Citrus Pomegranate Avocado Feta Salad (Printable)
Vibrant Mediterranean citrus salad with pomegranate seeds, avocado, and feta in a honey-lemon dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Citrus Fruits
01 - 2 large oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
02 - 2 medium pink grapefruits, peeled and sliced into rounds
03 - 1 small blood orange, peeled and sliced into rounds (optional)
→ Vegetables & Fruit
04 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
05 - ½ cup pomegranate arils
06 - ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 2 cups baby arugula or mixed salad greens
→ Dairy
08 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
09 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
12 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
13 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, torn (optional)
# How To Make:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well emulsified. Set aside.
02 - Arrange the orange, grapefruit, and blood orange slices in an overlapping pattern across a large serving platter or shallow bowl. Scatter the baby arugula and thinly sliced red onion over the citrus layer.
03 - Place the sliced avocado over the greens and sprinkle the pomegranate arils evenly across the platter.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing evenly over the entire salad, ensuring all components are lightly coated.
05 - Scatter the crumbled feta cheese over the top and garnish with torn fresh mint leaves if desired.
06 - Serve immediately to enjoy the salad at peak freshness and optimal texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It takes fifteen minutes and looks like something you would pay sixteen dollars for at a cafe with exposed brick walls.
- The combination of salty feta, sweet citrus, and tart pomegranate seeds makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.
- Zero cooking means your kitchen stays cool and you get all the credit with none of the stress.
02 -
- Assemble the salad no more than thirty minutes before serving, because avocado browns and citrus weeps and the whole thing loses its spark quickly.
- Slice the citrus over a bowl and save any juice that runs out to add to your dressing for extra intensity.
- Leftovers do not keep well so only make what you plan to eat, and invite someone over if you need an excuse to make the full batch.
03 -
- Cut the top and bottom off each citrus fruit first so it sits flat, then follow the curve of the fruit with your knife to remove the peel and pith in long strokes. This changes the entire experience of eating the salad because no one wants to chew on bitter white membrane.
- Chill your serving platter in the freezer for ten minutes before building the salad. It keeps everything cold and crisp on the table much longer, which matters if you are serving a crowd.