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38 Fantastic Citrus Recipes Worth Making

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We have a list of thirty-eight delicious citrus recipes you will love! Whether looking for weeknight dinners, citrusy drinks, or desserts, we have all the healthy citrus recipes.  

Most of these delicious recipes are easy and can be made with ingredients found at the grocery store during citrus season. This list includes some of our reader's favorite citrus recipes. This list has everything from chicken recipes to pasta and lots of seafood recipes. 

Citrus season typically starts in late fall and goes through the winter, but as their peak seasons vary, at least one type of citrus is usually available year-round. 

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Types of Citrus

There are so many phenomenal types of citrus, some available year-round that you can cook and bake with. We've included several types in our recipes below, like navel oranges, Cara Cara oranges, sumo citrus, kumquats, grapefruit, mandarin oranges, lemons, and limes.

Other more unusual types of citrus that you can also include or substitute in these recipes are yuzu, key lime, Meyer lemon, finger lime, murcott, pomelo, or tangelo.


Salads with Citrus

Featuring fresh citrus in salads is one of my favorite things. Check out some of these fantastic salads with wonderful citrus flavors. 

Citrus Berry Spinach Salad

This berry citrus salad packs several servings of fresh fruit and greens and is topped with a simple homemade vinaigrette. It's quick to make and full of great flavors.

A citrus berry spinach salad in a white bowl with a silver spoon.

Citrus Pomegranate Salad

This citrus salad combines citrus pieces, crumbly feta cheese, bright greens, slivered shallots (or red onions), pomegranate seeds, and a zesty dressing for an exceptional winter salad. It’s juicy, fresh, packed with vitamin C, and full of bright flavor.

citrus pomegranate salad on a large serving dish with serving spoon

Cara Cara Orange Panzanella Salad 

Cara Cara orange Panzanella salad includes tomatoes, red onion, and arugula mixed with a little oil and breadcrumbs. It makes for a brilliant salad and a beautiful use for Cara Cara oranges. 

An overhead shot of citrus panzanella on a platter.

Artichoke Potato Salad with Dill 

A potato salad with a twist! This one adds the delicious and creamy flavors of artichoke hearts with juice of a Meyer lemon to create the most delicious potato salad.  


Blood Orange Salad 

You'll want to add this to your list to make during peak citrus season! With fresh blood orange slices, a mix of baby greens, creamy avocado, and feta cheese, all mixed with a tasty vinaigrette, this will be your new favorite salad recipe. 

A Blood orange salad in a white bowl with silver serving fork and spoon

Kumquat Radish Salad with Dukkah

This delicious kumquat salad with watermelon radishes, radicchio, and dukkah seasoning is a bright pop of flavor. It's bursting with fresh produce and topped with a delicious, nutty blend.

A large wooden salad bowl with a greens, radicchio, kumquats, watermelon radishes, and tongs.

Green Goddess Cabbage Salad 

While this looks like a simple cabbage salad, it's packed with a ton of flavor - including lemon juice from two whole lemons. It makes a wonderful side dish, or add your favorite protein and make it a meal on its own. You'll blend a delicious and creamy salad dressing made with garlic, fresh herbs, nutritional yeast, and walnuts. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the punch of flavor this salad packs!

A green cabbage salad in a metal mixing bowl with a serving spoon.

Orange Fennel Salad 

Combining grapefruit, Cara Cara oranges, blood oranges, crunchy fennel, and soft mozzarella makes this a delicious and bright fruit salad. It's a fantastic side dish or light lunch. It’s a riot of colorful, tangy citrus flavor that looks beautiful on a dinner table.

A citrus fennel and mozzarella salad in a serving bowl.

Grapefruit Salad 

The bitterness of the grapefruit is offset by the avocado and feta in this salad. So if you find grapefruit overwhelming on its own, this simple recipe will be perfect for you. The creamy avocado, tangy grapefruit, soft feta cheese, and crunchy pepitas make this the perfect salad.

A grapefruit avocado salad in a white serving bowl.

Seafood Citrus Recipes

Citrus and seafood complement each other so well. Here are a few seafood recipes with lovely citrus flavors. 

Grilled Halibut 

This halibut is perfectly grilled with a lovely citrus butter flavor that's hard to resist. Grilled fish has a mouthwatering flavor, and it's easy to make! Add microgreens when serving for a beautiful pop of color. 

A fork taking a piece out of a grilled halibut fillet.

