Winter Citrus Salad with Radicchio (Printable)

Bright, refreshing winter salad featuring radicchio, fennel and citrus with a zesty vinaigrette and crunchy nuts.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables & Fruits

01 - 1 small head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced
02 - 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced (reserve fronds for garnish)
03 - 2 oranges (such as navel or blood orange), peeled and sliced into rounds
04 - 1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced into rounds
05 - 1 small shallot, thinly sliced

→ Vinaigrette

06 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
08 - 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
09 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
10 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - 1/4 cup toasted pistachios or walnuts, coarsely chopped
13 - Reserved fennel fronds

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
02 - Arrange the radicchio and fennel slices on a large platter or individual plates.
03 - Layer the orange and grapefruit rounds over the greens. Scatter the shallot slices evenly on top.
04 - Drizzle the vinaigrette evenly over the salad.
05 - Sprinkle with toasted nuts and fennel fronds.
06 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving for flavors to meld.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The combination of bitter radicchio, crisp fennel and sweet citrus creates this perfect balance that wakes up your palate during the coldest months.
  • You can prep all the components ahead of time and assemble just before guests arrive, making it my secret weapon for winter entertaining.
02 -
  • Slicing the fennel paper-thin completely transforms this salad - I learned this the hard way after serving it with chunks that were too thick and overwhelmed the other ingredients.
  • Letting the salad sit with dressing for about 15-20 minutes before serving softens the radicchio just enough to take away the aggressive bitterness while maintaining its structure.
03 -
  • To remove bitterness from radicchio, soak the sliced leaves in ice water for 15 minutes, then thoroughly pat dry before assembling the salad.
  • When supreming citrus, work over a bowl to catch all the precious juices, then whisk them into your vinaigrette for an intensified flavor that ties the whole salad together.

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