Dining In - Mandarin Peanut-Crunch Salad with Crispy Wontons

Mandarin Peanut-Crunch Salad with Crispy Wontons - Chloe's Kitchen

And the salad binging continues! This delicious, sweet, tangy salad from Chloe's Kitchen is another great pick for the summer. I've ordered this type of salad many times in restaurants so it was fun to recreate it at home. I've never used wonton wrappers before, and I must say the vegan version was pretty difficult to find! I discovered an Asian market near me and wandered the aisles until I found them and read the ingredients label to make sure they were egg-free. I also couldn't find red cabbage at Trader Joe's so I had to venture to an actual grocery store (gasp!) to get it. The salad itself was quick to prepare, once all the ingredients were hunted and gathered. I like sweet things so I'm a fan of salads that incorporate fruit. This was a win in my book! But those wontons sure are hard to eat with a fork. You can find this recipe and others in Chloe's Kitchen (buy your copy here).

Dressing
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
1 1/4 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce

Crispy Wontons
Egg-free wonton wrappers (I found these at a local Asian market)
Canola oil

Salad
4 oz. mixed greens or romaine
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1 scallion, trimmed and sliced
11 oz. can Mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts


To Prepare Dressing:

In a blender combine all ingredients and blend together until well combined.

Frying the Wontons

To Prepare Crispy Wontons:

Using a sharp knife slice wonton wrappers into thin, 1/4 inch strips.

Heat oil, enough to cover the bottom, about 1/4 inch, in a medium-sized skillet on medium heat.

Carefully place wonton strips into hot oil. Gently stir while cooking wontons, they will get crispy in less than a minute. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and place on paper towels on a plate.


To Prepare Salad:

Toss mixed greens, red cabbage, carrots, scallion, Mandarin oranges, peanuts, and your desired amount of dressing together. Top with Crispy Wontons and serve.