Salad season doesn't end when summer fades away. This is primetime for hearty winter salads, and this superfood mandarin orange kale salad recipe with tangy citrus flavors, creamy avocado, meaty bell peppers, and buttery butternut squash will thaw your frozen heart. It's a sunny, cheerful way to fuel up during the cold winter months, and is the antidote to all the heavier flavors we're used to this time of year. It's like sunshine in a bowl!
Why You'll Love Kale and Mandarin Orange Salad
- The perfect winter salad - hearty, filling, yet studded with bright colors and flavors
- Filled with seasonal ingredients like fresh citrus, fresh kale, winter squash, and herbs
- Comes together very quickly
- Filling enough to be served as a main course or a light lunch
- Great way to eat loads of kale and veggies during the colder months
- The bright citrus vinaigrette is vibrant and refreshing
- The flavors developed overnight and taste even better the next day!
- Perfect for meal prepping all week
Helpful Tip
Don't skimp on the herbs: cilantro or mint! They have such a fresh flavor punch that is both tasty and medicinal.
Ingredients for Mandarin Orange Kale Salad
Salad Ingredients
- Mandarin oranges: Provide a burst of sweet and tangy flavor to the salad. The segments look like little jewels next to the green kale.
- Quinoa: A nutrient-rich grain that's high in protein and fiber. It serves as the salad's base and provides a satisfying, nutty texture.
- Chickpeas: A great source of plant-based protein and fiber. They add a hearty, creamy element to the salad.
- Butternut squash: Roasted to add a caramelized, savory component to the salad. Use frozen to save time! Hearty root vegetables are a great swap, like roasted carrots or sweet potatoes.
- Avocado: brings creaminess and healthy fats to the dish and adds a rich buttery texture
- Baby bell peppers: Add a vibrant color and crunchy texture.
- Mint: For a refreshing twist and minty flavor. Cilantro is a great alternative.
- Raw kale leaves: Loaded with vitamins and minerals and provides a hearty base. There are so many types you can use for this. I love Tuscan kale for its classic dark green color and texture, but you can also use the purple-tinted Red Russian kale or any other variety you prefer.
- Seasonings: Use smoked paprika to give the butternut squash a smoky, savory flavor and regular salt and black pepper for all of the components.
Mandarin orange vinaigrette ingredients:
- Fresh lime Juice: Adds a tangy, citrusy flavor to the salad and brings out flavors of other ingredients.
- Mandarin orange juice: Gives a sweet, citrusy note.
- Olive oil: Used as a dressing
For tips on making perfect quinoa, read my post about cooking quinoa. I delve deep into cooking this superfood ancient grain properly, even if you are mystified. My tips will ensure beautiful, fluffy quinoa every time.
How to Make Mandarin Orange and Lacinato Kale Salad
This citrus-heavy winter salad has two components that require you to prepare them in advance: the quinoa and the roasted butternut squash. If you're making this salad for meal prep, make these two elements the night before or the morning of, then cool and assemble later. So simple!
- Cook the quinoa. Begin by cooking the quinoa according to the package instructions. To yield two cups of cooked quinoa, cook ⅔ cup of quinoa. Once the quinoa is cooked, spread it onto a large platter or sheet pan and place it in the refrigerator to cool.
- Roasted butternut squash. While the quinoa is cooling, roast the butternut squash. Toss the butternut squash in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and smoked paprika, and roast for 20 minutes on a sheet pan, turning it halfway through. Let it cool as you prepare the other ingredients. Frozen butternut works just as well in this recipe. Prepare it the same way as fresh but avoid all that chopping!
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or container, add the juice of 1 mandarin orange, 2 juicy limes, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. If you prefer a sweeter dressing, a 1 tsp maple syrup, agave or your favorite sweetener.
- Massage the kale. In a large salad bowl, add the stemmed and chopped kale. Season with a pinch of salt and drizzle 1 tsp olive oil over the kale. Use your hands to massage the salt and olive oil through the leaves to coat evenly. This method of massaging kale produces the most tender kale. If you have tried kale in the past and found it unpalatable, you should try this. Massaged kale is a game changer.
- Prepare the salad. In a the large mixing bowl with the massaged kale, put the chilled, cooked quinoa, chickpeas, and bell peppers. Now, add the roasted butternut squash, diced avocado, chopped mint or cilantro. Pour the dressing over. Mix until all the flavors and colors are melded and mixed well.
Tips for Making the Best Kale Mandarin Salad
- Buy fresh ingredients: Use fresh, ripe ingredients for the best flavor.
- Customize It: Feel free to customize the salad by adding nuts, seeds, or your favorite veggies for an extra crunch.
- Meal prep friendly: Prepare the salad in advance and enjoy it for several days. This can save time on busy days. If you want to prep for 4 days, leave out the avocado to prevent browning, and add in when ready to serve.
