Citrus Pomegranate Feta Salad (Print Version)
Juicy citrus fruits paired with pomegranate, avocado, and feta in a honey-lemon dressing for a refreshing Mediterranean starter.
# Recipe Ingredients:
→ Citrus Fruits
01 - 2 large navel oranges
02 - 2 large ruby red grapefruits
03 - 1 blood orange (optional, for color contrast)
→ Produce
04 - 1 ripe Hass avocado
05 - 1 small red onion
06 - ½ cup fresh pomegranate arils
→ Cheese
07 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
→ Greens
08 - 4 cups mixed greens (arugula, baby spinach, or spring mix)
→ Dressing
09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon honey or pure maple syrup
12 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, torn
15 - 1 tablespoon toasted pistachios or walnuts, roughly chopped
# Directions:
01 - Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom of each orange and grapefruit. Following the curve of the fruit, cut away all peel and white pith. Slice the fruit into ¼-inch rounds or cut into supremed segments. Arrange on a plate and set aside.
02 - Halve the avocado, remove the pit, peel off the skin, and slice the flesh into thin even wedges. Cut the red onion into paper-thin half-moons and separate the rings.
03 - In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Whisk vigorously until emulsified. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
04 - Spread the mixed greens across a large serving platter. Layer the citrus rounds and segments over the greens, tucking avocado slices and red onion rings throughout.
05 - Scatter the pomegranate arils and crumbled feta evenly over the assembled salad.
06 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Top with torn mint leaves and chopped toasted pistachios or walnuts if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Zero cooking required, which means you can make this while barely awake and still impress everyone at the table.
- The combination of creamy avocado, tangy feta, and bursting pomegranate seeds creates a flavor party that feels indulgent but is genuinely good for you.
02 -
- Cut the avocado last, right before assembling, because it browns quickly and no amount of lemon juice will fully save slices that have been sitting around.
- Supreming the citrus properly by removing all the white pith is worth the extra effort, since bitter pith will ruin the delicate balance of the whole dish.
03 -
- A sharp serrated knife gives you the cleanest citrus cuts without crushing the delicate segments and releasing too much juice onto your board.
- Roll the pomegranate firmly on the counter before cutting it open to loosen the seeds and make extracting them much easier.