This Mandarin Orange Salad has juicy oranges, crunchy apples, dried cranberries, tangy feta, and simple candied almonds, topped with an amazing citrus dressing.
Mandarin Orange Salad
This salad is always a hit when I make it. It’s my go-to for entertaining, especially during the holidays when oranges and apples are in season. It’s not just delicious—it’s a beautiful salad, too!
The dressing is so refreshing, with both fresh orange and lemon juice, plus their zest for extra flavor.
It’s also a great dressing for any fruit-filled salad, so I often make a double batch to enjoy all week.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Mandarin Orange Salad:
- Almonds: Toasting with sugar makes them crunchy and sweet! You can buy pre-sugared almonds if in a rush.
- Sugar: Turns into syrup that coats the almonds well.
- Greens: Use fresh, crisp greens for the base.
- Oranges: I like using Cutie clementines!
- Apples: Fuji or Honeycrisp apples add crunch and sweetness.
- Dried Cranberries: I prefer sweetened, but unsweetened is fine too.
- Feta Cheese: You can swap it for goat cheese for a stronger flavor.
This recipe makes extra candied almonds. Store leftovers in a sealed container—in the freezer for up to 2 months or in the pantry for 2-3 weeks. They’re great as a snack or as toppings for yogurt bowl, açaí bowl, or other salads.
Mandarin Orange Salad Dressing
- Olive Oil: Use good extra-virgin oil for the best flavor.
- Orange and Lemon Zest & Juice: Fresh zest gives more flavor.
- Honey: Adds sweetness; change the amount to your liking.
- Dijon Mustard: Balances sweetness and thickens the dressing.
- Salt: Brings out all the other flavors.
- Poppy Seeds: Adds crunch and color.
How To Make Mandarin Orange Salad
- Candy Almonds: Toast almonds with sugar in a skillet until coated.
- Prepare Salad: Add greens, oranges, apples, cranberries, and feta to a bowl.
- Make Dressing: Blend all ingredients except poppy seeds, then stir them through.
- Serve: Toss salad with dressing and almonds. Enjoy!
Switch Things Up!
- Add ripe avocado slices for extra creaminess.
- Swap dried cranberries for dried tart cherries.
- Use candied pecans or candied walnuts instead of almonds.
- Add blueberries or blackberries for extra fruit.
- Try this dressing instead of the citrus dressing.
What To Serve With Mandarin Orange Salad
- Grilled Chicken, Salmon, or Shrimp: Adds protein and pairs well with citrus flavors.
- Hearty Bread or Warm French Bread: Great for soaking up leftover dressing.
- Butternut Squash or Tomato Soup: A great combo for a soup and salad meal!
- Simple Pasta Dishes: Lemon pasta or olive oil pasta keeps it light.
- Quinoa or Farro: Adds a nice texture and makes it more filling.
Storage
Keep salad ingredients separate to stay fresh. If mixed with dressing, eat soon—it won’t stay fresh for long.
Dressing: Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week. Shake before using.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
- Kale Sweet Potato Salad with a lemon dressing
- Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with an orange dressing
- Healthy Chicken Salad with a Greek yogurt dressing
- Costco Kale Salad with a poppy seed dressing
- Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe with red onions
Mandarin Orange Salad
This Mandarin Orange Salad is filled with sweet oranges, crisp apples, dried cranberries, and tangy feta, all finished with a quick candied almond crunch and a delicious citrus dressing.
Equipment
- Large pan
- Small blender
- Jar or other sealable container
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup sliced almonds see note 1
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 8 cups (5-ounces) mixed greens
- 3 clementines or mandarins, peeled and segmented
- 2 large apples thinly sliced (Honeycrisp or Fuji)
- 3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta
Dressing, see note 2
- 1 large orange
- 1 large lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2-1/2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Instructions
- Add almonds and sugar to a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the sugar melts and coats the almonds (3-4 minutes), remove pan from heat and continue stirring until the nuts are completely coated in the sugar. Spread onto a sheet of parchment paper to harden. Break into pieces.
- Zest an orange for 2 teaspoons of zest and juice it for 4 tablespoons. Zest a lemon for 1/2 teaspoon of zest and juice it for 2 tablespoons. Blend all dressing ingredients except poppy seeds until smooth. Stir in poppy seeds, then transfer to a jar and chill. Shake before serving.
- In a large bowl, combine greens, oranges, apples, cranberries, and feta.
- This salad is best served immediately after it’s dressed, so wait to add dressing until you’re ready to serve. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat. Top with almonds (about 1/3 cup), then enjoy immediately.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: There will be more almonds than you’ll need/want for the salad, but sugaring the almonds works best with this volume. Store leftover almonds in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months or in the pantry for 2-3 weeks.
Note 2: This recipe makes extra dressing than you likely need/want. I love having the leftovers to use throughout the week. If you want a smaller amount, halve the ingredients.
Storage/Make Ahead: Prep ingredients ahead, but store separately in the fridge. Combine and dress just before serving for the best freshness.
Nutrition
Serving: 6as a side | Calories: 1179kcal | Carbohydrates: 122g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 72g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 43g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 1204mg | Potassium: 3365mg | Fiber: 25g | Sugar: 84g | Vitamin A: 44720IU | Vitamin C: 177mg | Calcium: 906mg | Iron: 16mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
wonder full and tasty salad…..nice….Thank
Thanks so much! 🙂
Hi. How many cups does the salad dressing make. Planning to make this for a large crowd! Thanks
I’m not a fan of feta. What substitute can you suggest?
You can sub for any cheese you like, or omit all together! 🙂
This is an outstanding recipe! It has the perfect balance of flavours and is absolutely delicious. Made the dressing a day in advance to allow the flavours to blend and served the salad as the centrepiece of our backyard BBQ. Everyone loved it – there wasn’t a bite left and I had countless requests for the recipe!
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much! 🙂
One of the best salads I have ever had! I added a bit of white balsamic vinegar and red onion to the salad the second time I made it. I am a fan of blue cheese, so I did a substitution. Absolutely delicious!!
Yum! I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thanks Mary! 🙂
I sure wish you had a Pinterest button so I could save the recipe !!!looks delicious
Hey Frieda! I actually do have a Pinterest button right at the top of the page! It’s the “P” next to the “save to recipe” box! Hope this helps! Thanks!
I use pineapple instead of apples. Very good!
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Made this for Memorial Day and it was GLORIOUS–the highest compliment I can pay a recipe. So much was done ahead of time and what had to be done at the last minute was minimal, so even with serving 9, it was easy and fast. It’s now in my permanent rotation.
Awe you made my day!! Thank you!
This was delicious!!! My husband and sons thought so too and my sons do not care for fruit in their salad.
Made this recipe twice this week and followed it exactly. We served it to guests who couldn’t stop raving about it. It was excellent. Thank you for a great recipe.
I am so happy to hear this Lisa! Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