Lemon Garlic Gulf Shrimp

Make a lemon butter with fresh lemon juice, herbs, and garlic, and enjoy this shrimp roasted to perfection. It's so easy to make and only takes a few minutes of hands-on time, making it perfect for a weeknight meal.

A spoon pouring garlic butter sauce onto gulf shrimp.

Lemon Herb Grilled Shrimp

You'll first make a delicious marinade with lots of lemon, herbs, and spices, then perfectly grill shrimp so they are tender and succulent. You only need to marinate for 15 minutes, so this main dish is ready in about 35 minutes and has great flavor for adding to other dishes, like salads, wraps, and pasta dishes. 

Lemon herb grilled shrimp skewers topped with chopped parsley on a white serving tray.

Lemon Garlic Sole 

Sole is a delicious, delicate fish that's easy to cook. Made with olive oil, lemon, parsley and garlic, this sole is a fantastic, flavorful dish that's ready in about 10 minutes. 

Baked sole fillets on a white plate with lemon slices.

Lemon Baked Swordfish

Swordfish is a fantastic steak-like fish with a subtle, buttery flavor that pairs perfectly with bright citrus. This recipe is incredibly simple, but it's date night meal-worthy.

Lemon baked swordfish on a white plate.

Baked Lemon Salmon

This lemon garlic salmon baked in foil is a delicious, healthy dinner perfect for busy weeknights. It's got an excellent garlic butter topping that makes the salmon extra decadent and super tender. It's ready in about 30 minutes but only requires about 10 minutes of hands-on prep time.

Baked lemon salmon in foil.

Seafood Pasta with White Wine

Seafood pasta with white wine and lemon hits all the right flavor notes! It balances tender shrimp with a lovely buttery sauce and tasty angel hair pasta. This recipe is very similar to shrimp scampi, only served with pasta for a filling and comforting meal.

Shrimp angel hair pasta in a skillet with a large serving fork and spoon.

Chicken Citrus Recipes

These are just a few delicious chicken recipes that feature lemon. They're easy to make and meals the whole family will love. 

Awesome Lemon Chicken Pasta

This delicious lemon pasta with spinach's name says it all. It's wildly flavorful with parmesan, leeks, lemon juice, and lemon zest. It comes together in about 30 minutes, making it an easy, healthy dinner recipe.  

Lemon chicken pasta with sliced lemons and spinach on top.

Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

While this soup is on the thicker side, from the rice and tender chicken, it's brightened up with lots of lemon, leeks, carrots, and celery. Making it comforting in the winter months but still light enough to be enjoyed any time of year. 

Lemon chicken rice soup in a white bowl.

Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs 

This chicken recipe is truly a standout dinner. Made with a lemon pepper season and baked to perfection, this chicken only takes 5 minutes to prep. It's delicious with a side of green beans and roasted potatoes or a simple side salad.  

A baking dish with chicken thighs covered in lemon pepper seasoning.

Citrus Drink Recipes

From boozy drinks to a special lemonade, I have a few citrus drinks that are delightful. 

Ginger Lime Margarita 

This margarita is potent and delicious and truly a standout cocktail. The ginger pairing with the lime is sharp, acidic, and has a beautiful aromatic smell. It makes for an incredibly tasty and memorable cocktail.

A ginger lime margarita with a slice of lime on the rim.

Blood Orange Whiskey Sour 

This blood orange whiskey sour is a delightful cocktail! You'll make a bit of your own orange juice with a blood orange and combine it with the juice of a lemon. It's sour and sweet and the best combination of flavors. It doesn't hurt that it's really pretty as well.

A blood orange whiskey sour in a glass with an orange on the rim.

Tinto de Verano 

Made with lemonade, a navel orange, blood orange, and a fresh lemon, this refreshing and flavorful wine drink is perfect for a warm summer day!

A glass of tinto de verano with a gold straw.

Creamy Lemonade 

Creamy lemonade is made with sweetened condensed milk to give it a creamy consistency. It is even better than classic lemonade. This tasty drink tastes similar to lemon meringue pie. This recipe makes a large pitcher of lemonade, so you can save it in the refrigerator and drink it all week or serve it at a party.

Three glasses of creamy lemonade topped with mint and sliced lemons.

Fennel, Black Pepper, and Grapefruit Gin and Tonic

This fennel and grapefruit gin and tonic recipe is an unexpectedly delightful cocktail! You'll love the unique flavor combination of sweet and peppery.


