This Citrus Salad is a satisfying mix of citrus, avocado, and pistachios, with a sweet orange dressing. It’s one of the best salads I’ve ever tasted and a complete show-stopper!
author’s note
The Colorful Salad That Tastes Even Better Than It Looks!
I feel like salads usually fall into one of two categories: either they’re the “healthy thing on the table” that everyone politely scoops onto their plate…or they’re the dish people actually keep coming back for. This Citrus Salad is firmly in the second category.
The first time I made it, I wanted something fresh and colorful to break up all the heavier foods on my Easter table. I loved the idea of building a salad around citrus instead of lettuce and figured the bright fruit, creamy avocado, crunchy pistachios, and sweet orange dressing would work well together.
What I didn’t expect was everyone asking about the salad.
Now this one shows up on repeat anytime winter starts shifting into spring. It’s gorgeous on a platter, tastes unbelievably fresh, and somehow feels fancy while being made with really simple ingredients. The mix of sweet citrus, creamy avocado, salty pistachios, and tangy cheese just works.
Citrus Salad Dressing
This dressing has a subtle sweetness that brings out all the salad’s flavors. Here are some tips:
- Choose high-quality olive oil: The better the olive oil, the tastier your dressing will be. Look for extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Mix the beets with dressing: After roasting the beets, mix them with some dressing while they’re still warm. This helps the beets soak up the flavor and makes them taste better in the salad.
- Use the right tools: A small grater (like this one) can help you get just the orange zest without the bitter white part. A citrus juicer can make squeezing the oranges easier.
- Add dressing gradually: Since the dressing doesn’t adhere super well to the citrus, start by adding half of it and then add more as needed. This way, you prevent all the dressing from just sitting at the bottom of the bowl.
The Citrus in This Salad
This salad features a variety of oranges, though you can choose based on what’s fresh and available. Aim to include at least three different types to add variety.
- Cara Cara Oranges: These are sweeter and less acidic than regular navel oranges, with a cranberry-like tang. They look like navel oranges on the outside but have a unique, rich pink, seedless flesh inside.
- Blood Oranges: Known for their deep red flesh, blood oranges offer a distinct flavor with raspberry notes.
- Tangelos: A cross between tangerines and grapefruit, tangelos are very juicy and taste similar to tangerines.
- Navel Oranges: Navel oranges are less tangy and very sweet, adding a satisfying flavor to the salad.
Other fruits that also work well in this citrus salad include Valencia oranges, grapefruit, clementines, and mandarins, all of which are great options.
Other Citrus Salad Ingredients
- Avocado: Use avocados that are fully ripe for a satisfying creamy texture. To check if an avocado is ripe, press near where the stem is. If it feels like the tip of your nose, it’s ready for the salad.
- Basil or Mint: Basil gives the salad a slightly sweet and savory taste. You can use mint instead for a different flavor.
- Goat Cheese or Feta Cheese: Goat cheese goes well with the beets, citrus, and avocado, but feta cheese works great too. You can leave out the cheese if you want a vegan-friendly salad.
- Pistachios or Almonds: Choose nuts that are dry roasted and lightly salty — more flavor for no extra effort.
- Beets: Beets are great in this salad, but you can use more citrus instead. For quicker prep, buy beets that are already roasted and peeled, or even canned beats work.
Quick Tip
To avoid stains, peel and cut the beets on paper and wear gloves. You can keep and cook the beet leaves like spinach or kale. Wash them, take off the hard stems, and cook them in a pan.
How To Make Citrus Salad
- Dressing: In a jar, mix together dressing ingredients. Shake to combine and then chill until ready to use.
- skippable: Roast Beets: Heat oven, trim beets, wrap in foil, bake until tender. Cool, peel, slice, mix with dressing, and refrigerate.
- Citrus & Avocados: Slice the peels off of the citrus and remove seeds. Slice avocados.
- Assembly: Layer citrus, beets, avocado on a plate. Add cheese, nuts, basil if desired. Drizzle with dressing. Only dress what you’ll eat right away.
Preparing The Citrus
To get the citrus ready and remove the bitter parts, follow these steps:
- Use a very sharp knife to make it easier.
- Cut the top and bottom off the fruit, then put it flat on a cutting board.
- Slice around the fruit to remove the peel and the white part, moving from top to bottom.
- Keep going until all the peel and white part are off.
- Thinly cut the fruit into slices or half-slices.
If slicing is hard or frustrating, just peel the citrus with your hands and break it into pieces for the salad.
Storage
Citrus Salad should be eaten fresh as it doesn’t keep well. The dressing can make the pistachios soft, plus the avocados will begin to brown.
To Make Ahead:
- Cook beets and prepare dressing beforehand. Keep in the fridge.
- Chop pistachios early and store in an airtight bag at room temp.
- Cut avocado and citrus just before serving.
- Assemble the salad at serving time.
More Salad Recipes:
Salads
Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
Green Salads
Mango Salad
