Winter Citrus Salad with Lemon Honey Poppyseed Vinaigrette

a big bowl of winter citrus salad with arugula

Be the first to rate this recipe!

Winter Citrus Salad with Lemon Honey Poppyseed Vinaigrette

Make this refreshing Winter Citrus Salad with tangy citrus and pomegranate seeds, tossed with leafy greens and a lemony vinaigrette.

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 279kcal

Author: Eden Westbrook

Ingredients

2 blood oranges
2 cara cara oranges
2 navel oranges
1 grapefruit
⅓ cup sliced almonds
6 cups spring mix or baby arugula or spinach
½ cup pomegranate arils
¼ cup fresh mint leaves roughly chopped
½ cup goat cheese crumbled

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon honey adjust to taste
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Make the Dressing

In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, poppy seeds, and Dijon mustard. Whisk the mixture until the dressing is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and adjust the sweetness by adding more honey if needed.
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, Kosher salt and black pepper

Make the Winter Citrus Salad

Begin by peeling the blood oranges, cara cara oranges, navel oranges, and grapefruit. Ensure all the white pith is removed.
2 blood oranges, 2 cara cara oranges, 2 navel oranges, 1 grapefruit
Place the citrus on their sides and slice into ¼ inch slices. Set aside.
Heat a dry skillet on the stovetop over medium heat and add the sliced almonds. Stir frequently for about 3 to 5 minutes, until they are golden and fragrant. Remove them from the heat and allow them to cool.
⅓ cup sliced almonds
Place the spring mix in a large salad bowl. Arrange the citrus segments over the greens and scatter the pomegranate seeds and chopped mint leaves on top. Lightly drizzle some of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
6 cups spring mix, ½ cup pomegranate arils, ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
Sprinkle the cooled, toasted almonds and crumbled goat cheese over the top of the salad. Serve the salad immediately with the remaining dressing on the side, allowing guests to add more as they prefer.
½ cup goat cheese

Notes

Variations and Pro Tips

Blood orange juice stains! This is the time to bust out the apron and maybe some 'cleaning your house' clothes. I don't know why, but blood oranges and pomegranate love to splash their bright red color everywhere!

Use whatever type of light vinaigrette or citronette you like, though I'm particular to my poppyseed lemon dressing. It's a classic!

For other herbs, if you're not a mint fan like my hubs, I swap it for fresh lemony thyme.

Instead of slicing the citrus, try cutting them into segments (link video). You can do this over a bowl to catch the juice and

More add-ins that fall in perfectly: try some sliced avocado! Or if you're someone who likes those strong flavors -- I told you, I'm a new salad girlie!-- fennel for that anise flavor or sliced shallot for a mild onion action.

Change the almonds for chopped walnuts or pistachios. I really like the pistachios, they are classic with pomegranate!

This also makes a fabulous fruit salad: just have the citrus with other fall and winter fruits like kiwi, bananas, and persimmons, keep out the greens, and make the vinaigrette into a sweet dressing by removing the dijon, oil, salt, and pepper.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Nothing is better than a holiday recipe that you can make ahead! Put the citrus and salad greens together and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge the day before serving. The vinaigrette can be made up to 3 days in advance!

Nutrition