Avocado Grapefruit Salad

This avocado grapefruit salad is a delicious recipe to make with winter produce. Tart grapefruit, creamy avocado, and crunchy almonds are a delicious combination on top of a bed of greens.

When are Grapefruits in Season?

This time of year, produce can get a little depressing. But when the new year hits, I’m ready for some giant salads so I’m always looking for what’s in season at the grocery store! You might not find juicy tomatoes or bright red strawberries in January, but it is grapefruit season. That means it’s easier to find juicy ruby red grapefruits and they might even be on sale. (BONUS!) While you can usually buy them year-round, grapefruits tend to be in peak season from November through May, which means winter is the perfect time to enjoy this citrus fruit!

Benefits of Grapefruit

You probably already know that grapefruit is low in calories but it’s also high in nutrients. It’s loaded with vitamin C which could help your immune system. This time of year, it feels like everyone is sniffling and sneezing so I’ll take all the immunity help I can get! Looking for more ways to use grapefruit? Try this Grapefruit Yogurt Parfait!

How to Segment a Grapefruit

1. To segment a grapefruit, use a sharp paring knife to slice off the top and bottom of the grapefruit.
2. Carefully cut away the skin on the sides to remove all the white pith.
3. Slice in between the segments to remove the fleshy part of the fruit from the pith. This will remove most of the bitterness of the grapefruit.

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad Ingredients

• Grapefruit– Obviously, grapefruit is an important part of this salad! I recommend a Ruby Red Grapefruit which are large and sweet.
• Avocado– The avocado adds a creamy richness to this salad that plays well with the avocado.
• Almonds– I used roasted, salted almonds that I roughly chopped. You can substitute with other nuts, as noted below.
• Olive oil– This adds a healthy fat to the dressing.
• Champagne vinegar– This adds an acidic bite, but it’s a fairly mild vinegar.
• Honey– A little sweetness balances out the flavor of the dressing.
• Salt & pepper– Don’t forget to add salt and pepper to taste! This helps enhance the flavors of the dressing.

The Best Way to Get Perfectly Ripe Avocados

When buying avocados, look for firm ones that aren’t ripe yet. If they’re already ripe in the store, they’re likely to be bruised. To ripen avocados quicker, keep them in a bowl with bananas. The ethylene gas released from the bananas will help soften the avocados faster. Once the avocados are soft, put them in the fridge. This will keep them at their peak of ripeness for much longer!

Substitution Ideas

• I used green leaf lettuce but any type of spring mix, leafy green or spinach works great in this recipe! I do think it’s better with a softer leafy green but even romaine can work if that’s what you have on hand.
• I chopped roasted, salted almonds which add a little more flavor, but almond sliced or slivered almonds work great. If you don’t have almonds, you could use walnuts or pine nuts instead.
• I used honey to sweeten the dressing but if you wanted to keep this vegan, feel free to substitute agave or maple syrup instead.

How to Store Leftovers

I don’t recommend making this salad in advance as the lettuce will wilt and the avocado will start to turn brown. You can make the dressing a few hours in advance, but everything is best served fresh. If you do have leftovers, toss the avocado with the remaining dressing to prevent browning and store the avocado and grapefruit in a container in the fridge. Keep the greens separate from the toppings to avoid wilting.

More Salad Recipes

• Avocado Panzanella Salad
• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Easy Halloumi Salad

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This post was originally published in January 2018. Updated January 2022.