This Grapefruit-Orange Avocado Salad is made with a base of pink grapefruit, Cara Cara and navel oranges. Thinly sliced fennel and red onion add lots of flavour! A Paleo, Whole30 and vegan winter citrus salad!
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☀️ Banish the winter blues
This bright, cheerful Grapefruit-Orange Avocado Salad, bursting with Vitamin C, guarantees to help banish the winter blues. It might just help fight off a winter cold, too.
Here on the West Coast of Canada, January can sometimes be a month where we just want to escape and head somewhere sunny, warm and bright. It's often gray and rainy here. Sometimes we don't see much sunshine for days.
Summer seems a long way away.
But one way to bring some sunshine into my home is with the colourful citrus fruit that is available now. I made this Grapefruit-Orange Avocado Salad with a base of pink grapefruit, Cara Cara oranges and navel oranges. It's bursting with vibrant cheerful colours and Vitamin C!
Once January arrives, I love getting inspiration for new recipes simply by making a trip to the supermarket. Grapefruit, oranges, kumquats, clementines, Meyer lemons. I love them all and they're fun to use to create new recipes.
🛒 Ingredients
This is a simple citrus fruit salad that doesn't rely on salad greens, which can be pricey and sometimes poor quality at this time of year. I added paper-thin fennel slices for that lovely licorice flavour, red onion for some zing, and avocado, because . . . avocado.
Let's get started!
You will need:
- 2 small grapefruit
- 1 Cara Cara orange
- 1 navel orange
- red onion
- 1 avocado
- fennel
- shallot
- fresh ginger
- olive oil and vinegar
🔪 Instructions
- Start by peeling the citrus fruit, removing the pith and slicing into rounds about ¼ inch thick, then slice in half to create half moons.
- Next, arrange these on a platter or in a shallow serving dish, either concentrically or randomly. Then add thinly sliced fennel, red onion rings and avocado slices.
- And finally, garnish with fennel fronds for a pretty presentation before drizzling with Ginger-Orange Dressing.
This tasty Ginger-Orange Vinaigrette ties all those bright citrus flavours together. It's the same dressing that I use to top my favourite Baby Bok Choy Salad.
🔁 Possible Variations
Use whatever citrus fruit is available where you live. Sometimes Cara Cara oranges are hard to find. Feel free to substitute any other oranges: navel, mandarins, or satsumas. Rest assured, it will still be a delicious and nutritious winter citrus salad!
You could also top this salad with feta cheese or goat cheese crumbles for that sweet and salty contrast.
⏰ Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, you can, all except adding the avocado. You can prepare the dressing and set it aside, then arrange all the citrus slices, red onion and fennel. However, make sure to add the avocado slices just before serving to prevent them from turning brown.
This salad is sweet and juicy and it's pretty. It's one more way to make sure you're getting lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber in a low-calorie package. Enjoy!
This recipe was originally published in 2017. I've updated it with new photos and information.
📖 Recipe
Grapefruit-Orange Avocado Salad with Fennel
Ingredients
- 2 small grapefruit, peel and pith removed
- 1 Cara Cara orange, peel and pith removed
- 1 navel orange, peel and pith removed
- ¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ bulb fennel, sliced paper-thin
- 1 large avocado, peeled and sliced
- fennel fronds, for garnish
Ginger Orange Vinaigrette
- 1 teaspoon shallots, minced
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Whisk Ginger-Orange Dressing ingredients together and set aside to allow flavours to blend.
- Peel grapefruit and oranges, remove pith and slice into rounds, ¼ inch thick, then slice into half moons.
- Slice red onion and fennel, using a mandolin slicer if available, to create paper-thin slices.
- Arrange fruit slices attractively on a platter, top with fennel and red onion.
- Add avocado slices just before serving. Drizzle with dressing and serve.
Kate
I've made this a few times now and it is delicious and always a hit. I often put it over a bed of greens. Making it as the salad part of Christmas dinner this year!
Elaine
So glad to hear you like it too. Great idea to add greens, too. Have a wonderful Christmas, Kate!
Kelly Anthony
This grapefruit orange avocado salad is sure to brighten any cold and dreary day!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Kelly! Enjoy!
Jayne
I just love this salad. It is so colorful and good. The combination of the fennel and oranges makes a great flavor.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Jayne--so glad you liked it as much as we do!
Amelia
I am so glad I came across this recipe! It looks gorgeous, I cannot wait to try it. Those aren't flavors I would usually think to combine so thank you for sharing and helping me to find new things to try! This looks incredible!
Flavour & Savour
You're so welcome, Amelia! Enjoy!
Emily
I love everything about this salad! Citrus avocado and fennel is such a delicious combination, plus the presentation is beautiful!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Emily!
Pamela
What a absolute gorgeous salad! I think this would look beautiful on a brunch set up with some sandwiches! Saving, thank you!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Pamela! You're right --this salad would make a beautiful brunch dish!
Justine | JustineCelina.com
What a beautiful, fresh spin on a winter salad! I haven't worked with fennel much -- I'm going to put this on my list to make this month to take advantage of seasonal citrus. I've just pinned the recipe! Thanks for sharing, Elaine!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Justine!
Fennel has a lovely liquorice flavour and it really adds interest to dishes. If it's new to you, just start with a little. Thanks for pinning!
Cathy
This salad looks amazingly delicious! I'm often looking for a special appetizer salad to serve guests at the beginning of a meal, and this would definitely qualify! Who doesn't love citrus fruits! I'll be pinning this recipe to try.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks, Cathy! I love all the citrus fruit that's available at this time of year.
gabby
Wow! I never would have thought to put avocado with grapefruit, their flavours seem so different! I will definitely be trying this the next time I host a brunch!