Star Fruit Salad with Arugula, Avocado, and Feta

This healthy star fruit salad is the perfect combination of greens, light tangy dressing, and sweet fruit. It’s a quick and easy dish you can enjoy as a light lunch or dinner side.

There’s something really tasty about enjoying a green salad with chunks of sweet fruit mixed in. I make them all year long, rotating my fruit additions with the seasons, like strawberry salads in the summer or pears in the fall.

Today I’m sharing one made with a really unique fruit that I think you’ll enjoy. My star fruit salad uses a sweet and sour tropical fruit to enhance a combination of simple greens, nuts, salty cheese, and an easy dressing.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• It’s healthy thanks to nutritious greens, fresh fruit, healthy fats, and nut protein.
• You’ll only need 10 minutes to prepare it from start to finish.
• It’s great as a vegetarian lunch, or as a side to a bigger meal.

Ingredients

Before I share the handful of ingredients you’ll need to make this, first let’s answer the question I’m sure some of you are asking – what on Earth is star fruit?

You’ve likely seen the long, star-shaped pods at the store near the other tropical offerings. They’re delicious and usually available year around. They can range from sour to sweet, and have a light, apple or celery like texture.

To learn everything about them I recommend you check out my in-depth guide. But what’s important is that they’re really tasty in a whole variety of different recipes, from sweet ones like star fruit juice, or in savory combinations like this green salad.

• Star Fruit – For the sweetest flavor, look for ripe large ones with vibrant, all yellow skin.
• Lettuce – Choose a green lettuce like romaine, green leaf, or your favorite.
• Arugula – This brings a peppery bite. You could also use radicchio or mustard greens.
• Red onion – We use this raw. If it’s too intense for you, soak the slices in cold water while you prep the rest of the salad to make it milder.
• Avocado – Dice one whole one for a creamy element.
• Pecans – You can use walnuts or almonds if you prefer.
• Feta cheese – I love feta, but any salty, crumbly cheese could work instead.

We’ll also need the ingredients to make a simple dressing. If you have salt, pepper, olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard you’re good to go.

If needed, feel free to swap in any light sweet vinegar like white wine or golden balsamic instead.

Instructions & Serving Suggestions

I love a quick and easy side dish like this one, and you’ll only need 10 minutes, a knife, a bowl, and a jar to make this whole recipe.

First whip up the salad dressing by combining all the ingredients in a mason jar or other sealed container. Then just shake vigorously until it’s well mixed.

For the salad there’s a small amount of prep work needed. Chop the lettuce, slice the onion, and dice your avocado. Next trim off the ends and ridges of the star fruit, then slice it and remove the seeds.

All that’s left is to combine everything except the cheese in a large bowl. Lightly toss it, then drizzle over some dressing, and toss again. Top with the feta and toss one final time to combine it gently.

You can serve this salad with simply seasoned, sliced chicken to make it a complete meal, like I do in my cajun chicken salad. Or, you can serve it alongside other dishes like pumpkin and red lentil curry, pomegranate sheet pan chicken, or creamy chickpea and spinach curry.

No matter how you choose to serve it, I think you’ll love its sweet and savory flavors. You can find tons of other inspiration for using that combo in these salad recipes too!

• Red Cabbage Salad with Apples, Orange, and Spinach
• Cantaloupe Salad with Prosciutto
• Clementine, Arugula, and Radicchio Salad
• Microgreen Salad with Peaches and Avocado