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    Mandarin Orange Salad

    Salads Dairy-Free Recipes Kid Friendly March 9, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 10 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    Made with tender spring mix, sweet mandarin oranges, almonds, cranberries, and a fresh citrus dressing, this Mandarin Orange Salad is a bright and fresh side salad that is bursting with flavor! It is a kid-favorite veggie side dish, yet is also loved by adults.

    This Mandarin Orange Salad, featuring a tender spring mix, sweet mandarin oranges, and a fresh citrus dressing is a bright and fresh side salad bursting with flavor!

    Serve this Mandarin Orange Salad with Homemade Hamburger Helper or Homemade Chicken Tenders for a kid-friendly meal that your family will devour.

    Mixed greens topped with mandarin oranges and almonds.


    This Mandarin Orange Salad is one of my favorite salads to make with I am low on fresh produce.

    Using ingredients you likely have in your pantry and a bag of spinach or mixed greens, you can easily create a salad that while not featuring a ton of fresh ingredients, still tastes light and fresh.

    why you'll love this recipe

    • Delicious. The combination of delicate greens, juicy mandarin oranges, tart cranberries, and a citrus dressing creates a salad that is bright, refreshing, and full of flavor.
    • Affordable. Turning to canned mandarin oranges and dried cranberries, rather than fresh produce, makes this salad less expensive than preparing a salad with a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.
    • Super Easy to Make. It takes me about 5 minutes to prepare Mandarin Orange Salad. It is ALMOST as easy as tossing a bagged salad kit together, but so much better tasting!
    • Kid-Friendly. Serving a salad with mandarin oranges is a great way to entice picky eaters to eat their greens.

    Notes on Ingredients

    Ingredients for Mandarin Orange Salad labled on counter.
    • Greens: I recommend preparing this salad using a base of tender, soft greens, such as a spring mix, leafy green lettuce, or baby spinach.
    • Mandarin Oranges: This is one instance where I feel like the canned product is better than fresh. Canned mandarin oranges are sweet, seedless, and already prepped! But most importantly they are tender and bite-size which makes them really easy to eat in a salad.
    • Cranberries: Dried cranberries add a nice texture and tart bite to the salad.
    • Nuts: The nuts are optional but, add a nice crunch to the salad. Use toasted almonds, pecan, or walnuts.
    • Citrus Salad Dressing: The dressing is made with orange juice concentrate, honey, rice vinegar, olive oil, and salt.
      • Orange juice concentrate: Not orange juice. That concentrated flavor really adds the most bang for your buck in this dressing, plus is naturally sweet, meaning you can use less added honey, yet still have a perfectly sweet result.
      • Honey: Feel free to use maple syrup in place of honey for a vegan-friendly mandarin orange salad.
      • Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is the best option for the citrus dressing, as it is super mild in flavor and pairs well with the natural sweetness in the mandarin oranges.

    How to Build a Salad with Mandarin Oranges

    • For the dressing, whisk together the thawed orange juice concentrate, salt, pepper, honey, and rice wine vinegar in a small mixing bowl or glass jar. Drizzle in olive oil and whisk until well combined.
    • In a large serving bowl, toss the greens with mandarin oranges, cranberries, and nuts, if using.
    • Toss the salad with 2 tablespoons of the salad dressing and serve with the remaining salad dressing on the side.
    • Serve immediately for best results.
    Citrus Dressing being poured over Mandarin Orange Salad.

    Prep Ahead Instructions

    This salad is best assembled right before serving. However, you can prepare the dressing up to 7 days in advance and then simply toss the components together right before serving.

    Serving Suggestions

    As I mentioned earlier, this Mandarin Orange Salad is a huge hit with the kids, as the flavors are simple and on the sweeter side.

    But it is also loved by adults and makes a tasty addition to a spring brunch when paired with Quiche Lorraine or Overnight Ham and Egg Breakfast Casserole and complements entrees like Stir Fry Chicken and Bok Choy and Orange Chicken.

