Clementine, Arugula, and Radicchio Salad

This quick winter salad is bursting with sweet juicy citrus, seasonal greens, and topped with an easy dressing. During the coldest months of the year, you’ll definitely enjoy every bite of this vibrant clementine salad.

Every year, around the end of November, my family gets very excited about the appearance of clementines at the market. They’re juicy, sweet enough to be candy, and in the coldest months of December and January, we love the bright citrus flavor.

We look forward to the mandarin season so much that I’ve come to associate that flavor with the holidays. My winter wouldn’t be complete without them.

Clementines are definitely one of our favorite varieties, they disappear almost as soon as I buy them. But I always try to save a few from our snacking, because using them in recipes like this perfectly balanced clementine salad is a fun way to enjoy their flavor a little bit more.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s a very healthy, easy way to enjoy some of the best flavors of winter produce.
• 10 minutes is all you need to make the salad and the dressing.
• It serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side, and can be doubled or tripled to serve more.

Ingredients

Getting a salad just right is all about balancing texture and flavors. You’ll love the way crunchy nuts, creamy avocado, and juicy citrus are balanced with winter greens in this clementine salad.

• Clementines – you’ll want 3, peeled, halved, sliced to make sure you get a little in every bite. If they’re not available to you, use the best seasonal mandarin you can find.
• Radicchio – A subtly bitter winter green that’s flavor and purple color add a lovely layer to the salad. Endive is a good swap if you need one.
• Arugula – if you can’t find it, watercress or dandelion greens are a great alternative that still deliver some mild spice.
• Red onion – Just ½ a small one, thinly sliced.
• Avocado – Dice a whole one for a creamy element that’s irresistible.
• Pecans – Chop them roughly, or use almonds or walnuts if you prefer.
• Feta cheese – Use another crumbly and salty cheese if you can’t find feta.

All that’s left after prepping and assembling the salad ingredients, is to make a quick and easy dressing. The clementines are so juicy you don’t need an intense or heavy one.

The one for this salad is made with just apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Prepping, Serving, and Storing

This clementine salad simply doesn’t take that long to make! You’ll only need ten minutes to prep everything into a bowl and shake the dressing ingredients in a jar. Then it’s time to serve.

If you want to make this for lunch, I recommend keeping the feta, clementine, and dressing separate until it’s time to assemble. If at all possible, always cut the avocado fresh.

Once you’re ready to eat, I do recommend tossing all the ingredients except the cheese together first. Dress it and toss it again, then add the cheese and toss a final time. Everything gets well coated this way but the feta is still in good chunks.

I don’t recommend storing any leftovers for long though, especially if they’re dressed. The greens will get soft. But you can certainly prepare extras of all the ingredients and the dressing. Then it’s easy to whip up a quick clementine salad in even less than 10 minutes next time.

I hope you enjoy every juicy bite of winter clementines, whether in this salad or as a snack. We sure will! And while you’re here, check out some of my other winter salads for more light and delicious ways to enjoy the cold season.

• Red Cabbage Salad with Apple, Orange, and Spinach
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate Salad
• Cajun Chicken Salad
• Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Salad with Cranberries
• Apple, Fennel, and Walnut Salad with Orange Dressing