Citrus-Avocado Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette

A fresh salad for sunny days.

Citrus-Avocado Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette
Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Christine Keely
Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
20 mins
Servings:
4

When you think of a Southern picnic, you probably imagine heaping dishes of potato salad, macaroni salad, egg salad, or all of the above. But one of our favorite, oft-overlooked salads is a healthy and light twist on fruit salad. This Citrus-Avocado Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette is the Southern favorite we'll have on repeat this summer.

This ethereal combination seems to be the salad we make the most and include in our cookbooks least. But the great Georgia newspaper columnist and cookbook author Mrs. S.R. Dull knew that the ladies who lunch wanted a light, refreshing salad at their bridge-club gatherings, so she included an "avocado-and-grapefruit" version in her 1928 book, Southern Cooking. This salad almost always includes a light vinaigrette; ours is made with grapefruit juice and a hint of mustard. You can mix up the citrus to make an extra-pretty plate (think navel oranges or blood oranges) or stick to just grapefruit. Pistachios add extra color and texture to the salad, but feel free to leave them out to keep it nut-free.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup canola oil

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

  • ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. fresh grapefruit juice (from 1 large grapefruit), divided 

  • 3 medium avocados, each cut into 8 wedges

  • 2 medium grapefruits (white, pink, or Ruby Red), peeled, pith removed, and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices

  • 1 medium-size orange (navel or Cara Cara), peeled, pith removed, and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices

  • 2 medium blood oranges, peeled, pith removed, and cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick slices

  • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt

  • ¼ cup chopped lightly salted pistachios 

Directions

  1. Whisk together oil, mustard, coriander, salt, pepper, and ½ cup of the grapefruit juice in a medium bowl until emulsified. Gently toss avocados and remaining 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice in a separate bowl until evenly coated.

  2. Arrange grapefruit, orange, and blood orange slices on a platter, overlapping slightly. Place avocado wedges on top of the citrus slices.

  3. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and drizzle with half of the dressing. Top with chopped pistachios. Serve with remaining dressing.

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