Easy Avocado Citrus Arugula Salad (video)
The most delicious salad for spring and summer time! My easy avocado citrus arugula salad with homemade lemon vinaigrette is bound to become a family favorite! It’s made with baby arugula, layered with crunchy fennel, creamy avocado, juicy citrus, crunchy cucumbers, and toasted pine nuts. I love to use a combination of orange, blood orange, and grapefruit for a bright and colorful salad. Every bite of this fruity citrus salad is bursting with incredible flavor! Enjoy it on its own, or pair with a side of chicken or seafood (great with salmon!).
Watch My Citrus Salad Video Tutorial
Watch my YouTube video tutorial for this delicious avocado citrus salad for step-by-step instructions. Plus, I’ll show you how to section the citrus easily! Want to stay up to date on the latest recipes and posts? Make sure to subscribe to my website emailing list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications.
Ingredients for Avocado Citrus Salad
This easy citrus salad is made with just a few ingredients, all of which are easy to find at our local grocery store. Here are some details about what you’ll need; you can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.
- Arugula: I love this salad with baby arugula but it will also work great with baby spinach or mixed spring greens.
- Fennel: this crunchy and refreshing bulb has the light flavor of licorice or anise. It pairs so well with the citrus!
- Avocado: add 1 to 2 creamy, ripe avocados. The more, the better in my opinion!
- Citrus Fruit: I used a combination of regular oranges, blood oranges and ruby grapefruit for my video tutorial. Feel free to use your favorite!
- Cucumbers: I love to use the small, cocktail cucumbers from Costco, but any type of cucumber will work.
- Olive Oil: for making the homemade salad dressing. Use a high-quality, single-origin oil for the best tasting dressing.
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice: for making the lemon dressing.
Prepping All the Ingredients
Feel free to prepare the salad ingredients in any order you wish! There are just a few ingredients you’ll need to prep.
- Prep the fennel first. Peel away any browned layers and wash it thoroughly. Grab a mandolin slicer or a sharp knife and slice the fennel very thinly.
- Next, prepare the citrus. Watch my video tutorial to see how I did mine. Using a sharp knife, cut away each end first, then prop the fruit straight up and cut away the peel. Cut the fruit in half, then cut into sections.
- Thinly slice the cucumbers.
Toasting the Pine Nuts
I love using pine nuts for this recipe but if you’re not a fan, use sliced almonds or salted pistachios instead.
- To toast the pine nuts, simply preheat a medium frying pan over medium heat and add in the pine nuts.
- Let them toast until they are well browned and aromatic, tossing them occasionally so the nuts don’t burn. Remove the nuts from the pan into a small bowl and set aside.
Making the Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
Pair this delicious avocado citrus salad with a simple, homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing. It’s super easy to make and you can enjoy it with other salads, too.
- Squeeze the juice of 2 to 3 lemons into a bowl and strain out the pulp and seeds. You’ll need ¼ cup for the dressing.
- In a large measuring cup, measure out the olive oil and combine with the lemon juice. Add in the mustard, honey (or maple syrup), salt, pepper, and fresh dill.
- Give it all a vigorous whisk and that’s it!
How to Make Avocado Citrus Arugula Salad
Once you have all the ingredients prepared, it’s time to assemble the salad! Here’s how I put it together:
- Use a large, deep salad bowl for assembling this salad. Layer the baby arugula into the bowl first, alternating with the sliced fennel.
- Sprinkle the sliced cucumbers over the top and sprinkle half of the toasted pine nuts over the top. Using a potato peeler, grate some parmesan cheese over the arugula.
- Next, add the citrus. Place 2 to 3 pieces of citrus fruit together, arranging it randomly over the salad. Fan out the sliced avocado and it to the top, too.
- Garnish the salad with the rest of the toasted pine nuts, more grated parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh dill. Pour the prepared salad dressing evenly over the top and enjoy!
Make Ahead Instructions
This citrus salad is great for making ahead of time, too! Simply brush the avocado with lemon juice to keep it from browning. Cover the salad and keep it stored in the refrigerator. Keep the salad dressing separate, then dress the salad when ready to serve.
