Mandarin Orange Salsa

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Up your salsa game with this mandarin orange salsa! It’s the perfect summer palette of sweet juicy oranges, fresh herbs, jalapeño, and a pinch of lime juice.

Mandarin orange salsa in a bowl next to chips.

Lately, my fridge has been overflowing with mandarin oranges. Yes, I’m guilty of always picking up those large bags at the market. But honestly, it’s not a bad thing because mandarin oranges work so well in a variety of recipes, like a mandarin chicken salad or mandarin smoothie, and now this vibrant mandarin orange salsa!

Salsas are the best for putting fresh, seasonal fruit to good use. And mandarin oranges make for a super juicy and sweet salsa. Just toss in some diced red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice for an irresistible summer appetizer everyone will love.

Ingredients for mandarin orange salsa on a table.

Ingredients For The Best Orange Salsa

Mandarin oranges make up a good chunk of this recipe. But, it’s the little additional ingredients that take it over the top. Here’s what you’ll need.

  • Mandarin Oranges: These little cuties are easy to peel and dice up into a salsa. But if you can’t find any, large oranges work as well.
  • Onion: I love red onion for its subtle sweetness and vibrant color.
  • Cilantro: Can’t do salsa without a fresh pop of cilantro.
  • Jalapeño: Bits of diced jalapeño balance the overall sweetness. But don’t worry, it’s not too spicy.
  • Lime Juice: A squeeze of fresh lime for a hint of tanginess.
  • Salt: Just a pinch to tie all of the sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors together!

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Mixing mandarin orange salsa in a glass bowl.

How To Make This Mandarin Orange Salsa

  • Prep the mandarin oranges. Peel and segment the oranges, then slice them into small pieces.
  • Mix everything together. Add in the onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, and sprinkle of salt. Then give everything a toss.
  • Serve it up! This is a no brainer served with tortilla chips. But keep reading for a few more ways to use this salsa!

Ways To Serve Mandarin Orange Salsa

  • As an appetizer: Serve this up with a pile of tortilla chips for the ultimate summer appetizer.
  • Topped on fish or meat: This salsa works wonders paired with grilled salmon, chicken, or even lamb chops! But baked chicken or baked salmon great as well, especially during the fall or winter.
  • Spooned over tacos: Give your tacos fresh, summertime vibes! This salsa tastes amazing with grilled fish tacos, carne asada tacos, or carnitas tacos.
  • Add to a bowl: Add some natural sweetness to a buddha bowl loaded with fresh greens, lentils, and pickled veggies.
Scooping up mandarin orange salsa with a tortilla chip.

Salsa Storage Tips

This is a great make ahead appetizer, given that you can store this in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, just add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a sprinkle of salt. It’ll be as good as new!

More Refreshing Salsa Recipes

Salsas reign supreme when it comes to crowd pleasing appetizers. So here’s a few more to keep in rotation. It’s all about variety, right?

If you make this mandarin orange salsa, let me know how it turned out! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

A bowl of mandarin orange salsa next to limes.

Mandarin Orange Salsa

5 from 11 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

Up your salsa game with this mandarin orange salsa! It's the perfect summer appetizer filled with sweet juicy oranges, fresh herbs, jalapeño, and a pinch of lime juice.

Ingredients 
 

  • 4 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
  • ¼ cup diced red onion
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno, deseeded and finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (from one lime)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions 

  • Once you've peeled and segmented the mandarin oranges, slice each segment into quarters.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the oranges, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and salt.
    Mixing mandarin orange salsa ingredients in a bowl.
  • Serve with tortilla chips or use as a topping on grilled seafood.
    A bowl of mandarin orange salsa in a white bowl next to a napkin

Nutrition

Calories: 36kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 472IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Mandarin Orange Salsa, Salsa Recipe
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

5 from 11 votes

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Recipe Rating




25 Comments

  1. the recipe looks great..
    thank you Lisa for all the delicious recipes…

    question: can i swap the red onion for the spring onion (scallions)?5 stars

  2. Delicious fresh fruit salad love the colors
    Absolutely delicious
    I really enjoy your recipes l have make your Paleo banana bread and your zucchini bread and also your chia oats
    Y really really love them
    Thanks for sharing
    God bless you5 stars

  3. This is a great salsa recipe. So fresh and a nice change from tomato-based salsas. The second time I made it, I added 2 peaches. Outstanding both ways! Love your recipes.5 stars

  4. So so good!  I made this salsa yesterday and I was so glad that I doubled the recipe!  Thank you for making me look good again 🤣5 stars

  5. Looks delicious! Would be work using a can of mandarin oranges? If so ,would rinsing them off be ok? Thanks 

    1. Fresh oranges are ideal for this recipe. But you can also use canned if you’d like. Just give them a quick rinse.

      1. Hi Ann – I bet this orange salsa tasted amazing with grilled salmon! You should try my mango salsa next with salmon :)

  6. Love this salsa!! It was citrusy, sweet and spicy, and so fresh! Perfect for serving with our taco dinner this evening!5 stars

  7. I’ve never seen a mandarin orange salsa like this before! It reminds me a bit of mango salsa, but this would obviously be more citrus-y. I bet the oranges pair GREAT with hose jalapenos too, can’t wait to try it out!5 stars

  8. This looks amazing and perfect for get togethers! My hubby and I are going to love serving this for parties! Can’t wait to try this!5 stars