Cuties Mandarin Orange Salmon

5.0 from 2 votes

This is an easy orange salmon recipe that you and your kiddos will love! It features the small mandarin oranges that everyone knows and loves paired with delicious, healthy salmon. Plus it’s ready in about 30 minutes from prep to plate! Salmon famously pairs beautifully with citrus.

But, unlike lemon or limes, Cuties have a very mild and sweet flavor which can get lost during cooking. So I usually use 4-6 mini mandarins to ensure adequate flavor development. However, this is a plus when cooking for children because it cuts the “fishy” taste of the salmon without being overpowering.

Because I’m a mother to two toddlers, we always have mini mandarin oranges aka Cuties stocked. Some weeks the girls go through three bags! Other times the little Cuties sit untouched in the fridge. I came up with this recipe when we had a bunch of mini mandarins in the fridge, but we were headed out of town that weekend and I wanted to clear out the stock.

My girls had so much fun helping me juice the oranges and place the slices on the salmon! They even pretend to make orange salmon when they’re cooking at their play kitchen and having their Cuties as a snack. Needless to say, this meal has become one of their favorites!

Ingredients Cuties Mandarin Orange Salmon

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp dried minced onions
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dill
• 4-5 small mandarin oranges (Cuties)
• 5 salmon filets – I buy 6 oz filets from the butcher at my local store. If possible I buy wild-caught salmon.

How to Make Cuties Mandarin Orange Salmon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Juice Cuties to obtain about 1/3 cup orange juice. I usually get about 2-3 tablespoons of juice from a single Cutie, so in my experience it takes 2-3 mini mandarins to obtain the correct amount of juice.

In a measuring cup or mixing bowl combine the orange juice, oil, onions, garlic powder, and salt.

Grease a baking dish and place the salmon filets skin-side down in the dish.

Pour the marinade over the filets.

Slice the remaining Cuties horizontally and place 1-2 slices on each fillet. Garnish with dill.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. The salmon is ready when it flakes easily with a fork.

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5.0 from 2 votes