Get ready to showcase the beauty of seasonal citrus with this absolutely stunning Citrus Avocado Salad with Pistachios and Mint! This recipe arranges slices of various gorgeous citrus fruits (like blood oranges, Cara Cara oranges, tangelos, and grapefruit) with creamy avocado, then drizzles it all with a bright orange-lemon vinaigrette and finishes with crunchy pistachios, fresh mint, and flaky sea salt. While the original inspiration mentions winter citrus, beautiful citrus is often available well into spring (like right now in early May!) making this Citrus Avocado Salad the perfect fresh, light, and elegant dish for brunches, light lunches, or as a show-stopping appetizer or side dish. It’s a true celebration of flavor and color!
Why You’ll Love This Citrus Avocado Salad
- Visually Stunning: The arrangement of colorful citrus slices and avocado is incredibly beautiful and impressive.
- Fresh & Vibrant Flavors: A perfect balance of sweet and tart citrus, creamy avocado, salty pistachios, refreshing mint, and a zesty vinaigrette.
- Healthy & Light: Packed with vitamins from citrus, healthy fats from avocado and olive oil, and freshness from herbs. Naturally vegetarian, vegan-friendly (use maple/agave), and gluten-free.
- Easy to Assemble: Requires no cooking, just slicing and arranging!
- Perfect for Entertaining: An elegant salad perfect for brunches, lunches, or as a starter for dinner parties.
Ingredients for Citrus Avocado Salad
Here’s what you’ll need to create this beautiful composed salad. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Salad
- Blood oranges, peeled and sliced (Fruit) (Or substitute other oranges)
- Cara Cara oranges, peeled and sliced (Fruit) (Or substitute other oranges)
- Tangelo, peeled and sliced (Fruit) (Or substitute other mandarins/oranges)
- Grapefruit, peeled and sliced (Fruit)
- Avocados, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced (Fruit)
- Roasted salted pistachios, coarsely chopped (Nuts)
- Fresh mint leaves (Herb)
- Flaky sea salt (for serving) (Seasoning)
Vinaigrette
- Zest of navel orange (Flavoring)
- Juice of navel orange (Acid)
- Juice of lemon (Acid)
- Finely chopped shallot (Aromatic)
- Champagne vinegar* (Acid) (Or white wine vinegar/extra lemon juice)
- Honey* (Sweetener) (Or maple/agave for vegan)
- Dijon mustard (Condiment)
- Salt (Seasoning)
- Pinch of black pepper (Spice)
- Extra virgin olive oil (Oil)
(Notes refer to original recipe details/suggestions) (Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love the mix of citrus suggested, but the beauty of this Citrus Avocado Salad is its adaptability!
- Use Available Citrus: Don’t worry about finding the exact varieties! Use any combination of oranges (navel, Valencia, blood), grapefruits (pink or white), tangerines, mandarins, or even pomelos that look good and are in season.
- Different Nuts/Seeds: Use toasted almonds, pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds (pepitas) instead of pistachios.
- Add Cheese: Crumble some feta or goat cheese over the top for a salty, tangy addition.
- Different Herbs: Use fresh basil or tarragon instead of or in addition to mint.
- Add Onion: Include very thinly sliced red onion along with the citrus and avocado.
- Creamy Dressing: While the vinaigrette is classic, a light, creamy poppyseed dressing could also be interesting.
How to Make Citrus Avocado Salad
Assembling this beautiful Citrus Avocado Salad is all about preparation and arrangement:
Make the Vinaigrette
- First, I prepare the delicious citrus vinaigrette. In a medium mixing bowl, I combine the orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, finely chopped shallot, champagne vinegar (or substitute), honey (or maple/agave), Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
- I whisk these ingredients together until well combined.
- While whisking continuously, I slowly stream in the extra virgin olive oil until the vinaigrette is smooth and emulsified.
- I taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired. I set the vinaigrette aside.
Prepare Fruit and Arrange Salad
- Next, I prepare the stars of the show – the citrus and avocado. I peel the oranges, tangelo, and grapefruit. Then, I carefully slice them into rounds (about ¼ inch thick). I also peel, pit, and thinly slice the avocados.
- On a large, flat plate or serving platter, I begin arranging the sliced citrus fruits and thinly sliced avocado in an attractive pattern. I like to alternate colors and slightly overlap the slices, creating a beautiful mosaic effect.
Dress and Garnish
- Once arranged, I drizzle several tablespoons of the prepared vinaigrette evenly over the citrus and avocado slices. (I will likely have some leftover vinaigrette, which is great for other salads!)
- I gently tear or scatter the fresh mint leaves over the salad.
- I sprinkle the chopped roasted salted pistachios evenly over the top.
- Finally, I finish with a couple of good pinches of flaky sea salt and a few turns of freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve immediately!
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Citrus Salad
Here are my secrets for making this Citrus Avocado Salad truly stunning:
- Use Ripe, Quality Fruit: Choose flavorful, juicy citrus fruits and perfectly ripe avocados (yield slightly to gentle pressure).
