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Orange Salad – Easy Fruit Salad Recipe

Fresh Orange Salad is like a burst of sunshine. Sweet oranges drizzled with an amazing poppyseed dressing recipe makes the BEST fruit salad any time.

Top-down shot of two plates of fresh orange slices drizzled in a poppyseed vinaigrette and garnished with feta, sliced green onions, feta, and chopped walnuts.

This Orange Salad recipe is a delicious fruit salad that can be made any time of year. This salad has a bright burst of sweet citrus flavor with a poppyseed dressing that makes it just as beautiful as nature intended.

Oranges are one of those fruits that just saying the name has you tasting that sweet citrus flavor.

Fortunately, oranges are also a fruit that we have access to all year long. Here in Nebraska, our produce is generally just a memory by October so we rely on produce that we can get shipped in.

Another fortunate thing about oranges is that they have a great shelf life.

White dish filled with sliced oranges drizzled with a poppyseed vinaigrette and garnished with feta, walnuts, and sliced green onions.

How long do fresh oranges last?

Fresh oranges stay fresh 2 to 3 weeks on the counter and up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

Oranges need to be used quickly once they start to go soft. Once they develop a white mold or start to discolor, they are spoiled and shouldn’t be used.

I eat fresh fruit every day. John will eat it if it’s peeled and placed right in front of him.

When I set out to make this Fresh Fruit Salad I thought about sectioning the fruit to make it easier to eat. After that first orange, that idea flew out the window.

Also, I didn’t want a lot of “pith” (the white lining of the orange peel) in my fruit salad and I didn’t want to spend days removing it.

The easiest way to cut up an orange.

3-photo collage of oranges sliced and diced for a salad sitting on white plates.
  1. Slice the top and bottom off of the orange until you see the fruit and not just the white pith.
  2. Using a paring knife, cut down the sides of the orange between the fruit and the pith.
  3. Cut the fruit into slices. Remove any remaining pith.

Fruit Salad ideas

We’re showing you two ways to cut up your oranges. If you slice your oranges into that pretty little star shape, it will hold your vinaigrette like a champ and it’s also striking on these cute little plates.

If you choose to section your orange as pictured in the center photo above, you can add additional bite-sized fruit. Blueberries, grapes, or other seasonal fruit makes a great contrast of color and flavor.

Top-down shot of two plates of fresh orange slices drizzled in a poppyseed vinaigrette and garnished with feta, sliced green onions, feta, and chopped walnuts.

Use several varieties of oranges. This salad would be beautiful if contrasted with blood oranges. Don’t you think? You could also use Clementines or tangerines.

You can read up on choosing the best orange for your recipe here.

We used chopped walnuts in our garnish. The nutty flavor goes so well with the sweet fruit.

Chopped pistachios or cashews would be so pretty and a delicious alternative.

Garnish with a sprig of mint for a beautiful pop of color.

The glory of this Orange Salad is that you can use what is available to you any time of year.

Ingredients to make the Honey Poppyseed Dressing recipe

We made a simple honey poppyseed dressing that we used to infuse our orange slices. We included fresh scallions in this recipe so there was a nice contrasting savory element.

3 photo collage to make fresh orange salad. 1 is the vinaigrette 2 fresh sliced oranges drizzled with vinaigrette and 3rd finished salad.
  • Fresh orange juice – Purchased or freshly squeezed.
  • Oil – Neutral oil such as vegetable, walnut, grapeseed, or canola.
  • Dijon mustard – This acts as an emulsifier and will help blend your ingredients together. We like the soft flavor of Dijon.
  • Honey – Adds another sweet element to this fruit dressing and also added in emulsifying our ingredients together.
  • Green onions – Cuts the sweetness with a mild savory flavor. You could use a shallot or red onion too.
  • Poppyseeds – Adds flavor and a delicious flavor to our vinaigrette. You could use black sesame seeds too.
  • Salt – Contributes to the flavor.

Note: You can pre-plate your salad prior to serving. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

We recommend adding the dressing just prior to serving. Dressing the oranges too far in advance will change the texture and flavor of the oranges.

If you like this salad recipe, here are a few more you may enjoy

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

White plate with sliced oranges drizzled with a poppyseed vinaigrette and garnished with feta, walnuts, and sliced green onions.

Orange Salad – Easy Fruit Salad Recipe

Author: Julie Menghini
Fresh Orange Salad is like a burst of sunshine. Sweet oranges drizzled with an amazing poppyseed dressing recipe makes the BEST fruit salad any time of year.
4.64 from 11 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course American
Cuisine Salad
Keyword: Fresh Fruit Salad, fruit salad, Orange Salad
Servings: 6

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 Oranges
  • ¼ Feta crumbled
  • 1/4 cup Walnuts Chopped

Poppyseed Vinaigrette

  • cup orange juice fresh-squeezed or 100% juice not from concentrate
  • ½ cup canola oil any neutral-flavored oil can be used.
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 Green Onions thinly sliced, green and white parts
  • ½ tsp poppyseeds
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Remove the peel and pith of the oranges. Cut each orange into slices or sections. Set aside.

Poppyseed Vinaigrette

  • Combine the vinaigrette ingredients and shake in a caraffe or whisk in a bowl.

Assemble

  • Place oranges on a serving plate. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Garnish with Feta and walnuts.

Notes

Note: You can pre-plate your salad prior to serving. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
We recommend dressing the orange salad just prior to serving. Dressing the oranges too much in advance will change the texture and flavor of the oranges.
*The nutritional information isn’t accurate since not all of the vinaigrette is used on 3 oranges. It actually goes further so would be less.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 108mgPotassium: 186mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 215IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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White dish over a blue checked napkin holding fresh orange slices drizzled in a poppyseed vinaigrette and garnished with feta, sliced green onions, feta, and chopped walnuts.
4.64 from 11 votes (5 ratings without comment)
Recipe Rating




Dee

Saturday 20th of July 2024

Yum! I am going to use this on top of baby spinach, then top with fresh lump crab meat for a full meal!

Julie Menghini

Sunday 21st of July 2024

Oh Dee, that sounds so good! So fresh and delicious! Thank you for sharing.

Joan

Wednesday 12th of May 2021

This is such a wonderful vinaigrette orange salad. We loved it. I will definitely make this again and will use this dressing recipe for green salads or other salads. No doubt, you too will like this salad.

Julie Menghini

Thursday 13th of May 2021

Thank you Joan! You're correct that we love this dressing and use it on green salads too.

JOSIE ANN Kenkel

Wednesday 28th of October 2020

I was immediately drawn to the sheer gorgeousness of this salad when I saw it on facebook, but the taste of it sealed the deal!! My NEW FAVORITE recipe of yours! Thanks so much! Keep em coming!

Julie Menghini

Wednesday 28th of October 2020

We love this one too! Thank you, Josie!

Deb Clark

Sunday 25th of October 2020

We LOVE this salad. I make a an orange salad, but I thought I'd try yours to mix it up. LOVE the combination of flavors, this is just delicious!!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 27th of October 2020

Thank you, Deb! So glad you enjoyed it.

Jennifer Stewart

Sunday 25th of October 2020

Such a simple salad but with so many flavors and textures! And I definitely need more vitamin c to fight off some colds this winter!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 27th of October 2020

Perfect for the cold weather! Thanks, Jennifer!

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