Winter Citrus Greens (Printable)
Vibrant mix of winter citrus, crisp greens, and fennel.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Greens
01 - 5 oz mixed winter greens (arugula, baby kale, frisée, spinach)
→ Citrus
02 - 1 large orange, peeled and segmented
03 - 1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented
04 - 1 blood orange, peeled and segmented
→ Additions
05 - 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
06 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
08 - 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
09 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
11 - 1 tsp honey
12 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Slice off tops and bottoms of citrus fruits, then carefully remove peel and pith. Segment fruits over a bowl to catch juices and reserve the juice for dressing.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon reserved citrus juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine mixed greens, thinly sliced fennel, and red onion.
04 - Add citrus segments to the bowl and gently toss with the prepared dressing until evenly coated.
05 - Top salad with toasted walnuts or pecans and crumbled goat cheese.
06 - Serve immediately to preserve texture and freshness.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like pure sunshine—citrus and bitter greens create this electric brightness that actually makes you feel better.
- You can have it on the table in twenty minutes, with zero cooking involved, which means it's perfect for nights when you need something that feels special without the effort.
02 -
- Don't dress the salad more than a few minutes before serving or the greens will wilt and collapse; this is a salad that demands to be eaten fresh.
- Reserve citrus juice while segmenting—it's the secret ingredient in the dressing that makes everything taste like concentrated winter citrus instead of just oil and lemon.
03 -
- Warm the salad bowl before assembling by running hot water around it and drying it well—a slightly warm bowl keeps everything at the right temperature and prevents the greens from shocking into wilting.
- If you're serving this to people who are skeptical about raw salad in winter, don't argue—just let them taste it and watch their minds change.