- Adjust the dressing: The dressing of lime juice, fresh orange juice, and olive oil adds zing to the salad. Adjust the dressing to suit your taste. You can also add the lime or orange zest for an extra kick.
- Substitute individual ingredients: Instead of mandarins, feel free to use blood oranges or fresh navel oranges. The butternut squash can be replaced with delicata, buttercup, or whichever squash you prefer. Stay within the general category, but feel free to substitute with whichever types you have on hand or prefer.
- Load up on toppings: If you like loaded salads, feel free to add sliced red onion, pumpkin seeds or crunchy almonds, or pomegranate arils for extra flavor and texture.
Recipe Variations
- For Extra Protein Boost: For an extra protein boost, add tofu or your favorite protein source to the salad. It's a great option for those who want a heartier meal or have higher protein goals..
- Add a Mediterranean Twist: Substitute mint with fresh basil, and the salad will have a Mediterranean flavor profile. You can also add olives for a more robust taste.
- For a Spicy Kick: If you love spicy food, sprinkle some red pepper flakes or add slivered jalapeño peppers to the salad for a fiery kick.
FAQs
The best thing about mandarins, besides their bright taste and color, is how easy they are to clean. You can peel off the skin, pull off any little strands of the white pith, and then slice them without removing them from their little membrane casings. I like to slice the peeled orange horizontally into 2-3 pieces and then separate and sprinkle throughout the salad.
Kale is one of the only greens you can coat with dressing and store for later. It actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors all mingle together. All you need to do is prep the leftovers in your favorite airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Avocado will brown after slicing, so I recommend skipping that ingredient while you're prepping out your leftovers and add it fresh. You can also often toss the avocado in a little lemon juice or dressing. Whichever is easiest for you!
Other Delicious Kale Salad Recipes
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Mandarin Orange and Kale Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 2 mandarin oranges peeled and chopped
- ⅔ cups quinoa measure before cooking
- 15 oz chickpeas drained 15 ounce can
- 1 cup butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 1 avocado diced
- 3 baby bell peppers seeded and diced
- 4 tbsp mint chopped (or cilantro)
- 3 pinch Salt
- ½ bunch kale stemmed chopped
- 1 pinch black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
For the citrus vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 limes juiced
- 1 mandarin orange juiced
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to the package. When quinoa is cooked, spread it onto a large platter or sheet pan and place it in the refrigerator to cool.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roast butternut squash by tossing in 1 teaspoon olive oil, sprinkling with salt and smoked paprika, and roasting for 20 minutes on a sheet pan, turning once halfway. Let cool as you prepare the other ingredients.
- Make dressing by combing 2tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 mandarin and two limes. Add a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper to your liking.
- In a large bowl add the kale, 1 pinch of salt and 1 tsp olive oil and massage through the leaves for 2-3 minutes until tender and relaxed.
- In the large bowl with the massaged kale, put chilled cooked quinoa, chickpeas, bell peppers, roasted and cooled butternut, avocado and mint or cilantro.
- Pour dressing over the top and mix well.
- Enjoy within 3 days when covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator. The avocados will be preserved because of the lime and orange dressings.
Veronica Galarza
I made this tonight for dinner. It is delicious. My husband also commented how tasty it was. Every recipe I have made from your website has been followed by my husband saying, "This is a keeper". So happy I have left overs for lunch tomorrow. Thank for another wonderful dinner.
Sara Tercero
Veronica what a wonderful message! Thanks so much for the feedback and I am so happy you like my food!
Kerry Jones
This is a wonderful salad full of good things that shed a little sprinkle of spring on a cold winter night. Great job Sara!
Sara Tercero
Thanks so much for the rating Kerry. So glad you liked it!
Erin
I meal prepped this for my lunches at work, saving the dressing and avocado for when I was ready to eat. So delicious! It made me so happy as I was eating it, knowing I was getting so many good nutrients and fuel for my day. I loved the tip about massaging the kale with olive oil and salt first. I'll be doing this will any other kale salads I try. I did add a little honey and chili flakes to the dressing and also added more kale as my base. Thanks so much for the recipe, can't wait to try others!
Sara Tercero
Hi Erin, so happy you liked it! Massaging the kale is a total game changer! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Phil James
The result was even better than I expected. So tasty! The dressing is so simple with all that citrus I thought I would be peculiar but wow did it work with all the amazing ingredients. In your video you mention "roasted peppers" but that's not what I saw in the recipe. I ended up sautéing my peppers first and I feel that worked great. Like others have said, this is a keeper for sure! Love your videos Sara...so teasing and tempting in daring me to make your great food - love it! Thank you!
Sara Tercero
Hey Phil thanks so much for your thoughtful rating and review. I am so happy you liked it. Great job on sauteeing the peppers. I love when people jazz cook with my recipe.