Mandarin Orange Salad - 3 Ingredients

This mandarin orange salad is perfect for those days when you're short on time but still craving something fresh and delicious. This delightful salad is a perfect example of how simple ingredients can come together to create a stunning and flavorful dish. It's perfect as a light lunch or a refreshing side.

This is the salad I frequently made for my kids many years ago (they are adults now). It has flavors kids love! And who doesn't love the little mandarin oranges? It is also brightly colored, which helped ensure the salad bowl was quickly emptied when friends and family came over. Other simple salads that are family friendly include this Watermelon and Feta Salad and this Easy Orzo Pasta Salad.

Why I love this salad

Tried and True Recipe: This is an older recipe that a friend shared with me about 12 years ago.  It's one of those back-pocket recipes that you can whip up in 5 minutes. You can also substitute fresh fruit.

Light & Refreshing: The combination of crisp lettuce and juicy mandarin oranges creates a light and refreshing salad that's perfect for a warm day or a delightful side dish.

Bursting with Flavor: The sweet and tangy mandarin oranges pair beautifully with the creamy poppyseed dressing, offering a flavor explosion in every bite.

Super Simple & Fast: Short on time or ingredients? No problem! This 3-Ingredient Mandarin Orange Salad comes together in minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

Kids LOVE it!

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need:

• Iceberg lettuce, chopped. I like the milder flavor of iceberg lettuce in this salad (and so do the kids). However, it's a versatile salad, so use your favorite greens or even what you already have at home.
• Mandarin oranges, segmented (canned). My pantry always has a can of these so I can whip up this quick and delicious salad.
• Poppyseed dressing (store-bought). Poppyseed dressing is also always in either my fridge or my pantry.
• Optional: Sliced almonds for a delightful crunch.
• Dried Cranberries are also pretty and go well with this salad if you are looking to make it a little fancier and have them on hand. I have tried this salad with the cranberries, and it's delicious. But I don't add them when I make it because I'm trying to keep it very simple for my kids or young guests.
  

Instructions

This is truly a simple salad! Take two minutes to assemble just prior to serving.

Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce and enough poppyseed dressing to lightly coat the lettuce.

Step 2
Reserve about a dozen of the mandarine oranges so you can place on top of the salad so it looks pretty.
Gently stir the rest of the oranges into the salad. Don't worry about coating them with the dressing. The dressing is there purely to make the lettuce taste good!

Step 3
Optional - Sprinkle slivered almonds on the salad as a garnish. When I am making this salad mainly for kids, I either leave the almonds off. Sometimes I'll leave a small bowl of almonds out so guests can choose to add the almonds if they wish.

Helpful Hint

Add an easy protein to make this a well rounded meal. Try this Chicken (with a quick 3-ingredient marinade) or serve some grilled shrimp.

Storage

I would not prepare this ahead or make plans to save it. The lettuce gets limp, and it is a little soggy the next day. With this being such an easy salad to prepare, make it just prior to serving.
If you do have leftovers and want to try refrigerating for the next day, make sure it's in a closed container or use plastic wrap on the top of the bowl.

Other Easy Salad Recipes or Vegetable Sides

Recipe Printable

**Originally Published July 4, 2016.