Orange Salad with Pomegranate and Mint

This orange salad recipe may look fancy and full of color. But you can throw it together quickly for a special dinner, or add it to your holiday table in minutes. 

So many variations of orange salad exist in Mediterranean cuisine. I’ve shared versions with everything from fresh fennel to roasted beets. This recipe is the closest to one you would see in North Africa. Think places like Morocco, Tunisia, and my home country, Egypt. 

I add a generous handful of fresh mint, and a few slices of red onions or shallots to add a savory element. A sprinkle of warming paprika and cinnamon, plus and a bright lime dressing with a touch of honey and orange blossom water (totally optional), give this salad a complex flavor that is both super refreshing and more delicious!

Everyone likes fruit salad, but this orange salad is unique. I love that I can arrange it on a bright platter, so it’s more of a “composed salad.” It’s an easy and sophisticated way to serve a fruit salad that isn’t just “fruit tossed in a bowl.”

Ingredients and Substitutions 

Here’s what you need to make this orange salad recipe, along with some easy swaps:

• Red onion: Adds an important savory element. Shallot is the best substitute in this recipe. 
• Mint: Substitute parsley.
• Navel oranges: Cara Cara or Valencia also work well. 
• Seasoning: Sweet paprika and cinnamon add layers of warming, unexpected flavor that will surprise and delight you (trust me!). Kosher salt perks everything up.
• Pomegranate seeds: Use the ready-made tubs, or follow my guide to cutting pomegranate. 
• Lime: Substitute lemon. 
• Extra virgin olive oil: I love a robust and peppery oil with this recipe, like our Spanish Hojiblanca. 
• Honey: The delicate savory notes of wild herbs in our Greek honey are absolutely incredible, but just be sure to use a high quality honey. 
• Orange blossom water: While optional, this is what makes this recipe so special. Made by distilling the vapor of orange blossoms, it adds an delicate aromatic quality.

How to Make This Orange Salad Recipe

Composed salads are carefully arranged rather than tossed, creating a beautiful presentation while ensuring every bite has just the right balance of flavors. Here’s how: 

• Soften the onion. Thinly slice 1/2 of a small red onion and place in a bowl of ice water. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, then remove the onions from the water and dry them completely.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the juice of 1 lime, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 1/2 teaspoons orange blossom water. Set aside.
• Prepare 6 Navel oranges. Trim the top and bottom off each orange. Stand the orange on a flat end and use a sharp knife to slice off the peel from top to bottom, keeping as much of the flesh intact as possible. Lay the orange on its side and slice into rounds.
• Seed 1 pomegranate and chop about 25 mint leaves. Follow my guide to cutting pomegranate, or simply use 1 to 1 1/4 cups of already prepared seeds.
• Prepare a serving platter. Sprinkle half of the mint leaves on the platter, then arrange the orange slices and onions on top. Sprinkle everything with a pinch of salt, sweet paprika, and cinnamon. Now spread the pomegranate seeds on top.
• Dress and serve. Drizzle or spoon the dressing over the orange pomegranate salad (you can add as little or as much as you want of the dressing). Finally, top the salad with the remaining fresh mint leaves. Set aside for 5 minutes or so before serving.

What Else to Do with Orange Blossom Water?

Looking for more ways to use this incredible Mediterranean flavor-maker? Here are 3 recipes: 

• St. Germain Cocktail with Gin
• Maamoul (Date Filled Cookies)
• Fruit Salad with Citrus Honey Dressing

What to Serve with Orange Salad 

Keep the theme going and kick off the night with an orange pomegranate holiday punch! From there, fresh citrus is a great way to cut through the richness of heavier meat dishes. Here are a few mains that would be the perfect pairing: 

• Kleftiko (Greek Lamb in Parchment)
• Dry Brined Thanksgiving Turkey
• Roasted Pork Tenderloin

More Orange Salad Recipes

Salads

Beet Salad with Orange, Arugula, and Feta

Salads

Fresh Fennel Orange Salad

Salads

Citrus Salad with Honey and Vanilla

Salads

Endive Salad with Rosemary Croutons and Citrus

Browse all Mediterranean recipes. 

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*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.