This citrus pomegranate salad recipe combines crumbly feta cheese, bright greens, slivered shallots, and a zesty dressing for an exceptional winter citrus salad. It's juicy, fresh, and showcases some of the season's best fruit.
It's a perfect side dish for four, but it could you could also enjoy it as a light and refreshing lunch or brunch for two.
I love a winter salad recipe and this one is no exception - it's a beautiful celebration of juicy, tangy citrus fruit. When citrus is at its peak, it is truly extraordinary. You don't need to do much to it to really enjoy its bright hits of flavor.
Combined with mellow feta cheese and the bright pockets of joy that are pomegranate seeds, it's a salad worth making. I love serving this salad for Christmas brunch and at other holiday parties - it looks so pretty on the table!
How to Choose the Best Citrus
Here's what I look for when choosing citrus as the grocery store:
- Flesh that has a little give (if its rock hard, it's past its prime)
- Firm peels that are not shriveled. They should be smooth, not nubby
- Heavy fruit for its size (this means it's juicy)
What You'll Need
- Citrus Fruit (I used grapefruit, a Cara Cara orange, and a tangerine)
- Fresh Shallot or Small Red Onion
- Baby Greens or Spring Mix
- Fresh Pomegranate Seeds
- Crumbly Feta Cheese
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Clove of Garlic
- Lemon Juice
- Lemon Zest
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Sea Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
Prep the citrus and shallot. Cut the citrus on a cutting board and remove the white pithy parts. Slice the citrus into ¼-inch slices. Gently sliver the shallot.
Make the vinaigrette. Marinate the garlic clove in the olive oil for 10 minutes in a small bowl. Remove the garlic clove and combine the oil with vinegar, salt and pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Toss the greens. Toss the greens and shallots with half the vinaigrette in a large bowl.
Build the salad. Plate half the greens, then half the citrus, half the feta, and half the pomegranate seeds. Then repeat by building the second layer in the same order and top with the remaining vinaigrette.
If you're a citrus fan like me, I highly recommend checking out my Cara Cara Orange Panzanella Salad and Citrus Fennel Salad Recipe as well!
Substitution Ideas
Citrus - you can use any type of sweet citrus you'd like for this recipe, like blood oranges, mandarin oranges, Cara Cara oranges, pomelos, pink grapefruits, ruby red grapefruits, a navel orange
Cheese - you can substitute the feta cheese for mozzarella or pecorino.
Vegan - if you'd like to make this recipe plant-based, swap the cheese for fresh avocado slices.
Citrus Pomegranate Salad with Feta
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pieces of citrus fruit grapefruit, oranges, mandarin, tangerine, sumo, etc
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 2 ounces mixed baby greens
- â…“ cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 ounces crumbly feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Crush the garlic clove, remove the skin, and place in the olive oil in a small bowl. Allow garlic to marinate for 10 minutes, while preparing the rest of the salad.
- Prepare the citrus by cutting off both ends and then running a pairing knife down the sides to cut off strips of the peel and white pith. Then cut into ¼ inch rounds.
- Toss the shallot with the greens.
- Prepare the vinaigrette by removing the garlic clove from the olive oil and discarding it. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to the oil and whisk to combine.
- Toss the greens and shallots with half the vinaigrette.
- Place half the greens on a large serving dish, then half the citrus, and sprinkle half the feta cheese and pomegranate seeds on top. Then repeat with the remaining ingredients in a second layer. Top with remaining vinaigrette before serving.
Albertina says
I am going to try this tomorrow! I love pomegranates but I have never tried or ate a pomegranate salad. Now, I will definitely try it and hope it turns good. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
omenard says
This was absolutely delicious! I added sliced apple and pickled beets to the salad. I will definitely be making it again!
EW says
What great additions! So glad you liked it