Easy Mandarin Salad Recipe

You will love the flavors in this Easy Mandarin Salad recipe! This Asian-inspired vinaigrette is bursting with flavors of ginger and soy sauce creating the perfect salty-sweet combination to top your crispy salad. It’s great for a healthy lunch or dinner.

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I remember several years ago I would go through the drive-thru and order a mandarin chicken salad all the time. Back then I thought it was a healthy choice, and it probably was a little healthier than a lot of the foods I used to eat. Now, I know that it was full of 25 grams of fat, 1260 mg of sodium (almost the recommended daily amount), and 31 grams of sugar or if you aren’t into metrics – nearly 8 teaspoons of sugar!

It’s easy to think that ordering a salad is the healthiest choice and sometimes it is, but more often than not, the add-ons will get you in trouble. The salad dressing is almost always unhealthy and full of chemicals to keep it fresh and emulsified. Cheese and croutons will pack on fat and calories without offering much nutrition.

I do believe that even though fast food salads are packed with hidden fat, sodium, and chemicals, they can be a better choice than burgers or chicken sandwiches.  At the very least you are getting a little bit of nutrition with the addition of vegetables, but you have to be wise and leave off those extras that pack on calories.

My perfect lunch (or dinner) looks something like today’s Easy Mandarin Salad.  And bonus points – this Asian-inspired salad is SO simple. Everyone will think you went through a lot of trouble, but who has time for that?!  I’ve got enough going on just trying to run a business and feed my husband to bother with anything more than quick salad recipes.  (And I’m guessing you are the same!)

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many carbs are in a mandarin salad?

This Easy Mandarin Salad has 17 grams of carbohydrates for a 2.5 cup serving. If you are watching your carbohydrate intake you can easily reduce the amount of mandarin orange slices and eliminate some carbs. You might wonder how many carbs are in a mandarin orange. A small mandarin orange has about 7 net carbs.

How many calories are in a mandarin salad?

This healthy salad has 187 calories for a 2.5 cup serving. You can add tempeh or marinated tofu to boost the protein and calories if you want a more substantial meal.

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What to do with lots of mandarins?

If you find yourself with an abundance of mandarin oranges you can add them to smoothies, stir-fries, and salads like this one. You can also use the juice as a base for salad dressings.

Can you freeze mandarins?

Yes. You can freeze mandarins for up to 10 months, However, if you are freezing canned mandarins you will find the texture will change due to the high water content.

You are probably wondering how to freeze mandarins… it’s easy. Simply drain (if using canned) or peel and separate (if using fresh) and allow the segments to air dry.

Then you will want to flash freeze. So, get a baking sheet, cover it with parchment paper, and lay the segments onto it. Freeze it for 2 hours.

Once the segments are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Store in the freezer for 2 months if using canned mandarins or up to 10 months if using fresh.

Can you store leftover salad?

Yes. However, in order to keep the salad from becoming soggy do not add the dressing, almonds, or mandarin oranges until serving.

Here are great tips for keeping a salad fresh all week long.

Recommended tools to make this Easy Mandarin Salad Recipe:

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualified sales at no expense to you. The tools I recommend are ones that I use and are typically made in the USA.

Salad Spinner

Salad Bowl

Tongs

Knife

Whipper Whisk

Cutting Board

How to make a mandarin salad:

#1 Prep and measure your ingredients

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#2 Make salad dressing – Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set them aside.

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#3 Combine the salad ingredients

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#4 Drizzle salad dressing and toss

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Variations for this recipe:

+ Add marinated tofu, tempeh, edamame, or soy curls for a protein boost

+ Add chickpeas for a non-soy protein boost

+ Add your favorite vegetables like bell peppers or snap peas

+ Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce if you are eliminating soy

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EAT TO LOSE!

If you like this recipe remember to leave a 5-star rating and let me know how it went in the below comments, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see all my delicious recipes.

Easy Mandarin Salad Recipe

It’s fresh,

crunchy

tangy

salty and sweet

and just plain – delicious!

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Print Pin

5 from 12 votes

Yum

Easy Mandarin Salad

Course Main Course, Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 187kcal

Author Cindy Newland with Intentionally Eat

Ingredients

• 6 cups romaine
• 2 cups kale or other salad greens
• 1 can mandarin oranges or 1 fresh mandarin orange drained, reserve liquid
• 1/2 cup snow peas chopped
• 2 carrots diced
• 2 green onions sliced
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup crispy noodles non-gmo

Mandarin Salad dressing

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp reserved mandarin orange juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp agave or maple syrup
• 1 tsp vegan mayo
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

• In a large bowl, toss together romaine lettuce, salad greens, mandarin oranges, snow peas, carrots, and green onions.
• In a small bowl, whisk together mandarin orange juice, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, agave, vegan mayo, ginger, and garlic. Slowly pour in olive oil while whisking until well combined.
• Pour dressing over salad and toss. Top with slivered almonds and crispy noodles.

Nutrition

Serving: 2.5cups | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g

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If you like this salad, you are going to love these recipes:

Asian Broccoli Salad [FoodFaithFitness]

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad [TheThrivingVegan]

Amazing Asian Salad

Quick & Healthy Taco Salad

Tangy Greek Chickpea Salad

Mason Jar Salads

Easy 3 Ingredient Salad – Fire & Ice Tomato Salad

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Hey, I’m Cindy! I used to be morbidly obese! I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a family history of heart disease and cancer.

Slowly, I began to steadily change my habits and nourish my body with a plant-based diet. Now, I weigh 125 lbs less, my blood pressure is 110/70, no more high cholesterol, and best of all – no medications!

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If you’re interested in how I did it and if it will work for you, check out How to Start a Plant-Based Diet.

Or if you just want to dip your toe into plant-based eating… snack smart with one of these fantastic recipes for FREE!

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Snack Smart!

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Intentionally Eat,

Cindy