Grapefruit Salad

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This Grapefruit Salad is loaded with vibrant citrus, creamy avocado, pops of sweetened cranberries, and honey-roasted almonds. Drizzle with a simple balsamic vinaigrette for an unforgettable, crave-worthy salad!

Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword avocado grapefruit salad, grapefruit avocado salad, Grapefruit Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings -6 as a side

Calories 382kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $9.43

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh kale (4 tightly packed cups -- See Note 1)
1 pkt. (8 oz.) microwave quinoa (or already cooked -- See Note 2)
1 ripe peeled grapefruit, thinly sliced or segmented
2 peeled navel oranges, thinly sliced or segmented
1 large, ripe avocado, diced
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds (we love honey-roasted)
Optional: goat or feta cheese (add to preference)

Dressing

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Fine sea salt & pepper

Instructions

QUINOA: To make the prep on this salad as quick as possible, we'll often use Microwaveable Packaged Quinoa (be sure to grab the plain (sea salt) quinoa). Follow package directions to prepare it then pop it in the fridge until chilled through. Alternatively, prepare quinoa ahead of time -- See Note 2.
DRESSING: Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/4 tsp salt & 1/8 tsp pepper). Shake to combine; store in the fridge until ready to use. Shake before topping salad.
SALAD PREP: Either supreme the citrus or peel and break apart into segments for this salad. (To supreme citrus: Use a very sharp knife to cut off the top and bottom of the fruit and then set the fruit on a cutting board, flat edge down. Working around the fruit, slice the peel and pith off. Follow the shape of the fruit, cutting from the top down to the bottom. Repeat until all the peel and pith have been removed. Now, thinly slice and add to salad!
SALAD ASSEMBLY: (Read instruction 4 before dressing) Toss together completely dry prepared kale, fully cooled quinoa, and 1/2 the dressing in a large bowl. Add the grapefruit, oranges, avocado, cranberries, and almonds. Add remaining dressing (or to preference) tossing gently once more. If desired top with goat or feta cheese. Serve immediately.
STORAGE: Only add dressing to the amount of salad you intend to eat that day. This salad is best eaten immediately after being dressed, so if you want leftovers, only add avocado, almonds, and dressing to the portion that will be eaten immediately.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Kale: Kale can be delicious all depending on how it's prepared! Here's what we do: remove the coarse stems on the kale. (I do this by grabbing the bottom of the stem with one hand and running my other hand upward along the stem in a tight grasp to remove the leaves from the stem. Some of the stem at the top is fine to leave; we're more concerned about the bulky large portion of the stem.) Take the kale leaves, roll them up like a cigar, and finely slice the kale to make thin and small ribbons of kale. You should have 4 cups tightly packed kale. Next, place in a colander and rinse. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt on top of the kale and a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Massage and rub the kale with clean hands for 2-3 minutes or until tender and a deep green color. Rinse again and thoroughly dry. (I add to a salad spinner.)

Note 2: Quinoa: If NOT using packaged quinoa start here: Rinse 1 cup tri-colored or white quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve in cold water for about 30 seconds. In a small saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa with 2 cups water. Season with salt (I add 1/2 tsp). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover the pan with a lid. Turn heat to the lowest setting and cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until the water has completely absorbed in the quinoa. Turn off the heat and let stand covered for 5-10 minutes. After it's finished steaming, remove the lid and fluff the quinoa gently with a fork. Set aside to cool to room temperature. In a hurry? Spread it on a sheet pan and slide it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Quinoa can be prepared 3-4 days in advance.

Nutrition