Berry Tossed Salad with Mandarin Oranges

Learn how to make berry tossed salad with mandarin oranges the easy way from a picky salad eater. I admit, I am not much of a tossed salad person. There are a few salads I like, such as seafood salad, and chicken, bacon avocado, corn salad. I usually like warm food, and sometimes salads make me feel chilly. There are occasions when it is good to feel refreshed by a cool salad, and that’s why I am a fan of this berry mandarin tossed salad recipe. I devour it, especially on a hot summer day. It’s ideal for family picnics, potlucks, and other large warm weather gatherings because there is no mayonnaise. Check it out and see what you think.

The Recipe Backstory

My dear late sister-in-law introduced me to this salad years ago. She also made a few substitutions when she didn’t have an ingredient on hand. She kindly shared the substitutions with me as well. I remember her when I make this. It pairs well with many main dishes. We most recently had it at a family barbeque. Here are the tasty ingredients and directions.

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Ingredients for Berry Tossed Salad with Mandarin Oranges 

8 cups torn mixed salad greens

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1  11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained

1 medium sweet onion, sliced and separated into rings

1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Dressing Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 and 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard (I like to use Coleman’s, which comes in a yellow tin)

1/2 teaspoon grated onion

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Dash of salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions for Berry Tossed Salad with Mandarin Oranges 

Toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat. Remember to stir to avoid scorching. When almonds start to brown, remove from heat.

In a salad bowl, combine the greens, strawberries, oranges, onions, almonds, and bacon. Set aside.

In a 2 cup microwave-safe bowl, combine the sugar, cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice, paprika, ground mustard, grated onion, celery seed, and salt.

Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1 and 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in vegetable oil.

Drizzle the tossed salad with the dressing. Toss gently. Makes 12-14 servings.

Possible Substitutions

My sister-in-law shared a few substitutions with me. Here are the changes she would make if needed. If she was short on time, some of these tricks helped save her a few minutes. A few of these substitutions were made because she didn’t have the exact ingredient in the pantry. Here are her favorite tips:

• Sometimes, she would use regular mustard instead of the ground mustard.
• If she didn’t have time to grate fresh onion into the salad dressing, she used dried, chopped onions (minced, dried onions would also work well)
• She did not always toast the almonds. She would just put the raw almonds in the salad. No one minded.
• Sometimes she used bacon bits instead of read bacon. (Bacon Crumbles from Costco would be perfect.)

What Goes Well with Berry Tossed Salad:

Try serving this tossed salad with mandarin oranges alongside lasagna. This berry tossed salad also goes well with soups, like easy French onion soup with sausage. Finally, for the dessert course, consider serving light, refreshing pea-pickin’ cake.

Are You Now Craving Delicious Berry Mandarin Salad?

I’m going to make it this week. The sweet, crunchy coolness is calling my name. If you decide to try this recipe, I’d love to know what you like to serve it with. Did you take it to a large gathering and receive rave reviews? If you like what you’ve read today, please consider subscribing and becoming part of the Fluxing Well tribe. You will receive fresh ideas every week, plus access to a library of free printable resources, including a free cookbook filled with the best easy recipes from the Fluxing Well website.

 

If you would like even more recipe ideas, consider following my Easy Recipes board on Pinterest. Have a fabulous day, and enjoy experiencing berry mandarin tossed salad.

Lisa Mitchell is a wife, mom, and school librarian who likes to create and share recipes, often using fresh ingredients from her family’s small Pacific Northwest farm. For more delicious, easy recipes, click on over to the Food page.

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