In a large salad bowl, combine salad greens, dried cranberries, red onions, and crumbled feta cheese (if using).
6 cups (5 oz. container) baby spinach or mixed greens, ½ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup thinly sliced red onions, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, orange juice, honey, Dijon mustard, orange zest, salt, and pepper. Taste, and adjust to your preference (see note).
¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon orange juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon orange zest, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Immediately before serving, add the mandarin oranges and toasted nuts to the salad. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, tossing gently to coat the ingredients evenly with the dressing. If you’re not planning on serving the salad right away, refrigerate the dressing, mandarin oranges, and nuts separately from the salad and add them right before serving.
1 can (15 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained well, ½ cup sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, or ¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted and cooled

Video

Notes

Dressing notes: If the dressing seems too tart, add more honey; if it seems too sweet, add a bit more vinegar. Remember that the mandarin oranges add sweetness to the salad, too,
Add protein. For a main course salad, add grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, or tofu.
Variations: Add avocado slices for a creamy texture. Add sliced celery for more crunch. Sliced green onions can be substituted for red onions. Substitute goat cheese for the feta for a tangy twist.
How to toast nuts/seeds: almonds, walnuts.

Nutrition

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