Written by Jamielyn Nye
Sourced from I Heart Naptime
“This mandarin orange salad is fresh, sweet and loaded with flavor. It is topped with an amazing homemade orange salad dressing that you can’t live without!“
Kelsey Portland
The Story
Around this time of year, I crave ALL the salads and this mandarin salad is absolutely one of my top recipes. The fresh ingredients mixed with the sweet orange vinaigrette is such a great combination. We love to top it with grilled chicken to make it a full meal.
This mandarin salad always makes an appearance on Thanksgiving! It comes from my Aunt’s ‘Favorites’ cookbook and everyone loves it! In her original recipe, she also adds in green onions, mushrooms, avocado and tomatoes, however my family prefers it with just mandarins, cranberries and nuts.
The Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 10 minutes
Salad Ingredients
- 10 ounce bag spring mix (or spinach)
- 11 ounce can mandarin oranges
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds (can use walnuts or pecans as well)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
- 1/2 teaspoon orange rind
- 1/4 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar (I used apple cider)
- 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon poppyseeds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine the spinach, oranges, cranberries and almonds to a large bowl.
- Add the orange juice, orange rind, olive oil, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and salt to a mason jar. Shake until well combined. Add the poppyseeds and shake just before serving.
- Pour dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss until combined.
- Enjoy your tangy salad!