A sweet and tangy dressing brings out the best in this citrus salad recipe. Fresh, healthy and colorful, fruit and greens come together for a cheerful side dish. This citrus salad with grapefruit, kiwi and orange is a great way to take advantage of winter produce for a perfect Winter salad side dish.
There’s nothing better than a fresh salad piled high with fresh vegetables and tomatoes. But when Winter sets in and there’s no fresh tomatoes to be found, this Citrus Salad will cheer you up.
Colorful with pink grapefruit, navel orange and green kiwi, this is a perfect salad to overcome the notion that salads have to be all green.
Not only does it look beautiful on the plate, It’s easy to make and you just feel good about eating it and serving it to your family.
It’s simply a great way to incorporate Winter citrus fruit into your meal plans. And especially if you’re looking for a salad with grapefruit.
Everyone I’ve ever served this to loves this gorgeous refreshing salad.
Let’s take a look at this Citrus Salad recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mixed Greens. Grab a clam shell of your favorite mixed green lettuce mix. Peppery arugula would also be a good choice here.
- 1 Orange
- 1 Grapefruit
- 2 Kiwi
For the Citrus Salad Dressing
The dressing is a cousin to this homemade Catalina Dressing Recipe. A lighter version and a perfect compliment for the fruit and the peppery greens. It’s easy to make, with just a few ingredients and a few whisks to blend.
The end result is a perfect combination of sweet and tangy.
- Olive Oil
- Cider Vinegar
- Honey
- Catsup
- Dijon Mustard
Ingredient Substitutions
- Orange: A blood orange would work well here and add a depth of color. Satsumas, mandarins and tangelos are other good choices. I’ve also made this recipe using some pineapple chunks.
- Honey: Agave syrup is a good substitute for honey.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the fruit. Peel the kiwi and cut into wedges. Remove the peel and white pith from the orange and the grapefruit and slice. Here’s how:
- With a sharp knife, slice the two ends off of the fruit.
- Turn the fruit onto one of the ends, and angle the knife so that you can slice the first piece of rind from the orange.
- Move the knife downwards and along the curve of the fruit.
- Don’t be shy with this, you want to make sure you’re cutting off that white pith.
- Continue slicing the skin from the orange until you have a completely naked piece of fruit.
- At this point, you can either slice the fruit or cut it into wedges.
- Step 2: Make The Citrus Salad Dressing. Simply combine the dressing ingredients and using a whisk, blend well.
- Step 3: To build the salad, place a handful of greens in a white bowl. Top with the slices of orange, grapefruit and kiwi wedges. Drizzle with the dressing and serve. A sprinkle of fresh mint leaves is always welcome.
FAQ’s
This Winter salad is a great make ahead side dish. You can whisk up the dressing and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in advance. Peel and slice the fruit a day ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. It becomes a quick throw together salad for any meal. Store the individual fruits in separate containers.
Yes, this salad and the citrus salad dressing is naturally gluten free.
Tips For Success
- Make sure you remove all of the white pith from the fruit. To showcase the fruit in all its glory and flavor, make sure to remove even the smallest pieces of white pith. It carries a rough texture and bitter flavor.
- Depending on how ripe the grapefruit is, it may fall apart in chunks when you try and slice it. That’s ok. A ripe sweet flavor is welcome over a too-tart fruit.
What To Serve With Citrus Salad
This fresh vibrant salad is a great match for the bright colors of a salmon dinner like this Maple Mustard Glazed Salmon or even a pasta dish. Try it with Fettuccine mio Amore.
The vibrant combination of greens, grapefruit, and oranges in this salad creates a beautiful color and textures.The crispness of the greens, the citrusy zing of grapefruit, and the sweet juiciness of oranges come together to deliver a refreshing and wholesome experience.
This salad offers a powerhouse of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber, making it a nourishing choice for those seeking a healthy and satisfying side dish. If you’re looking for more ultra-nutritious salads, don’t miss this one for Baby Kale Salad with apples.
More Salad Recipes With Fruit
And if you’re salad fans like us, don’t miss my salad category. You’ll find lots of recipes including the most popular on my site for Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing.
And my post on 9 Secrets To A Remarkable Tossed Salad. A step by step guide on how to make the best tossed salad ever.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Winter Citrus Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Kiwi fruit peeled and quartered
- 1 orange peeled and sliced in rounds
- ½ grapefruit peeled and sliced in rounds
- 2-3 Cups mixed greens
- Dressing for Citrus Salad:
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- For the dressing, mix all ingredients in a jar and shake until well blended. Drizzle over mixed baby greens topped with fruit.
- Peel and remove pith from the grapefruit and the orange. Peel the kiwi fruit and cut into wedges.
- Place a handful of greens in 4 salad bowls. Top with several pieces of fruit and drizzle with the dressing.
Notes
Nutrition
Winter Citrus Salad…It’s What’s for a Side Dish.
This recipe for the salad and citrus salad dressing was first published May of 2012 and republished November 2022 with new photos and step by step instructions.
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
This looks so good and healthy–I definitely need to try it!
Thanks for stopping by Nancy. We really liked it. Enjoy.
Where’s the burger this time? He’s not hiding behind the salad 😉
No burger this time Chris. I’m having a dinner party this coming weekend with all sorts of sinful offerings … trying to behave before hand. :/
I adore citrus in a salad, recently I made a grilled grapefruit salad and I’m kicking myself for not blogging about it! Your salad looks so refreshing, perfect for a warm summer’s day.
I’m kicking you for not blogging about it. Sounds really good Rhonda.
Looks like the perfect summer salad!!!
So pretty Lea Ann. I’ve pinned it on my recipes to try. This is my kind of salad, so healthy and fresh.
Sam
Being one of your original readers, I’m so glad you brought this one back – such a great recipe and so pretty. (eating lots of colors is important) Citrus is a favorite of mine any day and the dressing sounds delicious.
The rock formations in the previous post are amazing, Lea Ann. You live in a beautiful part of the country. 🙂
And I know I’ve said this before, but will repeat: I love your new layout. The header is unusual, colorful and even has texture!
Citrus salads are a favorite at my house. I like the tasty vinaigrette. Some of our best recipes were the ones we first posted.
Thanks Barbara, it really is a special place. Thanks for the compliment on the layout. Now I just need to come up with a gravatar. I agree, I love fruit in salads when there’s a vinaigrette involved.
I think good recipes should make multiple appearances! This one is beautiful, and what an unusual dressing.
Thanks Sue!
Looks nice and refreshing. I used to love Catalina dressing!
My mom would always make a salad for dinner and place three bottles of dressing on the table; Thousand Island, Catalina and Ranch. I’d always grab for the catalina.
Such a colorful salad…and the dressing sounds perfect for the citrus.
Thanks Karen.
I just found your site on foodblogs.com so I thought I would stop by and take a peek. I just subscribed to your blog feed and can’t wait to see what your next post will be!
Thanks for stopping by and the subscribe. Heading over to your place.