Hello friends! Happy New Year, and Happy New Decade to you all!
With the season of indulgence behind us, a refreshing citrus and mixed greens salad seems like the perfect antidote to brighten these cold and dreary winter days. Winter is citrus season and every year I Iook forward to the abundance of juicy and colorful citrus fruits that show up at the market, especially the pinkish-red Cara Cara oranges and the crimson-fleshed Blood oranges.
How to Make this Citrus, Mixed Greens, and Avocado Salad
To make this salad, I use tender mixed greens as a base, then I add slices of Cara Cara oranges, some ripe avocado, pomegranate arils for their sweet burst of flavor, and toasted nuts for their crunch. There is nothing difficult about this salad; the only thing that takes some time is removing the skin and the pith of the oranges to avoid any bitterness. Use your favorite orange, or, a combination of oranges.
A bright shallot vinaigrette brings this salad together and balances the sweet and sour flavors of its components. This is a quick weeknight salad to enjoy on its own, or, with a simple, citrus-themed Mediterranean meal, but it is dressed up enough to have at your next dinner party too!
- For the salad:
- 2 cups mixed tender greens
- 2 medium, sweet Cara Cara oranges
- 1 small avocado, sliced thinly
- ¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped (or almonds)
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils
- --- black & white sesame seeds (optional)
- For the vinaigrette:
- 5 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TBSP. white balsamic vinegar
- 2 TBSPS. fresh orange juice
- 1 TBSP. shallot, minced
- ½ tsp. honey
- --- sea salt
- --- freshly ground pepper
- ¼ tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- Peel the oranges with a sharp knife, removing as much of the pith as possible. Remove any seeds and slice the oranges very thinly. Peel and slice the avocado.
- To make the vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake well. Dip a piece of the greens into the mixture to taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
- Divide the salad greens among four plates (or use a large shallow bowl for group service). Place the sliced oranges and the avocado slices on top of the greens. Add the pomegranate arils and the toasted nuts. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the avocado slices (if using).
- Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the salad or serve.
A few more salads to enjoy this winter:
Mixed Green Salad with Beets, Goat Cheese and Rosemary Walnuts
Arugula Salad with Figs and Prosciutto
Mediterranean Orange and Olive Salad
This is exactly what we need! I love pomegranate seeds.
I hope you try it Kathe – I know you will like it!
Thank you Marilena! A lovely mix of ingredients and an opportunity for me to use my newly acquired oranges from Crete. I will certainly try it this weekend!
So glad you like it, Marianna! Oranges from Crete are so delicious and super sweet – they will make a great citrus salad! ??
Marilena,
Your pictures in this post are just stunning! The first one on the blog –oranges against the dark background–is like a beautiful still-life painting! The recipes, as always, look delicious and healthy, but the photos blew us away.
Perfect timing, too; the Cara Cara oranges and several other special citrus fruits are easy to find now. I’ll be making your featured salad tomorrow.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind words! You are going to love this salad!