Mandarin Orange Salad – The Almond Eater

21 de September de 2023

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This Mandarin Orange Salad is bejeweled with one of the best produce fall and winter have to supply, like recent citrus, apples, pomegranate, and dried cranberries. Tossed in a crowd-pleasing orange poppyseed French dressing, it’s a satisfying foremost dish or a vibrant vacation facet.

mandarin orange salad on a serving plate with a spoon and fork

When the leaves start to fall and the cooler climate units in, meaning it’s time to improve your seasonal salads. This oh-so-elegant, but simple Mandarin Orange Salad is the right place to start out.

This winter salad recipe incorporates a medley of seasonal goodies, like mandarin orange wedges, crunchy apples, pomegranate seeds, and cranberries. All of this fall/winter goodness is wearing a tasty orange poppyseed French dressing, guaranteeing that each chunk explodes with recent and vibrant seasonal flavors.

There are infinite methods to place your individual spin on the salad, too. Combine and match the seasonal fruits and veggies, add cheeses or proteins, garnish it along with your favourite mix-ins, and extra!

Recipe options

It’s one of the best winter citrus salad! It’s simple to place collectively and each chunk options refreshing and vibrant seasonal produce.
Serve it as a formidable, gentle, and wholesome foremost dish or as an thrilling facet dish in your vacation menu.
It’s so versatile and enjoyable to combine and match the add-ins. Scroll right down to the Variations part for concepts!

Elements

Mandarin oranges – The shining stars on this salad. Every orange wedge provides a burst of juicy sweetness, making for a pleasant distinction subsequent to the opposite tart and tangy flavors. You need to be capable of discover mandarin oranges in well-stocked grocery shops from November to February whereas they’re in season. For those who can’t discover them, use drained and rinsed canned mandarin oranges as a substitute.

Dried cranberries and pomegranate seeds – This tart duo provides a festive flare to the salad. Cranberries are pleasantly chewy whereas pomegranate seeds add juicy bursts of sweet-tartness. You may usually discover each of those in grocery shops all through fall and winter.

Apple – Apples give the salad a crisp, hearty crunch and a refined sweetness to enrich the opposite fruity flavors. I like to make use of pink apples for a pop of colour, like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Girl apples.

Blended greens – I used combined greens because the salad base, however be happy to make use of your favourite salad greens or a spinach-arugula combine for the same freshness.

Goat cheese – Ending the salad with creamy and wealthy cheese crumbles provides the dish an nearly addictive indulgent high quality. However in the event you’re dairy free, you’ll be able to omit it.

Orange poppyseed French dressing – This zippy and citrusy salad dressing is simple to make with white wine vinegar, olive oil, honey, orange juice, dijon mustard, and poppy seeds.

Directions

Step 1: Make dressing. Whisk the French dressing components collectively in a glass measuring cup or bowl, then put aside.

Step 2: Toss the salad. Add the combined greens, oranges, cranberries, almonds, pomegranate seeds, apples, and goat cheese to a big mixing bowl and gently toss.

Step 3: Add the dressing. When it’s time to serve, pour the dressing overtop and gently toss to coat. Switch the salad to a serving platter or serve it from the bowl, and luxuriate in!

mandarin orange salad on a serving plate

Suggestions and FAQs

Wish to take pleasure in it for meal prep? Retailer the salad components and dressing in separate hermetic containers within the fridge. Toss every little thing collectively proper earlier than serving to maintain the fruit and veggies crisp.
Be light when tossing the salad. The components are delicate and may be crushed very simply.

Tip

Save time by prepping forward. It can save you a whole lot of time by peeling and slicing the oranges and apples, seeding the pomegranates, making the dressing, and portioning the mix-ins the evening earlier than serving. This fashion, the one factor that’s left to do is toss every little thing collectively earlier than serving!

Variations

You may make all types of modifications to make this recipe your individual, however these concepts ought to assist spark some inspiration:

Winter fruits – Substitute the mandarin oranges and/or apples for clementines, tangerines, navel oranges, blood oranges, pomelos, grapefruit, pears, or persimmons.
Recent fruits – This winter fruit salad can also be nice with recent raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, pink grapes, and nectarines.
Dried fruits – As an alternative of dried cranberries, attempt raisins, sliced dates, or dried apricots.
Cheese – For those who don’t like goat cheese, use feta, blue cheese, or parmesan.
Enjoyable mix-ins – Add avocado, pickled pink onions, candied pecans, crumbled crispy bacon (or tempeh bacon), and freshly chopped mint or parsley.
Dressing – Do this salad with my balsamic French dressing or honey mint French dressing as a substitute of the poppyseed French dressing.

Can I add protein to this salad?

Completely! You may simply make it a filling and satisfying meal by including diced rooster, salmon, shrimp, or steak bites. For those who’re vegan or vegetarian, attempt crispy tofu cubes, cooked quinoa, chickpeas, or further nuts, like pistachios, pecans, or walnuts.

What ought to I serve with a mandarin salad?

This salad pairs properly with cozy soups, like pumpkin curry soup, carrot apple ginger soup, and rooster sausage soup. It’s additionally nice on the facet of a cottage cheese rooster salad sandwich and avocado grilled cheese.

Are the vacations developing? Ensure that this salad is on the menu together with the standard roasted turkey, glazed ham, apple stuffing, mashed candy potatoes, and cranberry sauce.

Storage

Fridge: Retailer the leftover salad in an hermetic container within the fridge and eat it inside a day or two for one of the best texture and taste.

an overview of a mandarin orange salad on a serving plate

Extra seasonal salads

For those who made this recipe, be sure you go away a remark and star ranking beneath. Thanks!