Winter Citrus Salad (Paleo, Vegan, Whole30)

Vibrant and refreshing winter citrus salad with toasted walnuts and pomegranate, drizzled with the most flavorful sesame lime dressing! It’s paleo, vegan, and Whole30, and looks gorgeous on your holiday dinner table.

If you need a showstopper side dish that not only tastes amazing, but looks vibrant as well, I can’t recommend this paleo winter salad with citrus fruits enough. There are so many flavors and textures that make this simple citrus salad so unique and delicious.

Winter Citrus Fruit Salad Recipe

This paleo and vegan citrus salad takes just 15 minutes from start to finish. The only cooking involved is toasting the walnuts, which only takes about 5 minutes!

The two citrus fruits are grapefruit and orange, and they are combined with toasted walnuts, pomegranate seeds, sesame seeds, lime zest, and mint leaves. They are then drizzled with the most flavorful sesame and lime juice dressing for a unique and refreshing blend of flavors and textures!

How to Cut Citrus Fruits into Round Slices

There are several ways to cut citrus fruits, but I really love the presentation of round slices. They are also easy to eat with all the juiciness still intact. Here’s how to cut citrus fruits into rounds:

1. Begin by slicing off the top and bottom of the fruit, so you expose the segmented sections.
2. Stand the fruit on one of the cut sides, then insert a sharp knife from the top between the flesh and the peel.
3. Slice down at an angle that matches the contour of the fruit. You want to cut the peel and enough skin to expose the flesh underneath.
4. Keep working around the fruit until all the flesh is exposed.
5. Cut the fruit crosswise into 1/4-inch slices.

You’ll have gorgeous round slices that are perfect for this winter citrus salad recipe.

How to Make Winter Citrus Salad Recipe

This paleo winter salad with citrus fruits and pomegranate seeds is a quick and easy recipe with minimal cooking and prepping. That’s why I think it’s perfect for the holidays! Here’s how to make this delicious and simple citrus salad:

1. Toast the walnuts first in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes until they are browned and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Slice the grapefruits and oranges. You can slice them like how I mentioned above, or cut them however you like!
3. Arrange the citrus slices on a platter, then top with toasted walnuts, pomegranate seeds, and torn mint leaves.
4. Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients in a separate bowl. Drizzle over the winter citrus fruit salad.
5. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and lime zest before serving.

You can also top this paleo and vegan citrus salad with a dollop of coconut yogurt for a bit of creaminess (This is my favorite brand). I really enjoyed it this way!

Notes and Substitutions

• You can use other combinations of citrus fruits like tangerines and clementines. Just make sure to add more if you are using smaller fruits. I used navel oranges, but you can also add more color with blood oranges!
• If you don’t have walnuts, pecans will also be crunchy and delicious as well. They can be toasted in the same way on a skillet.
• To make this paleo and vegan citrus salad Whole30-friendly, you can just omit the sweetener in the dressing. I’ve tried it without maple syrup, and there’s still plenty of natural sweetness from the fruits!

If you enjoyed winter citrus fruit salad, you might also like:

• Paleo & Vegan Winter Kale Salad (Whole30 Option)
• Whole30 Roasted Squash Salad (Paleo, Vegan)
• Paleo Orange Blueberry Jam without Pectin (AIP)
• Orange Creamsicle Paleo N’Oatmeal (Vegan, Whole30)
• Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Prosciutto (Paleo, Whole30)