Skip to Content

Thai Grapefruit Salad

Sharing is caring!

This spicy Thai grapefruit salad is bright and zesty with complementary flavors. It's a real showpiece for a dinner party!

Punch it up with some rice noodles for a vegetarian main course or add in some ahi tuna to make a delicious poke bowl. 

What Makes this Spicy Thai Grapefruit Salad So Great

This glorious spring salad is colorful and delightfully delicious. The bright flavors of the mango and grapefruit pair beautifully with the lightness of the watercress.


Spicy Thai Grapefruit Salad Ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll need ingredients for both the salad and the marinade.

For the marinade, you’ll need 4 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar, ¼ cup sugar (the finer the better), 1 tablespoon orange blossom water, 2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1-inch fresh ginger, and 1 red chili.

For the salad, you’ll need 2 large grapefruit, 1 mango, 2 cups watercress, 2 teaspoons peanut oil, 1 shallot, 2 teaspoons lime juice, 2 teaspoons black or white sesame seeds (or both!), ¼ cup roasted peanuts, and a pinch of salt.


How to Make this Spicy Thai Grapefruit Salad

This spicy Thai grapefruit salad is easy to make!

  • Make the marinade. Combine the sugar and vinegar in a large bowl. Whisk till combined and the sugar is mostly dissolved. Add the orange blossom water, star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger, and chili to the bowl and stir to combine.
  • Marinate the grapefruit. Then add the grapefruit to the vinegar mixture and stir gently to combine. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes. Remove the star anise and cinnamon stick. Drain the grapefruit, reserving 2 tablespoons of the liquid.
  • Combine the salad ingredients. Toss the grapefruit with the watercress, mango, peanut oil, and lime juice. Place on a large serving plate.
  • Dress the salad. Top the salad with the reserved marinade, shallot, sesame seeds, peanuts, and salt.

More Spring Salad Recipes You’ll Love

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these delightful, healthy spring recipes.


Yield: 4 side salad servings

Thai Grapefruit Salad

Thai grapefruit salad with mango in a blue serving bowl.

This brightly flavored salad has sharp, complimentary flavors - a real showpiece for a dinner party!

Prep Time 35 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup sugar (the finer the better)
  • 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and cut into very thin strips
  • 1 red chili, deseeded and cut into thin strips
  • 2 large grapefruit, peeled and cut into small pieces
  • 1 mango, diced
  • 2 cups watercress
  • 2 teaspoons peanut oil
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons black or white sesame seeds (or both!)
  • ¼ cup roasted peanuts
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Combine the sugar and vinegar in a large bowl. Whisk till combined and the sugar is mostly dissolved.
  2. Add the orange blossom water, star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger, and chili to the bowl and stir to combine.
  3. Then add the grapefruit to the vinegar mixture and stir gently to combine. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
  4. Remove the star anise and cinnamon stick. Drain the grapefruit, reserving 2 tablespoons of the liquid.
  5. Toss the grapefruit with the watercress, mango, peanut oil, and lime juice. Place on a large serving plate.
  6. Top the salad with the reserved marinade, shallot, sesame seeds, peanuts, and salt.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 385Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 576mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 5gSugar: 35gProtein: 14g

Skip to Recipe