This Tangy Mandarin Orange Salad is easy to make and has a delicious apple cider dressing that perfectly balances the sweet, juicy mandarin oranges. It's also naturally dairy-free and Weight Watchers friendly. I got this recipe years ago from a friend when she brought it to a potluck. I loved it because it has a subtle flavor and is not overpowering. It's a nice light salad that pairs perfectly with so many dishes and that's why it's ideal for a potluck. I've only made a few minor changes to the original recipe.
This recipe makes a wonderful winter salad, but it is great any time of year. It is an excellent accompaniment to chicken or pork, as it makes a great side salad too! You could also add grilled chicken breast and make it a meal. It's ideal for bringing along to a potluck or backyard BBQ.
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🥘Ingredient Notes
For this Mandarin Salad, you'll need a handful of simple ingredients:
- Romaine lettuce. Romaine is the ideal lettuce to use for this salad because of its crisp texture and mild, slightly sweet flavor. It complements the sweetness of the orange without becoming soggy. Other greens, such as iceberg or delicate spring mixes, lack the ideal texture or flavor for this salad.
- Mandarin oranges. I use canned mandarins because they are convenient, have a consistent sweetness, and a tender texture (less fibrous than fresh varieties).
- Sunflower seeds. Make sure they are shelled, raw, and unsalted.
- Honey. I use liquid honey because it is superior for salad dressings. It has a smooth, pourable consistency and is ideal for creating a stable emulsion with oil and vinegar. Unlike solid or creamed honey, which can be clumpy and hard to mix, liquid honey dissolves easily and uniformly, resulting in a perfectly blended and balanced dressing.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Vegan - substitute agave for honey (use about ½ the amount) to make this vegan
- Oil - you could use another type of oil (canola or vegetable) instead of olive oil
- Onions - you could substitute green onions for red onions
- Spicy - add a little chili pepper flakes to the salad dressing or a couple of dashes of tabasco sauce to spice it up
- Croutons - use any type you like!
- Sunflower seeds- you can use blanched sliced almonds instead. You could also use poppy seeds or sesame seeds instead
- Add-ins - add grilled chicken on top and make it a full meal! You could also add dried cranberries and/or feta cheese
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Mandarin Salad
Whisk salad dressing ingredients together in a small bowl (or use a salad shaker) or mason jar.
Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl.
Mix salad ingredients together.
Pour dressing over salad.
Hint: Do not pour dressing over salad until you are ready to serve (to avoid the salad getting soggy)
Expert Recipe Tips:
- Dry the lettuce extremely well for maximum crunch. Excess moisture dilutes the dressing and softens the romaine. After rinsing, spin thoroughly, then pat with paper towels if needed. Super-dry lettuce makes the biggest difference in keeping this salad crisp.
- Chill the oranges before assembling. Cold mandarin segments help keep the salad refreshing and prevent the dressing from warming the greens, especially when serving at potlucks or outdoor gatherings.
- Use a microplane for the garlic. Finely grating the garlic (instead of mincing) helps it blend completely into the dressing, giving you a smoother, more balanced flavor without sharp chunks.
- Balance sweetness to taste. Canned mandarin oranges vary in sweetness. After whisking the dressing, taste and adjust with a splash of vinegar for more brightness or a drizzle of honey for extra sweetness.
- Add the cucumbers at the last minute. Cucumbers release water quickly, so adding them right before mixing helps prevent the salad from becoming watery if prepping ahead.
- Toast the sunflower seeds for deeper flavor. Even raw, unsalted sunflower seeds become more nutty and aromatic with a quick 2-3 minute toast in a dry pan. Let cool before adding to preserve crunch.
- Cut everything into bite-sized pieces. Chopping the romaine into smaller pieces helps the oranges, seeds, and croutons distribute evenly so every bite gets the perfect balance of textures.
- Layer the salad if transporting. For potlucks, build in this order and toss at the event: Cucumbers + onions on bottom, oranges, lettuce, seeds + croutons on top. Add dressing right before serving. This prevents sogginess and keeps textures perfect.
- Double the dressing if adding protein. If you turn this into a meal by adding chicken or shrimp, you'll likely need about 25-30% more dressing since the protein absorbs some of it.
- Serve immediately after tossing. The acid in the dressing softens greens quickly, so for the crispest salad, toss no more than 5-10 minutes before serving.
🥗 What to Serve with Mandarin Salad?
This Soy Ginger Lime marinated Bbq Pork (shown below)pairs perfectly with this Mandarin Orange Lettuce salad. But if you're looking for a chicken recipe, try my BBQ Beer Can Chicken Recipe, Baked Balsamic Chicken with Roasted Tomatoes, or Monterey Chicken. It also goes well with pasta, such as my Make-Ahead Lasagna (with no boil noodles) or my Greek Pasta Toss!
🍽Equipment
You'll need a large knife, cutting board, a large bowl and a salad shaker (affiliate link) also comes in handy for this green salad with mandarin oranges. Alternatively, you can simply whisk the ingredients together.
🌡️Storage
If making this salad with mandarin oranges ahead of time, store the wet ingredients (lettuce, onion, and cucumber) separately from the dressing and oranges in the fridge in an airtight container. Add-ins (croutons and sunflower seeds) can be stored at room temperature. Combine when ready.
Store leftovers in a sealed container for up to 2 days. These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
👪 Serving Size
This easy salad recipe makes 10 servings as a side salad. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 3 WW points. You could further reduce points by using a lower-point crouton (fat-free) or skipping them altogether.
❔ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. The dressing can be whisked together up to 3-4 days in advance and stored in a sealed jar in the fridge. Shake well before adding to the salad
Yes, you can use fresh mandarins, but keep in mind that fresh segments are firmer and slightly more tart. If using fresh, choose very ripe mandarins and gently remove as much membrane as possible so they blend better into the salad.
Yes-use crunchy alternatives like crispy chickpeas, pumpkin seeds (if safe), toasted pita chips, or omit entirely and add extra croutons for texture.
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This Mandarin Orange Salad is a delicious salad that's a quick and easy side salad for almost any dish and makes a great potluck salad! It's always a huge hit!
And be sure to give my Spinach Salad and my Kale Salad with Cranberries and Feta a try too!
📋More Salads
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📋 Mandarin Orange Salad recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped (large head of lettuce)
- 1 cup mandarin orange segments (a can of mandarin oranges)
- 1 small cucumber
- 1 cup croutons
- ½ large red onion
- ¼ cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons liquid honey
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Whisk salad dressing ingredients together in a small bowl (or salad shaker)
- Combine salad ingredients in large bowl.
- Mix salad ingredients together.
- Add salad dressing to salad.
Terri Gilson
I absolutely adore this Mandarin orange salad recipe! The apple cider dressing perfectly complements the juicy oranges without overpowering them. It's become my go-to for potlucks since I first tasted it years ago at a friend's gathering. Plus, it's naturally dairy-free and fits into my Weight Watchers plan, so it's a guilt-free pleasure that pairs well with almost anything.