Winter Citrus Salad with Lemon Honey Poppyseed Vinaigrette Recipe
A refreshing and vibrant Winter Citrus Salad featuring a mix of blood oranges, cara cara oranges, navel oranges, and grapefruit combined with toasted almonds, pomegranate arils, fresh mint, and creamy goat cheese. Tossed in a zesty Lemon Honey Poppyseed Vinaigrette, this salad is a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and nutty flavors that brighten up any winter meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad 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
Dressing Ingredients
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp honey (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: In a small mixing bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, poppy seeds, and Dijon mustard. Whisk thoroughly until all ingredients are well blended. Season the dressing with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust the sweetness by adding more honey if preferred.
- Prepare the Citrus: Peel the blood oranges, cara cara oranges, navel oranges, and grapefruit ensuring all the white pith is completely removed for a clean flavor. Then place each citrus fruit on its side and carefully slice into ¼ inch slices. Set these citrus slices aside.
- Toast the Almonds: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the sliced almonds and stir frequently for 3 to 5 minutes until they turn golden brown and emit a fragrant aroma. Remove the skillet from heat and allow the almonds to cool.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large salad bowl, add the spring mix greens. Arrange the citrus slices evenly over the greens. Scatter the pomegranate arils and roughly chopped mint leaves on top of the citrus and greens.
- Toss and Serve: Lightly drizzle some of the prepared Lemon Honey Poppyseed Vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss to combine the ingredients without bruising the citrus. Sprinkle the cooled toasted almonds and crumbled goat cheese over the salad. Serve immediately with the remaining dressing on the side for additional flavoring as desired.
Notes
- For a variation, substitute spring mix with baby arugula or spinach.
- Make sure to remove all white pith from the citrus to avoid bitterness.
- Adjust the honey quantity in the dressing based on your preferred sweetness level.
- To keep the almonds crunchy, add them just before serving.
- This salad is best served fresh and does not store well once tossed.
Keywords: winter citrus salad, lemon honey poppyseed vinaigrette, citrus salad, healthy salad, winter salad, toasted almonds, goat cheese salad
