Citrus Avocado Salad (vegan/Whole30 option)

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This Citrus Avocado Salad is an easy and refreshing side dish for everyone, even salad haters! Colorful layers of juicy citrus, creamy avocado, pickled red onion, salty feta and crunchy pistachios are perfect any time of year. No boring ol’ lettuce here!

Plus it’s naturally low carb, gluten-free and grain-free. And to make it dairy-free/vegan/Whole30-friendly, just replace the feta with your favorite olives and you’re all set!

oranges, avocado, red onion, feta and pistachios on a white platter with stainless steel serving utensils on a wooden table

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Why this recipe works

This healthy avocado salad is so colorful, vibrant and well-balanced, you’ll find any excuse to make it.

One of my favorite things about it is, unlike other salads, you don’t really need to wait for the ingredients to be in season. These ingredients taste good all year!

Once you make it, you won’t even need the recipe anymore. You’ll just throw it together over and over again.

It’s simple enough for a weeknight but elegant enough for a dinner party.

You can use whatever citrus you want – oranges, grapefruit, blood oranges, mandarins, satsumas, etc. Even canned mandarin slices work!

What you need

In addition to the main ingredients above, you’ll need a few pantry staples:

3 oranges
2 avocados
1 red onion
2-3 oz. solid or crumbled feta
3-4 tablespoons roasted, salted pistachios
1/2-3/4 cup red wine vinegar
flaky sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; some of my favorites (that are real olive oil, not fake blends; read more about that here) are:
- California Olive Ranch
- O-live & Co.
- Lucini
- Cobram Estate (with a built-in nozzle that makes it perfect for drizzling)

Plus:

How to pick an avocado

Your avocado is ripe if it’s mostly firm (but not rock hard) with a bit of give toward the top.

Pluck off the little stem and it should be mostly green underneath. If it has just a little brown, that’s fine. But if it’s mostly brown underneath it won’t be good.

If you buy it too early and it’s not ripe, leave out on the counter. If you buy it too early and it’s already ripe (or close), store in the fridge to slow down the process.

citrus, avocado, onion, feta and pistachios on a white platter on a wooden table

How to make this Citrus Avocado Salad

Here’s what you do:

Step 1: Make the pickled red onion.
- If you really like raw red onion, you can skip this step. But pickling tames them by mellowing the harsh raw flavor. And it’s so easy! You just soak slices of red onion in red wine vinegar. It helps to do this at least 30 minutes before you want to make the recipe but a day in advance is best. Then you can keep any leftovers in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Step 2: Slice the oranges (or whatever citrus you have).
- You’re going to slice off the tops and bottoms and place the orange cut side down. Use your knife to cut down along with side of the orange, removing the peel and white pith in strips. Flip it over to get any bits you missed on the bottom. Make sure all the white pith is removed. Cut the orange in half top to bottom. Place the halves cut side down and slice into half moons.
Step 3: Slice the avocado.
- First slice the avocado all the way around in half and separate the halves. Carefully thwack the knife (technical term) into the pit and twist to remove. Cut the avocado into slices crosswise. The slices around the pit might break into two but that’s fine. We just want slices similar in size to the citrus slices for easy eating. Who doesn’t love easy eating?
Step 3: Roughly chop the pistachios. We’re looking for chunks, not a powder.
Step 4: Plate it all up!
- Layer the citrus and avocado slices together and sprinkle with flaky sea salt (keep in mind the feta or olives will also add some saltiness). Strew the pickled red onion over the fruit, letting any excess vinegar dribble onto the plate (this and this oil make the dressing). Cut or crumble the feta and the chopped pistachios all over and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. And you’re done! Dig in!

close up of oranges, avocado, onion, feta and pistachios on a white platter

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What do I serve with this Citrus Avocado Salad?

You can find these ingredients any time of year. So this salad would be good in the winter when you’re craving fresh fruits and vegetables.

It would be good in the spring, like with this easy lamb ragu or as part of this gluten-free Easter menu.

It would be good in the summer, next to this Italian mixed grill or this crunchy plantain chip chicken.

Or it would be good in the fall, like with this sheet pan salmon with carrots and fennel.

Can I make this Citrus Avocado Salad ahead of time?

You can make the pickled red onion up to a week in advance and keep in the fridge. If necessary, you can slice the oranges up to a day in advance and keep them in the fridge. Otherwise, this salad is best served immediately.

Can I freeze this Citrus Avocado Salad?

I do not recommend freezing this.

How do I make this vegan?

Simply replace the feta with the same amount of your favorite pitted olives, coarsely chopped if desired. They’ll add saltiness like feta does plus their own chewy texture.

How do I make this Paleo/Whole30 friendly?

Simply replace the feta with the same amount of your favorite pitted olives, coarsely chopped if desired. They’ll add saltiness like feta does plus their own chewy texture.

Other recipes you might like:

Citrus Avocado Salad

Don Baiocchi

This easy and refreshing Citrus Avocado Salad is perfect for company or a weeknight meal. The vibrant mix of colors and textures means high impact with low effort!

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 0

pickling time 30

Total Time 45

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings people

Calories 391 kcal

Ingredients

1 red onion
½-¾ cup red wine vinegar
3 oranges or citrus of your choice (see notes)
2 avocados
flaky sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2-3 oz. solid or crumbly feta (see note for vegan/Whole30)
3-4 tablespoons roasted, salted pistachios, roughly chopped
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Peel the onion and slice in half top to bottom, then slice each half into thin half moons. Add to a glass jar and pour in ½ cup of the vinegar. You don't need to completely submerge the onions so add more only if you need it (this will also depend on the size/width of your container). Set aside for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cut off the top and bottom of the oranges (or whatever citrus you're using). Place cut side down and trim off the peel and white pith completely. Cut in half top to bottom and slice each half into half moons, about ¼" thick. (See post for more detailed instructions).
Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit. Slice crosswise about the same width as the orange slices. The slices around the pit might break in half but that's okay.
Overlap the citrus and avocado slices on a platter. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper (keep in mind the feta will also add saltiness). Strew a handful of pickled onions over them, letting the excess vinegar dribble over the fruit. Cut or crumble the feta and pistachios over everything. Drizzle with the olive oil. Taste and add more salt, vinegar or oil if necessary.

Notes

The pickled onions are best made at least 1 day in advance. Keep them in the fridge for up to 1 week (they can actually last longer than that, but they’ll get soggy and bland).

Any citrus will work: oranges, mandarin, satsumas, Cuties, etc. If you use grapefruit, you might need only 1 or 2. If you use smaller citrus, you might need more. You can also use 1-2 (14.5 oz) cans of mandarin orange slices, drained.

Your avocado is ripe if it’s mostly firm (but not rock hard) with a bit of give toward the top. Pluck off the little stem and it should be mostly green underneath. If you buy it too early and it’s not ripe, leave out on the counter. If you buy it too early and it’s already ripe (or close), store in the fridge to slow down the process.

Have any fresh herbs? Mint, basil, parsley or tarragon would all be great here.

To make it vegan and/or Whole30-friendly, replace the feta with the same amount of your favorite pitted olives, coarsely chopped if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 391kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 6gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 464mgPotassium: 780mgFiber: 10gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 490IUVitamin C: 75mgCalcium: 141mgIron: 1mg

Keyword avocado, citrus, grapefruit, oranges, salad

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