If you’ve got the winter blues, this Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado is guaranteed to brighten your day! This refreshing winter salad is served with a tangy, sweet orange vinaigrette and it comes together in minutes!

Citrus salad layered on a white platter

Citrus is one of my favorite things about winter. I love it all, and incorporate it into my recipes on a daily basis.

I love that it’s so versatile and can be used in dinners like lemon dijon salmon, desserts like key lime bars, and salads like this Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado.

It’s amazing how just a little bit of citrus can make the flavors of a dish pop. It truly makes everything better!

Citrus salad on platter with fennel and avocado

Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • It’s packed with bright flavors from a variety of tangy, sweet citrus, along with crisp fennel and creamy avocado for a memorable winter salad.
  • It’s drizzled with a flavorful orange vinaigrette that may be prepped in advance.
  • You can customize this salad with any varieties of citrus and even add greens for a nutrition boost.
  • It’s gluten free and vegan!

Recipe ingredients

This fennel citrus salad includes a few ingredients that may be customized with what you have on hand.

Citrus salad ingredients

Ingredient notes

  • Citrus. I used a combination of grapefruit, navel and blood oranges, but any of your favorite varieties of citrus will work! Cara cara oranges, tangerines, clementines, kumquats or pomelo would work as well!
  • Fennel. If you aren’t familiar with fennel, it’s very crisp with the mild flavor of anise and it pairs beautifully with citrus. The “leaves” or fronds add freshness similar to herbs, so be sure to incorporate them too! For more information, see my guide on fennel.
  • White balsamic vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is a great substitution.
  • Maple syrup. This may be substituted with honey.

How to make this recipe

This citrus salad is extremely easy to make! Pro tip: Prep the dressing, citrus and fennel in advance to make this recipe even faster.

  1. To prep your citrus, simply cut off the top and bottom of each, and place standing up on a cutting board.
  2. Remove the peel from the sides by cutting from top to the bottom, removing as much of the white pith as possible, then slice.
  3. Place the orange juice, vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small jar and seal tightly with a lid. Shake vigorously until emulsified.
  4. Place large fennel fronds over the bottom of a platter, then begin layering half of the citrus and fennel over the top. Drizzle with the desired amount of orange vinaigrette, then layer the remaining half of the citrus and fennel. Top with sliced avocado, additional fennel fronds, and drizzle with more dressing. Serve and enjoy!

FAQs

What is winter citrus?

The majority of citrus fruits are sweeter and juicier during the winter months in North America. The timing couldn’t be better, because we can all use a boost of Vitamin C from citrus during the cold and flu season. Winter citrus includes navel, cara cara and blood oranges, tangerines, clementines, kumquats, grapefruit, pomelo, meyer lemons, lime and more!

Is it ok to eat salad every day?

Salads are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, so eating a salad a day is always a good idea. In the winter months, it’s even more important to load up on nutritious salads to boost the immune system to help combat colds and flu.

What is the most unhealthy salad dressing?

Creamy, mayo laden salad dressings such as ranch, blue cheese and Caesar are high in fat, calories and cholesterol, so they should be used sparingly. Vinaigrettes are a better choice as they’re packed with heart healthy olive oil and vinegar.

Recipe notes

  • Salad is best enjoyed the day that it’s made.
  • Pro tip: Prep the dressing, citrus and fennel in advance to make this recipe even faster.
  • The orange vinaigrette may be stored in the refrigerator and used within 2 weeks.
  • Toss in your favorite greens for added nutrition if desired!
Fennel citrus salad on a white platter with a spoon

More citrus recipes you’ll love:

If you make this recipe I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and rating below, or snap a photo and tag me @flavorthemoments on Instagram!

Citrus salad layered on a white platter

Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 0 mins
Inactive Time: 0 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado is a bright, refreshing winter salad that will brighten any day!  It's served with a tangy, sweet orange vinaigrette and comes together in minutes!
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Ingredients

For the citrus salad:

  • 2 blood oranges
  • 2 navel oranges
  • 1 grapefruit
  • 1 fennel bulb top removed, halved, and sliced thinly (reserve the fennel fronds for the salad)
  • 1 avocado pitted and sliced

For the orange vinaigrette:

  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1½ teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Instructions 

  • To prep your citrus, simply cut off the top and bottom of each, and place standing up on a cutting board.
  • Remove the peel from the sides by cutting from top to the bottom, removing as much of the white pith as possible, then slice.
  • Place the orange juice, vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small jar and seal tightly with a lid. Shake vigorously until emulsified.
  • Place large fennel fronds over the bottom of a platter, then begin layering half of the citrus and fennel over the top. Drizzle with the desired amount of orange vinaigrette, then layer the remaining half of the ctirus and fennel. Top with sliced avocado, additional fennel fronds, and drizzle with more dressing. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Salad is best enjoyed the day that it’s made.
  • Pro tip: Prep the dressing, citrus and fennel in advance to make this recipe even faster.
  • The orange vinaigrette may be stored in the refrigerator and used within 2 weeks.
  • Toss in your favorite greens for added nutrition if desired!

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g, Sodium: 143mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 19g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Salads
Cuisine: American
Author: Marcie
Keyword: citrus fennel salad, citrus salad, orange dressing
All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.
Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

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