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
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 clementine oranges 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 zest and juice it for 4 tablespoons. Zest a lemon for 1/2 teaspoon 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was a hit at Thanksgiving!
Here are a couple of notes/changes/hacks:
I melted the sugar first then added nuts. Better to keep nuts from burning – especially if you use pecans which I did – I did both.
I supremed the oranges, used 3 types of lettuce and 4 types of apples. Thx for the hint & reminder to cover them in citrus if pre-making! Next time I’ll use a tiny bit of sugar on them, they got a tiny bit sour compared to the nuts.
I used 1/2 the amount of olive oil. I say use 1/8th of a cup of EVOO for the overnight flavor development. Then before serving, slowly add oil until it’s the right amount to just help coat the ingredients. You might need to sweeten it a bit to match the nuts which (especially if you do pecans) are a desert in themselves.
So thrilled this was a hit! Thanks so much for your tips! 🙂
I made the salad today for my family. It was so good and very refreshing. Everyone loved it and the sugared almonds just put it over the top. The dressing was good too but I was wondering about the olive oil. I used a store brand but wanted to ask if there’s a particular brand that would highlight this dressing. I followed your recipe exactly but I could taste the olive oil more than I would like. Just asking.
I use Bertolli Olive Oil typically! You can certainly try a different oil if preferred 🙂 So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
Wow! We will make this salad again and again. Those candied almonds were super easy and so delicious!
So happy to hear this! Thanks Kara! 🙂
I just wanted to say that I stumbled upon your recipe a couple years ago while searching for a salad to take to a family Thanksgiving at my in-law’s house. I married into a VERY competitive family who assigns each person a dish to bring at family gatherings and then everyone votes for their favorite. (The winner gets a trophy they had made specifically for this.) That was the first year and I came in 2nd. Ever since, I can’t tell you how many people have asked me for this recipe because they love it so much. I’m pretty much required to bring it whenever they want a salad now.
So thanks for being the most successful Pinterest find I’ve ever had.
I am SO thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Kay! You made my day! 🙂