citrus spinach salad with grapefruit orange and toasted walnuts

By Pam 2026-01-02

Storage Tips

Individual components: Keep toasted walnuts in an airtight tin at room temp up to 1 week. Citrus segments stay juicy for 3 days submerged in their juice in the fridge. Dressing keeps 5 days refrigerated; shake well before using. Washed and spun-dry spinach stores 4 days in a paper-towel-lined produce bag.

Assembled salad: Best enjoyed within 2 hours. If you must prep ahead, layer ingredients in a glass jar—dressing on the bottom, then citrus, walnuts, feta, spinach on top. Seal and refrigerate up to 24 hours; invert onto a platter and toss just before serving.

Freezing: Do not freeze assembled salad. You can, however, freeze toasted walnuts for 3 months and citrus zest for 6 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use bagged pre-washed spinach?

Yes, but rinse again and spin dry; residual moisture dilutes dressing. Check for yellowing leaves and remove any slimy bits for best texture.

I hate grapefruit. What else works?

Use all oranges, blood oranges, or even tangerines. Pomegranate arils add tart pops if you still crave bitterness.

How do I supreme citrus without waste?

Trim ends, stand fruit up, follow curve to remove peel, then slice inside membranes. After, squeeze the leftover core into your measuring cup for dressing—zero waste!

Can I make this nut-free and still get crunch?

Roast chickpeas with smoked paprika, or use toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernels, or even crushed pita chips for crunch.

Is this salad keto-friendly?

Grapefruit and oranges add natural sugars; swap them for avocado chunks and sliced strawberries to drop net carbs to ~6 g per serving.

What protein pairs best?

Grilled salmon echoes citrus notes; blackened shrimp adds Cajun heat; for vegetarians, warm quinoa or white beans work beautifully.

citrus spinach salad with grapefruit orange and toasted walnuts

Love this? Pin it for later! Citrus Spinach Salad with Grapefruit, Orange & Toasted Walnuts Bright, zesty, and packed with winter sunshine—this citrus spinach salad is my antidote…

Prep—

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Ingredients

8 cups baby spinach (about 7 oz)
2 large ruby-red grapefruit
2 navel oranges
1 cup walnut halves
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp lime zest
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Toast walnuts: Dry-toast walnuts in a skillet over medium heat 4–5 minutes until fragrant; cool and chop.
Supreme citrus: Cut peel and pith from fruit; slice segments from membranes, collecting juice.
Make dressing: Whisk 3 Tbsp citrus juice, vinegar, honey, Dijon, lime zest, salt, pepper; stream in olive oil until creamy.
Prep greens: Rinse and spin-dry spinach.
Assemble: Toss spinach with half the dressing, citrus, and walnuts. Top with feta and remaining walnuts. Drizzle extra dressing as desired. Serve immediately.