Mixed Greens Citrus Salad
A mixture of spring greens and arugula are tossed with pomegranate arils, orange slices, and goat cheese in a zesty citrus dressing. This Mixed Greens and Citrus Salad is an elegant yet easy side salad that pairs well with your favorite holiday and winter entrees.
About This Recipe
This winter citrus salad is so simple to prepare, but the combination of peppery arugula, juicy oranges, and mixed citrus vinaigrette makes it taste like something you’d get at a fancy restaurant.
To round out the flavor profile of the salad, I tossed a few handfuls of tender spring greens and subtly bitter radicchio with the arugula.
As you chew, the pomegranate arils burst in your mouth and the orange slices release their juices. Creamy goat cheese is the finishing touch that takes this salad over the top.
This is the perfect side salad to serve along entrees such as prime rib, steak, and pork tenderloin. Keep this recipe on hand for any upcoming holiday dinners you have planned — this salad is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as romantic Valentine’s Day dinners!
Tools You’ll Need
I suggest having the following kitchen tools on hand for assembling the arugula citrus salad:
- Measuring Cups and Spoons – To measure the salad dressing ingredients.
- Glass Jar with Lid — For shaking together the dressing.
- Chef’s Knife — My knife of choice for supreming oranges (i.e. removing the skin and slicing).
- Cutting Board — A must for most salad recipes.
- Salad Spinner – Is perfect for washing and drying the mixed greens.
- Serving Platter or Large Salad Bowl — For assembling and serving.
Recipe Ingredients
This citrus green salad calls for basic ingredients you likely have on hand already. It’s a flexible recipe, so feel free to make ingredient swaps when necessary!
For the citrus dressing:
- Olive Oil
- Orange Juice (freshly squeezed)
- Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
- Champagne Vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- Honey
- Orange Zest
- Garlic
- Salt and Pepper
For the salad:
- Baby Arugula
- Spring Greens Mix
- Radicchio
- Navel Oranges
- Pomegranate Arils
- Crumbled Goat Cheese
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make a Citrus Salad with Mixed Greens
- Make the salad dressing: Add all of the dressing ingredients to a glass jar, screw on the lid, and shake well to combine.
- Peel and slice the oranges: You can follow my tutorial on how to supreme oranges (it’s so much faster than peeling all the oranges by hand!).
- Assemble the salad: On a serving platter or in a salad bowl, layer half of the arugula, half of the spring greens, half of the radicchio, half of the oranges and half of the pomegranate arils. Repeat with the remaining salad ingredients.
- Toss to combine: You can use salad tongs or your hands.
- Finish and serve: Top the salad with crumbled goat cheese and drizzle with the prepared dressing.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You don’t want to assemble and dress the salad in advance, otherwise the greens will wilt. However, you can prepare parts of this recipe in advance:
- Pomegranate — A whole pomegranate can be seeded and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Oranges — Can be peeled and sliced up to 4 days in advance.
- Dressing — Can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Use freshly squeezed citrus juices in the dressing. The citrus flavor of this mixed greens salad is what makes it stand out, so I strongly suggest buying whole lemons and oranges to prepare the dressing.
- Slice the oranges, don’t chop. The orange rounds make this salad look restaurant-quality so don’t chop the oranges into tiny pieces!
- Lightly dress the salad. I don’t add all of the dressing to the salad when serving it. Instead, I lightly dress the greens and serve most of the dressing on the side. This prevents the dressing from pooling on the bottom of the salad bowl and lets guests customize their serving.
Recipe Variations to Try
Salads are easy to customize, and this one is no different! Try one or more of the following swaps when making this recipe:
- Add protein. As written, this recipe makes a wonderful side salad. Turn it into a main dish by adding poached chicken or grilled skirt steak.
- Mix and match the salad greens. Feel free to use all arugula, all spring greens, or even all radicchio. Or, change the ratios of the greens called for in this recipe to suit your tastes.
- Adjust the dressing. Use more or less oil depending if you like your vinaigrette more acidic or more oil based.
- Add nuts. Adding glazed walnuts would make this salad even better.
Storage Instructions
If you end up with leftovers, store them in an airtight container. If possible, store the salad and dressing in separate containers to keep the greens as fresh as possible.
You’ll want to eat leftover salad within a day or two.
