Simple Citrus Salad

This simple citrus salad dressed with honey showcases fresh grapefruits, oranges, and mandarins. Make it in the winter when navel, Cara Cara, and blood oranges are in season, or in the summer with Valencia oranges. This easy technique ensures each bite is the best part!

This simple citrus salad is more of a technique than a recipe. It is simple, delicious, and beautiful. I love making citrus salads in the winter. When the days need brightened, and the citrus is plentiful. 

The formula is grapefruit + oranges + mandarins + honey. If you’re making this at the height of the citrus season, use a variety of oranges. I love using sweet, pink Cara Cara oranges and delightful red blood oranges in the winter. If you’re making a summer citrus salad, try it with Valencia oranges.

You can make this citrus salad any time of year. And it’s particularly suited for girly events. I’m talking about breakfast and brunch, Mother’s Day, Galentine’s Day, bridal showers, bridal lunches, bachelorette brunches, baby showers… You get my drift.

This salad is a simple arrangement of fresh citrus and honey or agave. It does take time to prepare. I’ll show you how to cut all the citrus into supremes. The tender, juicy bites of grapefruit and oranges are called carpels. You might know them as vesicles, citrus kernels, or beads. The point is that this technique will remove all the peels, the white pith, the seeds, and the walls (the chewy part).

All you’re left with is the best. And the texture is delightful!

Keep reading for more information about the ingredients. I’ll also show you step-by-step photos to show you how to supreme citrus. Check out the printable recipe for the exact quantities and instructions!

Ingredients

Fresh citrus fruits. Grapefruit, navel oranges, and mandarins are available year-round in most places. If you make this in the winter, more varieties of oranges will be easy to find. I love making this with blood oranges and Cara Cara oranges. Using a variety of citrus creates a beautiful arrangement of pink, red, and orange hues. And it makes the flavors more interesting. In the summer, you can make this citrus salad with Valencia oranges.

Honey or agave nectar adds a touch of sweetness to the citrus salad. It is a perfect way to balance the bitterness of the grapefruit. I prefer using honey. Use agave nectar to make this salad vegan.

Variations

• Add nuts: sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of chopped, dry roasted nuts. Macadamia nuts, pistachios, and cashews all pair well with the citrus.
• Add mint: Thinly slice a handful of fresh mint and add it to the salad.
• Add orange liqueur: Mix 2 tablespoons of orange liqueur with the supremes before arranging them.

How to Make Citrus Salad

First, you’ll need about 2 tablespoons of zest. I like to zest some of each variety of citrus used in the salad. Zest the fruit, and set the zest aside.

Next, you’ll start segmenting all the citrus into supremes. It will take a little while. Put on some music and start slicing. You’ll get the hang of it quick and it’s well worth the effort!

Use a sharp paring knife to slice the top and bottom off of the orange so that it can stand flat on a cutting board. Remove the pith and make sure that the flesh is exposed.

Now, slice the peelings off. Once slice at a time. Get as close as close to the citrus kernels as you can. You want to remove all the bitter pith.

Use your knife to slice along each membrane. Slice toward the center of the fruit to remove the supreme segments.

Repeat for all the citrus.

Once you have all the citrus cut into segments, you can toss them in a bowl with the honey and zest and serve them.

Or, arrange them on a platter.

If you want to arrange the citrus salad on a platter, start by arranging all the segments. Then, sprinkle the whole thing with citrus zest.

Now, drizzle honey across the top of the salad.

If you want to add any of the additional toppings, add them just before serving. (except the liqueur, it should be tossed with the fruit segments)

More Tips

• I like to work on a cutting board for this. Routinely pick up the cutting board and pour the juice into a bowl to save it.
• Squeeze the extra juice from the remaining membranes into a bowl. You can pour it over the salad, drink it, save it for salad dressings, or make a mimosa!

How to Serve Citrus Salad

• This simple preparation of sweetened citrus supremes is so versatile. Make it in the winter months when blood oranges are in season, and it will brighten up those cold, gray days. When blood oranges are unavailable, use whatever oranges you can find.
• Serve it as a simple side dish. It works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. 
• It is a perfect side dish for almost any breakfast or brunch! Serve it with eggs, waffles, or pancakes. Or, enjoy it with Greek yogurt and granola for a simple parfait.
• It pairs well with lighter lunches such as chicken salad or a sandwich.
• Serve it for dinner with grilled chicken, fish, or pork.
• This citrus salad is perfect for those girl events like Mother’s Day, Galentine’s Day, bridal lunches, and bachelorette breakfasts.

More Recipes with Fresh Citrus

• Easy Lemon Vinaigrette
• Cranberry Sauce with Mandarins and Walnuts
• Grapefruit Margarita
• Lemon, Mint, and Cucumber Water

Have you prepared citrus this way before? Let me know in the comments if you have any questions.

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