Citrus Avocado Salad is one of my all time favorite summer recipes! Baby arugula is all dressed up with oranges, grapefruit, avocados, walnuts and lots of crumbled feta cheese. Holding it all together is a tangy and sweet citrus dressing that’s so easy to make!

A large bowl of citrus avocado salad is presented with a serving spoon.


Citrus Avocado Salad

Salad is one of my favorite things to toss together – literally! They’re especially satisfying during the hotter summer months when you don’t want something super heavy. This citrus avocado salad is absolutely gorgeous and perfect for serving when you want something bright and zesty!

Baby arugula serves as the base of this salad. Making it delicious as can be is lots of fresh citrus (juicy oranges and grapefruit), sliced avocados, crunchy walnuts and a generous amount of feta cheese. Of course, you can really add as much feta as you want – it’s probably my favorite part!

The dressing that holds it all together is absolutely incredible. We switched up our favorite Lemon Vinaigrette and added fresh orange juice with olive oil. They’re enhanced by ingredients like dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey and simple seasonings. You’re going to love how freshly flavored it is!

The ingredients for citrus avocado salad are spread out.

Ingredient Notes

For the salad:

  • Baby Arugula – You can swap this with baby spinach if desired.
  • Oranges and Grapefruits – Try to make sure that all of your citrus is sliced evenly. Also, double check and make sure you don’t accidentally leave any seeds in there.
  • Avocados – Give your avocados a light squeeze. If they’re really soft, they’re probably too ripe. If they’re too firm, they’re not yet ripe. Since avocados are notoriously finicky, I always recommend buying an extra one or two just in case!
  • Walnuts – Pecans or almonds also work well if preferred.
  • Feta Cheese – Feel free to use blue cheese instead if you want to!

For the dressing:

  • Olive Oil – Try to use a good quality olive oil that you really like the flavor of if possible.
  • Orange Juice – If you have the time and enough oranges, freshly squeeze them yourself to produce the very best tasting juice. Of course, store-bought OJ is also totally fine!
  • Dijon Mustard – Do NOT swap this with regular yellow mustard! The flavor is not the same.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – This adds just the right amount of tangy and sweet flavor that really brings it all together.
  • Honey – Add more or less to control the level of sweetness in the dressing.
  • Seasonings – I like to keep things simple with some garlic powder and dried thyme. After you conduct a taste test, feel free to sprinkle in anything else you want!
Dressing is being poured on top of a salad.

How to Make a Citrus Avocado Salad

Take a quick look at just how easy this salad recipe is to toss together! For exact ingredient measurements and step by step instructions, keep on scrolling down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

  1. Assemble the salad. Place the arugula in a salad bowl and top with the citrus slices, avocado slices, walnuts and crumbled feta.
  2. Make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, dijon, vinegar, honey and seasonings. Feel free to season with some flaky sea salt (or kosher salt) and cracked black pepper if desired.
  3. Enjoy! Pour the dressing all over the salad and serve right away.

How to Make In Advance.

Here’s the deal – once the dressing has been poured all over the salad, it’s best served right away. The moisture and acidity from the dressing will cause the arugula to wilt the longer it sits.

However, you can store the assembled salad and the dressing in two separate containers in the refrigerator for about 24 hours prior to serving. Just give the dressing a gentle shake in case it separates.

A big bowl is filled with citrus avocado salad.

What to Serve With It

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A large bowl of citrus avocado salad is presented with a serving spoon.

Get the Recipe: Citrus Avocado Salad Recipe

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
This refreshing citrus avocado salad features peppery arugula topped with creamy avocado slices, juicy citrus segments,crunchy walnuts, and tangy feta cheese. All of this is drizzled with a bright, zesty citrus vinaigrette for a flavorful and satisfying salad.
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Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 6 cups baby arugula
  • 2 oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 2 grapefruit, peeled and sliced into round
  • 2 avocados, pitted and sliced
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

For the Citrus Dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Equipment

  • 1 whisk
  • 1 small bowl
  • serving platter

Instructions 

  • Arrange the green in a large bowl or platter and top with the orange slices, avocado, walnuts and cheese.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, dijon, vinegar, honey, garlic powder and thyme.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.

Notes

Salad is best if served soon after assembling so the avocados do not oxidize and turn brown. 
Dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Calories: 694kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 56g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g, Monounsaturated Fat: 24g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 527mg, Potassium: 1098mg, Fiber: 13g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 2683IU, Vitamin C: 98mg, Calcium: 338mg, Iron: 3mg
Author: Kellie
Course: lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American