Mandarin Sesame Crunch Salad (Printable)
Crisp greens, mandarin oranges, and crunchy noodles tossed in a savory-sweet sesame dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, napa cabbage, or spinach)
02 - 1 cup shredded carrots
03 - 1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup mandarin orange segments (drained if canned)
06 - 1/2 cup shelled edamame
07 - 1/2 cup crunchy chow mein noodles
08 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
→ Sesame Dressing
09 - 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
10 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
14 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the mixed greens, shredded carrots, red bell pepper, green onions, mandarin orange segments, and edamame until evenly distributed.
02 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, fresh lime juice, grated ginger, minced garlic, and toasted sesame seeds until the dressing is fully emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
03 - Pour the sesame dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Sprinkle the crunchy chow mein noodles and toasted sliced almonds over the top just before serving to maintain maximum crunch.
05 - Serve right away, garnished with additional sesame seeds if desired. Pairs well with a dry Riesling or green tea.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in a jar with nothing more than a vigorous shake and tastes like something from a restaurant that charges fourteen dollars for a side salad.
- Every single bite delivers a different ratio of sweet mandarin, sharp ginger, and crunch so you never get bored.
- It scales effortlessly from a lone lunch to a potluck crowd pleaser without changing a thing.
02 -
- Add the noodles and almonds at the very last second or they will go soggy and the salad will lose the entire reason people ask for seconds.
- Canned mandarins must be drained on paper towels for at least five minutes because excess syrup waters down the dressing and makes the greens heavy.
03 -
- Toasting sesame seeds in a dry pan until they start to pop takes about two minutes and doubles their flavor compared to the raw ones straight from the bag.
- Doubling the dressing recipe takes zero extra effort and guarantees you have a ready made sauce for grain bowls or roasted vegetables all week long.