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Fresh Mandarin Orange Salad with Honey Citrus Vinaigrette

Close-up of a fresh mandarin orange salad featuring spinach, bright orange segments, dried cranberries, and slivered almonds.
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Make this refreshing Mandarin Orange Salad featuring spinach, crunchy almonds, and a bright homemade honey citrus dressing. It is an easy, healthy side dish perfect for gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups fresh spinach, washed and dried
  • 1 (15 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained well
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
  • For the Vinaigrette:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the almonds: Spread the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, orange juice, white wine vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard. Whisk or shake well until fully emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Assemble the salad base: In a large bowl, combine the washed spinach, drained mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, and toasted almonds.
  4. Dress the salad: Pour about half of the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients. Gently toss to coat the greens and oranges evenly. Add more dressing as needed, but avoid over-dressing.
  5. Serve immediately: Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese, if using, over the top before serving. This is a great potluck salad idea.

Notes

  • To make this a creamy orange salad, you can substitute half of the olive oil in the dressing with plain Greek yogurt.
  • For a holiday salad side dish, add sliced red onion or poppy seeds to the dressing mixture.
  • If you prefer a fluff salad variation, skip the greens and use Cool Whip, cottage cheese, and gelatin instead of the vinaigrette ingredients.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://fooddexterity.com/mandarin-orange-salad-recipe/