Great as a Side Salad!
Enjoy my easy avocado citrus arugula salad all on its own, or pair with a side of chicken, pork, or seafood. I love it with salmon or sea bass. Here are a few other recipes that will pair well with this salad:
- Lemon & Dill Chicken Dinner: enjoy this juicy and flavorful chicken with lemon and dill seasoning with this salad. The flavors complement each other so well!
- Lemon Herb Cedar Planked Salmon: a delicious and easy salmon recipe, seasoned with a lemon, garlic and herb butter, then cooked on a cedar plank. Perfect for summer!
- Apple & Bacon Stuffed Pork Loin: this impressive pork dish is great for special occasions. It will pair well with this refreshing citrus salad!
More Recipes!
Enjoyed this easy and delicious salad recipe? Make sure to check out some of my other salads you’re sure to love!
- Mixed Berry Salad: this salad is always a hit with everyone! Mixed berries with spring greens, mint, avocado, cheese and a poppy seed dressing.
- Watermelon Feta Salad: a refreshing combination of sweet watermelon, creamy feta, crunchy cucumbers, sweet nectarines and a lemon dressing!
- Prosciutto & Apple Arugula Salad: another one of my favorites! Arugula salad with prosciutto, Grana Padano cheese, sliced apples, and candied pecans. So delicious and so easy!
- Easy BLT Salad: a mix of everything delicious, this salad is topped with bacon, cheese, tomatoes, avocado and more! It’s a great side salad for grilled foods.
- Pomegranate Apple Kale Salad: my go-to recipe for any special occasion or gathering. This easy kale salad with apples and broccoli is always a huge hit with everyone!
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Easy Avocado Citrus Arugula Salad (video)
Ingredients
For Salad:
- 12 cups baby arugula, or spinach; mixed spring greens
- 1 to 2 large fennel bulbs
- 6 medium cocktail cucumbers
- 1 large avocado
- 1 large orange
- 2 large blood oranges
- 1 large ruby grapefruit
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill
For Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 2 to 3 lemons
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey, or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped dill
Instructions
Preparing the Ingredients:
- Prep the fennel first. Peel away any browned layers and wash it thoroughly. Grab a mandolin slicer or a sharp knife and slicethe fennel very thinly.
- Next, prepare the citrus. Watch my video tutorial to see how I did mine. Using a sharp knife, cut away each end first,then prop the fruit straight up and cut away the peel. Cut the fruit in half,then cut into sections.
- Thinly slice the cucumbers and set into a bowl.
Toasting the Pine Nuts:
- To toast the pine nuts, simply preheat a medium frying pan over medium heat and add in the pine nuts.
- Let them toast until they are well browned and aromatic, tossing them occasionally so the nuts don’t burn. Remove the nuts from the pan into a small bowl and set aside.
Making the Lemon Dressing:
- Squeeze the juice of 2 to 3 lemons into a bowl and strain out the pulp and seeds. You’ll need ¼ cup for the dressing.
- In a large measuring cup, measure out the olive oil and combine with the lemon juice. Add in the mustard, honey (or maple syrup), salt, pepper, and fresh dill.
- Give it all a vigorous whisk and that’s it!
Assembling the Salad:
- Use a large, deep salad bowl for assembling this salad. Layer the baby arugula into the bowl first, alternating with the sliced fennel.
- Sprinkle the sliced cucumbers over the top and sprinkle half of the toasted pine nuts over the top. Using a potato peeler, grate some parmesan cheese over the arugula.
- Next, add the citrus. Place 2 to 3 pieces of citrus fruit together, arranging it randomly over the salad. Fan out the sliced avocado and it to the top, too.
- Garnish the salad with the rest of the toasted pine nuts, more grated parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh dill. Pour the prepared salad dressing evenly over the top and enjoy!
Make Ahead Instructions:
- This citrus salad is great for making ahead of time, too! Simply brush the avocado with lemon juice to keep it from browning. Cover the salad and keep it stored in the refrigerator. Keep the salad dressing separate, then dress the salad when ready to serve.
