Cranberry Mandarin Orange Salad | Joyful Healthy Eats

Why This Mandarin Orange Salad Is Our Holiday Tradition

I’m pretty sure that I was addicted to this salad growing up and may have had my fair share of fork wars with family members to get that last bite. You will understand what I’m talking about when you try it.  

• The perfect balance of flavors. I love how the sweet, acidic mandarin oranges play off of the sweet-tart cranberries and tangy dressing. (Also, you’ve gotta try this creamy Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad, which has similar vibes.)
• Amazing textures. You’ve got crisp greens, chewy cranberries, tender mandarin oranges, crunchy pecans, and creamy goat cheese.
• Easy to make. This is not a salad that requires a ton of prep and chopping, which makes it great for holidays when you want to add some easy sides to the menu to balance the more labor-intensive dishes.

What You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make this mandarin orange salad. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Dressing:

• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• Honey – You could use maple syrup instead if you’d like for a slightly different flavor.
• Dried herbs – A combination of thyme and rosemary adds herbal notes to the dressing.
• Salt & pepper – I like to use freshly cracked black pepper, which has more flavor.

Mandarin Orange Salad:

• Spring mix – You can use another variety of greens if you’d like (kale would work well!), but we always go for spring mix, which has a nice blend of colors and textures.
• Mandarin oranges – The kind that comes in a can! 
• Candied pecans – Candied walnuts or almonds would also work, or use toasted pepitas or sunflower seeds for a nut-free option.
• Dried cranberries – Because the mandarins are plenty sweet, I like to use low-sugar dried cranberries.
• Green onion
• Goat cheese – If you’re not a fan, feta or shaved Parmesan can be substituted. 

How to Make Cranberry Mandarin Orange Salad

Since this salad requires minimal veggie prep, it comes together in a snap! Here’s what you’ll need to do.

• Make the dressing. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until it emulsifies. (You can also add the ingredients to a jar, seal, and shake until emulsified.)
• Assemble. Add all of the salad ingredients to a large serving bowl.
• Serve. I like to serve the dressing on the side so everyone can add their desired amount and the greens remain crisp, or you can toss the salad and dressing together before serving.

Variations

There are so many ways to make this mandarin orange salad your own! Here are a few ways to switch things up.

• Make it spicy. This is actually my family’s favorite way to make this salad! Add a few dashes of Tabasco to the dressing for some heat, which pairs so well with the sweet cranberries and mandarins.
• Use fresh citrus. You can use fresh mandarin oranges, satsumas, or clementines. 
• Swap the green onions for red onion. Thinly sliced shallots would also work. Either of these options will give you a stronger onion flavor.
• Turn it into a meal bowl. Add cooked quinoa, farro, wheat berries, or wild rice to turn this salad into a heartier vegetarian main dish. 

How to Store Leftovers

Store the salad and dressing in separate containers in the refrigerator. The salad will last for 2 to 3 days (depending on the freshness of the greens) and the dressing will last for up to 2 weeks.

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