Citrus Dessert Recipes

Grilled Pineapple with Lime Mint Sauce 

Grilled pineapple is topped with fresh mint and lime juice chutney to make a bright and zingy dessert recipe that's light enough for a warm summer night or after a larger meal.

Grilled pineapple with a mint sauce on top.

Dark Chocolate Covered Citrus Peels 

Made from clementine and grapefruit peels, these delicious little treats are the perfect marriage of orange + chocolate. And make a great holiday gift for citrus lovers. 

dark chocolate covered clementine peels on parchment

Mandarin Orange Bundt Cake 

This mandarin orange Bundt cake recipe is fruity and delicious. It’s a wonderful winter recipe and makes for a great dessert at a holiday dinner or weekend brunch. It’s wonderfully citrusy and feels like a bright and fresh treat.

orange bundt cake with glaze on a glass cake plate

Citrus Condiments and Extras

These citrus-flavored extras will help make cooking more interesting and give your next dish great flavors. 

Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Add citrus fruit flavors to your food year-round by making a big batch of this seasoning. Made by drying lemon peels (make the insides into some creamy lemonade) and blitzing them in the food processor and adding to a few other seasonings, you get a vibrant lemon pepper seasoning that's so fresh. You can enjoy lemon flavors even when you can't find any lemons. 

Lemon pepper seasoning in a mortar and pestle.

Citrus Honey Salad Dressing 

Citrus vinaigrette is so simple to make yet packs a flavorful punch! It's a honey lime dressing that adds incredible flavor to salads and makes for a delicious dipping sauce for chicken tenders.

A small white bowl with citrus honey salad dressing with a small silver spoon.

Preserved Lemons

Preserving lemons allows the citrus flavor to shine while removing some of the tartness, making them a great way to brighten up a dish without adding bitterness. Preserved lemons are often used in Moroccan tagines, Cambodian and Indian cuisine, and as a garnish in Bloody Marys. They're so versatile and worth adding to your condiments cabinet!

A glass jar with two preserved lemons.

Dried Orange Peels

Dried orange peels are an especially great idea for anyone who has orange trees and needs to use them up. This recipe works great with all types of oranges. We've dried Cara Cara oranges, navel oranges, and all types of mandarins. They're all delicious. 

Dried orange peels in a metal plate.

Dill Sauce for Seafood

Made with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream or mayo, this dill sauce is full of zesty lemon flavors and makes the perfect dipping sauce or topping for all kinds of seafood. 

Dill sauce in a small white bowl next to salmon patties.

How to Make Dried Orange Slices

Dried orange slices are easy to make, smell wonderful, and can be used in many ways. Here's how to make DIY dried orange slices!

A grouping of dried oranges slices and citrus fruits.

Easy Citrus Simmer Pot

This gorgeous lemon and lavender simmer pot will make your house smell great! It's a great air freshener and brings sweet smells into your home.

A spring simmer pot in a teal skillet.

Holiday Citrus Recipes

Endive Salad Bites

These delicious endive salad bites have orange, grapefruit, grilled feta, toasted nuts, fresh herbs, and pomegranate seeds. It's all of winter's best produce in one dish!

closeup of endive salad bites

Christmas Simmer Pot Recipe

This wonderful Christmas simmer pot will make your whole house smell great! You can easily make a Christmas stovetop potpourri using natural ingredients and a pot of water.

A Christmas simmer pot in a red dutch oven.

Mandarin Orange "Pumpkins"

These adorable mandarin orange pumpkins are a healthy snack perfect for a fall party or Halloween!

Mandarin orange pumpkins on a white plate.

If you try any of these recipes with citrus, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos, or leave us a rating.

Yield: 4 side salad servings

Juicy Citrus Salad Recipe

A citrus pomegranate salad with feta on a large white serving platter.
Prep Time 22 minutes
Additional Time 3 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 large grapefruit
  • 1 Cara Cara orange (or navel orange)
  • 1 mandarine orange
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 ounces mixed baby greens
  • ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
  • 2 ounces crumbly feta cheese

Dressing Ingredients

  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Crush the garlic clove, remove the skin, and place it in the olive oil in a small bowl. Allow the garlic to marinate for 10 minutes.
  2. 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.
  3. Cut the shallot into very thin slices. Toss with the greens.
  4. Prepare the vinaigrette by removing the garlic clove from the olive oil and discarding the garlic. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to the olive oil and whisk to combine.
  5. Toss the greens and shallots with half the vinaigrette.
  6. 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.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 222Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 155mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 4gSugar: 16gProtein: 4g

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