Name: Citrus Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts and Orange-Dijon Dressing
Prep time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 large Cara Cara orange (, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-size segments); 1 ruby red grapefruit (, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-size segments); 1/2 cup thinly sliced fennel; 1 1/2 cups torn kale leaves (, small pieces); 1/4 cup walnuts or pecans (whole); 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup; pinch Sea salt; Feta cheese -- for garnish; Pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries (, for garnish); 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons flax seed oil (optional for nutritional boost); 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons orange juice ((try capturing the juice from segmenting the citrus)); 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon orange zest ((from the orange in the salad, is fine)); 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1 dash hot sauce

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This healthy Citrus Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts has it all—sweet, savory, crunchy, juicy—and the Orange-Dijon Dressing is fabulous on any salad, so you’re sure to use every drop.

A Beautiful Citrus Salad for Holiday Dinners or Hearty Winter Meals

Ruby red grapefruit and cara cara orange team up with sliced fennel and flecks of kale in our Citrus Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts.

The sweet, aromatic citrus brings refreshing balance with a splash of color to hearty winter meals and rich holiday dinners. More than a fruit salad, this side dish packs the nutritional punch of pomegranate, walnuts, and kale too.

Include it in your Thanksgiving menu or toss it together for a holiday party take-along to complement any feast.

Tips for Making the Best Citrus Salad

Only use the naked pulp, leaving the membrane behind. See the video below. Citrus doesn’t risk browning like other fruit because citric acid keeps it bright and beautiful. However, it does weep if mixed with sugar, vinegar, or salt (also called macerating). Since the dressing recipe includes all three of these ingredients, it is best to apply the dressing just before serving.
Mix it up with the subtle crunch of nuts or seeds to balance the texture of soft, juicy citrus. If nuts are an allergy issue, toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds are a good alternative. The maple-candied method in the recipe works for seeds too.
Let (slightly) bitter greens like kale or arugula bring harmony to sweet citrus. Larger pieces of kale are tougher to chew, so it’s important to tear the kale into small pieces or cut into thin ribbons.
Dot with feta or cotija cheese for hints of savory that perk everything up. Salt is a great equalizer for sweets and feta does its job in both flavor and color as a garnish in this recipe.

My friend took one bite of this salad and said, “It tastes like summer!“

She is right, and every ingredient is at its peak during dreary winter months when we yearn for warmth and golden sunsets.

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