Emerald Citrus Greens Salad (Printable)
Tender greens, citrus, avocado, and nuts combine in a refreshing, vibrant green salad with zesty dressing.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Greens
01 - 4 cups baby spinach leaves (approx. 4.2 oz)
02 - 2 cups arugula (rocket) (approx. 2.1 oz)
03 - 1 cup watercress, trimmed (approx. 1.1 oz)
→ Citrus
04 - 1 large orange, peeled and segmented
05 - 1 pink grapefruit, peeled and segmented
06 - 1 small lime, juiced (reserve juice for dressing)
→ Other Vegetables & Fruit
07 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
08 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
→ Nuts & Seeds
09 - 1/3 cup pistachios, roughly chopped (approx. 1.4 oz)
10 - 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted
→ Dressing
11 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (from above)
13 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
14 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
15 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
16 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large salad bowl, combine baby spinach, arugula, and watercress.
02 - Incorporate orange and grapefruit segments, sliced avocado, and spring onions into the greens.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients.
05 - Sprinkle pistachios and toasted pumpkin seeds atop the salad just before serving to maintain their crunch.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in 15 minutes, which means you can make it on nights when cooking feels too ambitious.
- The combination of sweet, tart, peppery, and buttery textures keeps your palate genuinely interested with every bite.
- It's the kind of salad that actually tastes better than you expect, especially when everything is at its peak.
02 -
- Assemble this salad just before eating—the acidic dressing will soften the greens if they sit too long, which sounds fancy but really just means mushy leaves.
- Toast your pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes; it's a small step that transforms them from bland to genuinely delicious.
03 -
- Buy your citrus a day or two before you plan to make this, so it has time to fully develop its sweetness and juice content.
- Keep your salad bowl chilled in the fridge for 10 minutes before assembling—cold greens stay crisp longer after dressing.