Citrus Salad

Salads get a reputation of being a summer thing but I’m here to argue that they can be a really simple way to brighten your mood on a cold, dreary winter day. If you’re like me, and the winter blues get you down every year, I can guarantee this citrus salad will get you right out of your funk!

It’s hard to stay sad with bright, sweet oranges and mandarins and punchy grapefruits in every bite. Plus, the simple honey dijon dressing pulls everything together in a savory way to incorporate the feta and onions.

The gorgeous color is hard to ignore. Just like this winter persimmon salad, bold and bright colors also do wonders for the mind and spirit during dark, cold days.

I’ve enjoyed this winter citrus salad as a side dish and made it a meal by adding some chickpeas or chicken. Either way, every time I eat it I can’t help but think Mother Nature was onto something making gorgeous citrus fruits like these in season during the most depressing months of the year.

Here’s to seasonal eating!

You can play around with whatever citrus looks best at the time but here are the basics to this citrus salad recipe.

• Citrus — The main ingredients in this salad include oranges, mandarins and grapefruit, but play around with others as you find them. Blood oranges and Sumo citrus are wonderful varieties this time of year too.
• Lettuce — Keep things simple with your lettuce of choice. If you like crunch, Romaine or iceberg are good options. Baby greens are also a nice simple option. I really enjoy throwing in some bitter greens to complement the bright, juicy fruit in this salad too. Try endive or radicchio or mizuna. You can also incorporate some thinly sliced pickled fennel for a tangy bite.
• Feta — You’ll often see avocado added to a fruit salad like this as its creaminess is a nice pairing with the juicy fruit but cheeses like feta or goat cheese can also accomplish the same thing. I like the salty taste of feta with the sweet fruit.
• Onion — If you’re a raw onion hater, leave these out or try pickled onions instead. Their savory element is a nice contrast to the sweet and tangy citrus.

The dressing is a crucial part of any salad and figuring out the right blend of ingredients to elevate the main elements in the salad is a bit of an art.

To let the citrus shine, we chose a simple honey dijon dressing highlighted with a touch of lemon to keep it lighter than usual.

• Juice of a lemon
• Honey
• Dijon mustard
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

A dressing like this works on a variety of salads. This Brussels sprouts chicken salad is another recipe it complements nicely.

Let’s walk through how to get those beautiful thin slices of citrus to accentuate the colors of the fruit in this salad — they’re just so much prettier than chopping or breaking into segments.

First, cut the ends off of the citrus then stand the fruit upright.

Use a small, sharp knife (serrated is best) and cut away the peel from the top to the bottom of the fruit. When doing this, make sure to also remove the pith (the white part that attaches to the fruit).

The citrus should now be exposed and you can slice it into thin rounds, again using a serrated knife.

A salad like this looks its best when arranged rather than tossed. To assemble the citrus salad, start by lining a serving bowl or platter with the lettuce you’ve chosen.

To make sure every element of the salad has a bit of dressing, drizzle some of the honey dijon dressing over the lettuce before you start layering on the citrus.

Next, gently arrange the slices of citrus on top of the lettuce in an alternating pattern so the pieces overlap a bit.

To finish the salad, top with crumbled feta and the thinly sliced onions.

Pour as much of the dressing over the top of the salad as desired.

There are so many ways you can go with a salad like this, nothing is off limits.

• Make it vegan by leaving out the feta cheese and swap it for creamy avocado slices instead.
• Prep ahead by assembling the salad and slicing the citrus a day before serving. Assemble and dress the salad right before serving. This recipe is so gorgeous, it’s great for entertaining.
• Add chopped nuts for texture. Walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios are some favorite combinations with citrus fruit.
• Include other winter fruit like pomegranate or berries for flavor, texture and color. Pomegranate salsa is one of my favorite seasonal recipes to make right now for snacking.
• Use fresh herbs to impart even more flavor to this salad. Mint makes a lovely pairing with citrus.

More winter salads to try

Chopped crispy chicken citrus salad — If you to enjoy a citrus salad as more of a meal, combining it with crispy chicken is a winner. This salad is like the grown-up parent to this citrus salad recipe.
Pickled fennel citrus salad — Pairing sweet juicy grapefruits with tangy pickled fennel and peppery arugula equate to one punchy seasonal salad you will love!
Chopped winter kale salad — The fresh cranberry dressing is my favorite part of this salad. It’s a stunning pink color and tastes like the best of winter.