    More Tasty Salad Recipes

    • Spinach Avocado Salad
    • Strawberry Spinach Salad
    • Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
    • Kale Apple Salad
    • Homemade Caesar Salad
    • Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
    • Tossed Greek Salad

    If you tried this Mandarin Orange Salad, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.  

    Fresh orange dressing being poured over mandarin orange salad.

    Mandarin Orange Salad

    Made with tender greens, mandarin oranges, almonds, cranberries, and a citrus dressing, this Mandarin Orange Salad is bright, fresh, and bursting with flavor!
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 242kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    Mandarin Orange Salad

    • 10 ounces spring mix or spinach
    • 11 ounces mandarin oranges drained
    • â…“ cup dried cranberries
    • ¼ cup sliced almonds

    Citrus Salad Dressing

    • ¼ cup frozen orange juice concentrate thawed
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    Citrus Salad Dressing

    • In a small mixing bowl or glass jar, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add in the olive oil and whisk to incorporate. 

    Mandarin Orange Salad

    • Drain the canned mandarin oranges well, patting dry with a paper towel if needed.
    • In a large serving bowl, toss together the lettuce with 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing. Add in the mandarin oranges, almonds, and cranberries, and serve with additional dressing on the side. 

    Notes

    Storage: You can prepare the dressing in advance and refrigerate, but it is best to assemble this salad immediately before serving. The Citrus Dressing can be stored for 7 weeks in the fridge.  
    Vegan Modification: Use maple syrup in place of honey. 
    Vinegar: Apple Cider Vinegar or white wine vinegar can be substituted for the rice wine vinegar. 
    Nuts: Nuts are optional and you can use pecans or walnuts in place of the almonds. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1380IU | Vitamin C: 54.1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 0.9mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!

     

    « BBQ Chicken Salad
    Sauteed Spinach »

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Brandy

      March 20, 2022 at 11:46 pm

      5 stars
      This salad was so refreshing and delicious. Made it for lunch and we ate it all up. Will definitely be having again soon!

      Reply
    2. Samantha

      March 20, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      5 stars
      This is my favorite salad for getting my kids to eat their greens! My whole family loves it so I make it often. Thank you for such a tasty, healthy recipe!

      Reply
    3. Karen

      November 29, 2020 at 9:32 am

      Thank you for so many great recipes and information (especially about the INstant Pot!) I plan to use this recipe today for our family's dinner. The orange juice will give it a little added tang.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        November 30, 2020 at 6:48 am

        I hope you enjoy Karen 🙂

        Reply
    4. Patricia

      October 23, 2020 at 5:02 pm

      Brilliant adding the OJ concentrate to the dressing! Yum!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        October 24, 2020 at 7:37 am

        So glad you enjoyed that touch! I really think it adds a great flavor

        Reply
    5. Liz

      May 18, 2019 at 8:26 am

      5 stars
      I needed a quick and easy salad for company found your fabulous recipe! It took no time to prepare and was absolutely delicious!! We all loved it.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 18, 2019 at 2:24 pm

        I love hearing everyone enjoyed! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    6. Beth

      May 17, 2019 at 11:10 pm

      5 stars
      I love the Summer season for tasty, fresh salads like this one! Delish!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 18, 2019 at 7:42 am

        So glad you enjoyed Beth!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Made with tender spring mix, sweet mandarin oranges, almonds, cranberries, and a fresh citrus dressing, this Mandarin Orange Salad is a bright and fresh side salad that is bursting with flavor! It is a kid-favorite veggie side dish, yet is also loved by adults.

    Meet a Mind "Full" Mom

    A Picture of A Mind"Full"Mom

    Hi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

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    Made with tender spring mix, sweet mandarin oranges, almonds, cranberries, and a fresh citrus dressing, this Mandarin Orange Salad is a bright and fresh side salad that is bursting with flavor! It is a kid-favorite veggie side dish, yet is also loved by adults.

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