What to Serve with Mixed Greens and Citrus Salad
This salad is easy enough to make on a weeknight, but it’s also great paired with special occasion entrees like steak and prime rib.
- Beef: Sous Vide Steak, Smoked Prime Rib, and Santa Maria Tri Tip.
- Chicken: Balsamic Chicken, Smoked Whole Chicken, and Orange Almond Chicken.
- Pasta: Beef Ragu with Pappardelle, Spinach Lasagna Rolls, and Penne with Vodka Sauce.
- Holiday Entrees: Smoked Turkey Breast, Slow Cooker Glazed Ham, and Smoked Whole Turkey.
Try Making This Salad at Home!
Next time you’re looking for an elegant side salad recipe, give this easy citrus and greens salad a try!
Did you love the variety of textures and flavors in every bite? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see a photo of your citrus salad!
More Easy Side Salad Recipes:
If you loved this winter citrus salad, you’re sure to enjoy this Fennel and Orange Salad recipe as well! It’s bright and citrusy in flavor, and is so easy to make.
This Italian Mixed Greens Salad is made with a mix of arugula, radicchio, and baby kale. It’s all tossed with a simple lemon Dijon vinaigrette and topped with crispy prosciutto and fresh shaved parmesan.
In this Massaged Kale Salad recipe, kale is lightly massaged with olive oil, salt and pepper. Then, it’s tossed with roasted delicata squash, roasted red onions, herbed goat cheese, and pepitas.
A Classic Waldorf Salad combines juicy grapes, crisp apples and celery, and crunchy walnuts. Everything gets tossed in an ultra creamy, sweet and tangy dressing! Serve the salad as is, or spoon it into lettuce cups for an elegant presentation.
Enjoy the many textures and flavors of fall in this elegant Spinach Pear Salad. Creamy goat cheese, juicy pears, roasted sweet potatoes, and earthy greens are tossed in a maple balsamic vinaigrette.
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.
Get More Recipes via Email
Did you love this recipe? Sign up to receive Good Life Eats Email Updates and never miss another recipe!
Mixed Greens Citrus Salad
A mixture of spring greens and arugula are tossed with pomegranate arils, orange slices, and goat cheese in a zesty citrus dressing. This Mixed Greens and Citrus Salad is an elegant yet easy side salad that pairs well with your favorite holiday and winter entrees.
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 large clove garlic
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon salt, according to taste
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, according to taste
For the Salad:
- 6 ounces baby arugula
- 2 ounces spring greens
- 4 ounces radicchio, torn into bite sized pieces
- 3 - 4 navel oranges* (or for a more colorful look, use a mix of navel oranges, cara cara oranges, and blood oranges)
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
- ⅔ cup crumbled goat cheese
Instructions
Making the Dressing
- Add the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, and orange zest to a glass jar with a lid.
- Smash and finely mince the garlic clove into a paste. Add to the jar along with the salt and pepper.
- Secure the lid on the jar. Then, shake the contents vigorously until the ingredients are combined. Set aside (or refrigerate until serving the salad).
Assembling the Salad
- Remove the peel and pith from the orange by cutting the top and bottom off, and then cutting away the remaining peel around the middle portion. Cut the oranges into rounds
- On a large serving platter or a shallow salad bowl, layer the salad ingredients as follows: half of the arugula, half of the spring greens, half of the radicchio. Then, add half of the oranges and half of the pomegranate arils.
- Repeat the layers in the same way using the remaining of each ingredient.
- Gently “fluff” with your hands or salad tongs so that the layers are mixed. Top with the goat cheese crumbles.
Serving the Salad
- Shake or whisk the salad dressing before serving to mix the ingredients that have separated while preparing the salad.
- Then, lightly dress the salad by drizzling a small amount of olive oil over top. Serve the salad with the remaining salad dressing on the side.
Tip: If you plan to have extra salad leftovers, do not dress the entire salad. Instead, dress only individual portions. The leftover salad will last longer this way and not wilt as much.
Notes
*To peel and slice the oranges: Follow my tutorial on how to supreme oranges (it’s so much faster than peeling all the oranges by hand!).
Make ahead: Wait to assemble and dress the salad until you're ready to serve. However, the pomegranate can be seeded, the oranges can be peeled and sliced, and the dressing can be prepared in advance. (Store everything in separate containers in the fridge!)
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 572Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 335mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 6gSugar: 24gProtein: 11g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Leave a Comment