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Mandarin Orange Salad with mandarins, apples and blackberries in a white bowl
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Mandarin Orange Salad

This Mandarin Orange Salad looks like a total showstopper with its layers of bright, tangy, fresh flavors and crunchy, creamy, juicy textures but is quick and easy to throw together AKA the perfect side!  It’s loaded with sweet, juicy Mandarin oranges, crisp apples, plump blackberries, punchy red onions, salty toasted sunflower seeds, creamy, tangy goat cheese and sweet tart pomegranate seeds all drizzled with sweet, bright and tangy Pomegranate Orange Vinaigrette.  This Mandarin Orange Salad is a stunning addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast and is easy to assemble ahead of time!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 -10 servings

Ingredients

SALAD

  • 10 oz. spring salad mix
  • 8 clementine oranges, peeled, segmented
  • 1 sweet apple, sliced or chopped
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
  • 1/2 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds or pepitas
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1 recipe caramelized pecans (may sub slivered or sliced almonds)

ORANGE POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE

  • 1/4 cup pomegranate juice (100% juice)
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • zest from 1 large orange (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup, more or less to taste
  • 1 garlic clove finely minced or ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp EACH salt, pepper
  • 1/4 tsp EACH ground ginger, allspice
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

ORANGE POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE

  • Combine all of the Vinaigrette ingredients in a bowls or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Either whisk or shake vigorously until combined. Add additional maple syrup/sugar for sweeter, vinegar for tangier. Store in the fridge until ready to serve (up to 5 days). Shake/whisk before serving.

ASSEMBLE SALAD

  • When ready to serve, toss all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. If serving right away and you don’t expect leftovers then you can drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss to combine. If you expect leftovers, serve dressing on the side.

Video

Notes

TIPS FOR mandarin orange SALAD

  • Make your own pomegranate juice:  you can make your own pomegranate juice by smashing pomegranate arils and straining the juice through a fine mesh sieve. Depending on the ripeness of the pomegranate, your homemade juice may be less sweet/tangier, so don't hesitate to adjust the dressing as needed.
  • Recipe variations:  add protein veggies, swap cheese for feta or Gorgonzola, swap almonds for pecans, walnuts, cashews or macadamia nuts, add roasted butternut squash (refer to this Fall Salad recipe for instructions), add jarred pickled beets or roast your own (see this Beet Salad recipe for instructions).  

How to assemble ahead 

If you need to bring the salad to a gathering, then layer the ingredients in this order so it doesn't get soggy, then toss when ready to serve: pomegranate arils, blackberries, mandarins, apples, red onions, salad mix, seeds, nuts, goat cheese.

How to prep ahead

  • Mandarins:  peel and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Apples: can be peeled, chopped/sliced up to 24 hours ahead of time and soaked in a mixture of apple juice with a couple tablespoons lemon juice or pomegranate juice with a couple tablespoons lemon juice.
  • Red onions:  chop the red onions up to 24 hours ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  
  • Dressing:   can be made up to 5 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I actually recommend making the dressing ahead of time because it allows time for the flavors to build and meld. Dressing also tastes 1000X better chilled.