- Slice Uniformly: Try to slice the citrus and avocado to a similar thickness for the most beautiful presentation when layered.
- Arrange Artfully: Take a minute to arrange the slices nicely on the platter – alternating colors and overlapping slightly looks gorgeous.
- Dress Just Before Serving: Drizzle the vinaigrette over the arranged salad just before serving to keep everything looking fresh and vibrant.
- Flaky Sea Salt Finish: Using flaky sea salt (like Maldon) at the end adds a delightful crunch and burst of salinity that complements the fruit perfectly.
How to Serve
This Citrus Avocado Salad is best served immediately after assembly! Enjoy it as:
- An Elegant Appetizer: A stunning start to a dinner party or special meal.
- A Light Lunch or Brunch Dish: Perfect on its own or with a small piece of grilled fish or chicken.
- A Refreshing Side Salad: A beautiful accompaniment to seafood, chicken, or pork dishes.
- Part of a Buffet: A show-stopping addition to a brunch or party buffet table.
Make Ahead and Storage
This salad relies on the freshness of its ingredients and is best assembled just before serving.
- Vinaigrette: Can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Whisk well before using.
- Citrus: Can be peeled and sliced a few hours ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- Assembly: Assemble the salad with avocado and toppings just before serving, as avocado browns quickly and the arrangement looks best fresh. Leftovers don’t store well.
FAQs about Citrus Avocado Salad
- What types of citrus work best?
- A variety is nice for color and flavor! Blood oranges, Cara Cara oranges, navel oranges, tangelos, tangerines, pink or white grapefruit all work beautifully. Choose whatever looks best and is in season.
- Can I supreme the citrus instead of slicing?
- Yes! Segmenting the citrus (removing the membrane) is another beautiful way to present this salad. Arrange the segments artfully with the avocado slices.
- What if I don’t have Champagne vinegar?
- Substitute with white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or simply use extra fresh lemon juice for the acidity in the vinaigrette for your Citrus Avocado Salad.
Enjoy this stunning, fresh, flavorful, and incredibly easy Citrus Avocado Salad with Pistachios and Mint! It’s a perfect celebration of vibrant citrus.
Print
Citrus Avocado Salad with Pistachios and Mint
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Main, Main Course, Salad, Side, Side Dish
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean-Inspired
Description
This Citrus Avocado Salad with Pistachios and Mint is the perfect way to showcase all of the beautiful winter citrus this season has to offer! It’s fresh and light from the citrus fruits, creamy from the avocado, slightly salty from the pistachios, and refreshing from the mint! It’s the perfect light meal, fancy yet super easy appetizer, or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 2 cara cara oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 1 tangelo (or other mandarin-type orange), peeled and sliced into rounds or segments
- 1 grapefruit (pink or red), peeled and sliced into rounds or segmented
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons roasted salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
- Small handful of fresh mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped
- Flaky sea salt, for serving
- Freshly cracked black pepper, for serving
For the Orange Honey Vinaigrette:
- Zest of 1/2 a navel orange
- Juice of 1 navel orange (about 1/4 cup)
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2–3 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 2 teaspoons honey (or pure maple syrup for vegan)
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Make the Vinaigrette: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, finely chopped shallot, champagne vinegar, honey (or maple syrup), Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pinch of black pepper. Whisk to combine. Slowly stream in the extra virgin olive oil while whisking continuously until the vinaigrette is smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or honey if desired.
- Prepare Citrus and Avocado: Peel all the citrus fruits. Slice them into rounds about 1/4-inch thick, or segment them if preferred, removing any seeds. Peel, pit, and thinly slice the avocados just before assembling to prevent browning.
- Arrange Salad: Arrange the sliced citrus fruits (blood oranges, cara cara oranges, tangelo, grapefruit) and thinly sliced avocado attractively on a large serving platter or individual plates.
- Dress and Garnish: Drizzle several tablespoons of the prepared vinaigrette over the arranged citrus and avocado. (You will likely have some vinaigrette leftover; store it for other salads). Sprinkle with the torn fresh mint leaves and the coarsely chopped roasted pistachios.
- Finish and Serve: Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a few turns of freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Citrus Variety: Use any combination of your favorite winter citrus. Segmenting the citrus (removing the membrane) can create a more elegant presentation but is optional.
- Avocado: Use ripe but firm avocados. Slice just before assembling and toss lightly with a bit of the vinaigrette or extra lemon juice to prevent browning if prepping slightly ahead.
- Pistachios: Roasted and salted pistachios add great flavor and crunch. You can substitute other nuts like almonds or pecans.
- Vinaigrette: The vinaigrette can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Whisk well before using.
- Vegan Option: Ensure to use maple syrup instead of honey in the vinaigrette for a fully vegan salad.
- Storage: This salad is best enjoyed immediately after assembly.