📋 Mandarin Orange Salad recipe
This Mandarin Orange Salad, is easy to make and has a delicious apple cider dressing. and it's naturally dairy-free and Weight Watchers friendly.
Servings 10 servings
Calories 112kcal
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.
Notes
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 145mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5714IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
