Simple Citrus Salad – fresh and healthy

This Citrus Salad is a fresh and beautiful easy salad you can make in 15 minutes! It is made with a few simple ingredients, is packed with Vitamin C, and is topped with a delicious homemade citrus salad dressing. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free!

This Citrus Salad is flavorful, bold, and fun to make. It is a show-stopper whenever I serve it! Everyone loves this salad because it is just so beautiful and colorful. You only need a few ingredients to make it and the homemade citrus dressing is everything.

The citrus in this amazing salad really makes it unique, colorful, and packed with nutrition. I used a combination of navel and blood oranges but you could also add grapefruit as well.

I am so excited for you to try this citrus salad that goes so great with chicken or seafood, like salmon for a fun, light weekday or weekend meal.

Why you’ll love this Citrus Salad

• Healthy – loaded with fiber and Vitamin C!
• Easy – you can make it in about 15 minutes.
• Delicious – packed with so much tangy, fresh citrus flavor mixed with a sweet vibrant citrus dressing.
• Perfect winter salad – citrus is in season in the winter, which makes this a great salad you can make all season long.
• Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free – a salad recipe everyone can enjoy.

Citrus Salad Ingredients

• Citrus – I used a mix of the navel, and blood oranges but any oranges will work. You can also add in some grapefruit.
• Arugula – fresh arugula since this is the base of the salad.
• Avocado – fresh, sliced avocado adds a nice healthy fat to this salad that pairs so well with the tangy, sweet taste of the oranges and the dressing.
• Pistachios – for that nice nutty, salty crunch.
• Pomegranate seeds – to add a nice vibrant color and texture to this salad.
• Citrus Dressing – orange juice, vinegar (like white balsamic, or champagne vinegar, You could also use freshly squeezed lemon juice), olive oil, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
• Fresh mint – for garnish

How to peel and cut citrus for salad

The process of peeling and cutting citrus for salad is called a “SUPREME”. What a supreme means is that after you peel the citrus fruits, you use a paring knife to cut them into smaller sections by cutting through the white fibers of the fruit. The white fibers are the more undesirable, bitter sections of the fruit. By cutting them out, you are left with the most delicious and nutritious parts of the citrus.

In this citrus salad recipe, I made it a little easier by simply peeling the citrus, and then I used a paring knife to slice through it to make even slices. As shown below. You can either supreme the fruit or cut it as I did. It is up to you!

How to make a citrus salad

1. Cut the citrus – this is very easy to do. Use a paring knife to slice the ends off of each orange to give it a base. Then carefully slice around each one to cut the skin off until you reach the colorful flesh of the orange. Finally, slice through the oranges so you have nice even slices.
2. Mix up the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well to combine.
3. Assemble the salad. Spread the greens into the bottom of a platter or large salad bowl and layer on the segmented oranges, sliced avocado, nuts, and pomegranate seeds.
4. Dress, garnish, and serve. Pour the dressing over the salad, lightly toss, and top with mint leaves.

Pro tip! You can slice and cut the citrus a day in advance and store the sliced oranges in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Substitutions and Variations

This citrus avocado salad is great as is but here are a few ways to change it up based on your tastes and what you may have on hand.

• Use a mix of greens. I used fresh arugula but you could also use mixed greens or even watercress in this citrus salad.
• Select different citrus – navel, and blood oranges worked great since they are in season but you can use any type of oranges you like or even grapefruit.
• Add some cheese – this salad is really delicious as is but you could also add some shaved pecorino or parmesan cheese as an extra topping.
• Use different nuts – I really like pistachios in this salad but pecans or slivered almonds would also work great!

Tips for making the best avocado citrus salad

• Slice the fruit into nice thin slices. This salad is best if you peel and slice the fruit into nice thin slices that can easily be layered in the salad.
• Layer. Assembling this citrus salad in layers really ensures that you get a nice bold taste of flavor in each and every bite. Plus it is so pretty!
• Don’t skimp on the toppings. The toppings on this salad really take it to the next level and bring out the incredibly vibrant, sweet, and tart flavors. Plus, aren’t salads really all about the toppings?
• Serve it cold. This salad is best if eaten cold since the greens are crisp and delicious when they are straight out of the refrigerator. You can chill it for up to 30 minutes before serving, just make sure to add the avocado, dressing, and mint right before you are ready to serve it.
• Make it ahead. Slice up the fruit and make the dressing then store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, then assemble and dress the salad when you are ready to serve it.

Storing Suggestions

This citrus salad is best if eaten right away after you dress it. If you plan on making it ahead then you can prepare the citrus and mix up the dressing then store them in airtight containers separately in the fridge. Then assemble, dress, and serve the salad when you are ready to enjoy it.

Ways to serve this citrus salad

• Pair it with a main dish like this Healthy Turkey Burger , Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan , or this Chickpea Flour Pizza.
• Serve this citrus salad with some yummy side dishes like this Sweet and Spicy Baked Cauliflower, Air Fryer Zucchini Fries, or falafel.
• Serve it with some extra protein like this Crispy Baked Chicken Breast or these Air Fryer Salmon Patties.

More citrus recipes

• Grapefruit Margarita mocktail
• Cilantro Lime Dressing
• Kale Salad Dressing

Did you try this citrus salad recipe? If you did then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!

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