This post may include affiliate links; for details, see our disclosure policy.

This refreshingly simple citrus salad features grapefruit and oranges topped with a tangy vinaigrette and fresh mint. A light and healthy side dish!

Citrus salad

Here’s a refreshingly simple recipe that’s just begging to jump on your table: citrus salad! It stars all the beautiful, vibrant citrus: tangy grapefruit, navel oranges, and sweet blood oranges. They’re drizzled with a zingy dressing, then topped with crushed pistachios and fresh mint. It’s so gorgeous that you can’t help but eat it! This healthy side dish is perfect with salmon or to offset the richness of pasta.

Citrus salad

How to make a citrus salad?

This citrus salad is a little different than what you might expect from the title: it’s got no salad greens! Green salads are what Alex and I most often use to accessorize our meals. But there are so many salads without greens: think potato salad, pasta salad, and bean salad. Here, citrus salad is a variety of citrus fruits arranged on a plate. You can use any mix of citrus fruits that you like! Here’s what we used:

  • Navel oranges
  • Blood oranges if you can find them! The mix of colors and flavors is stunning.
  • Grapefruit
  • Vinaigrette: White wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, and maple (optional if you’re limiting sugar)
Citrus salad

The garnish steps it up!

This citrus salad is more of a concept than a recipe. As we mentioned, you can use any citrus you like! Once you’ve drizzled the vinaigrette over the top, adding the garnishes really takes it up a notch. Again, it’s highly customizable. Here’s what we used:

  • Fresh mint. Mint is perfect with citrus! Not only does it look beautiful, it’s a nice color contrast. Other good herbs to pair: fresh thyme or basil.
  • Thinly sliced shallots. Shallots are like a baby red onion: they’re much milder in flavor. They look lovely thinly sliced into rings, with a light purple color.
  • Finely crushed pistachios. If you have them on hand, crushed pistachios look like bright green confetti. It’s not required, but it adds a nice touch.

How to cut off a citrus peel

The only piece of technique in this citrus salad is cutting off the orange peel. Cutting off the peel (instead of removing it by hand) removes all the tough pith and makes for a clean-looking salad. It’s actually the first step in our How to Cut an Orange method, which is also a French method called cutting it into supremes. You’ll use the same method for oranges and grapefruits here. Here’s how to cut off a citrus peel for this salad:

  • Step 1: Slice off the ends. Use a large chef’s knife to slice off both ends of the orange. Make sure you’ve cut through all of the pith and can see some of the orange flesh.
  • Step 2: Cut off the peel. Angle your knife and follow the round shape of the orange to remove the peel. Be careful not to cut too much of the orange flesh away.
Step 2: Cut off the peel

What to serve with this citrus salad!

This citrus salad is so simple and refreshing, it’s up there in our list of favorite salad recipes. It’s a vegan salad that goes well with plant-based meals, and a great winter salad for when citrus abounds. The vibe goes with almost anything you could imagine (really)! It’s got a bit of a Mediterranean-style or Italian vibe, so it pairs nicely with meals in that style. It’s a lovely side for lasagna or salmon. Here are some of our favorite ideas for pairing:

Citrus salad

Change it up: go Latin-style!

If you want to change the vibe of this citrus salad to work with Mexican or Latin-style flavors like as a side for enchiladas or tacos, here’s what to do:

  • Use chopped cilantro instead of mint.
  • Use 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion instead of shallot.
  • Use lime juice instead of white wine vinegar.

This citrus salad recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Citrus salad

Simple Citrus Salad


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

Description

This refreshingly simple citrus salad features grapefruit and oranges topped with a tangy vinaigrette and fresh mint. A light and healthy side dish!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 small grapefruit
  • 1 navel orange
  • 2 small blood oranges
  • 1 small shallot
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Fresh mint, for garnish
  • Fresh ground pepper, for garnish
  • Finely crushed pistachios (optional), for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cut off the peel of the grapefruit and oranges: slice off the ends, then angle your knife and follow the curve to remove the peels (follow Steps 1 & 2 of How to Cut an Orange). Slice the citrus into rings.
  2. Thinly slice the shallot into thin rings.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and 1 pinch kosher salt. Then gradually whisk in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until creamy.
  4. Arrange the citrus and shallots on a platter or serving plates. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Top with torn mint leaves and fresh ground pepper. If desired, top with finely crushed pistachios.
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Raw
  • Cuisine: Vegan
  • Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Citrus Salad

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you’ll want to make again and again.

Leave a Comment

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.