Dress up those leafy greens by making this tasty salad featuring juicy grapefruit, red and golden beets, sweet cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced almonds, and a super simple homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Eat for lunch or serve as a delicious side salad with any main course!
Winter citrus brings joy and vibrant color to the dark of the winter. It also delivers some much needed vitamin C which is why I've been eating this gorgeous green salad with semi-sweet pink grapefruit on repeat.
I don't typically eat grapefruit on their own but when tossed with thinly sliced raw red and golden beets (yes, eat them raw and save the roasted beets for another time), cherry tomatoes, sliced almonds, and goat cheese on a bed of leafy greens and a generous drizzle of homemade balsamic dressing, it's a flavor explosion of Mmmmm.....
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🌟 Why you'll love this recipe
Other than eating this colorful salad simply because it's so dang good, it's super simple to make, packs a ton of flavor, and is a nutritious powerhouse, especially if you are an avid runner (which I occasionally aspire to).
I did a little research and check this out...
Beets --> They contain dietary nitrates (this is a good kind of nitrate versus the bad nitrate we see in processed foods) which is shown to improve time to exhaustion during exercise (more energy for a longer period) and reduces the oxygen cost of exercise. Check out this article for more on beets. But basically, the article says we will run faster if we eat our beets!⚡
Grapefruit --> Contains a TON of the antioxidant vitamin C, which can help boost the immune system to better fight germs. It also contains antioxidants from vitamins A and E. Eating foods like grapefruit that are high in antioxidants can help counteract free radical damage caused by exercise. The B vitamins in grapefruit juice contribute to keeping energy levels high, while calcium and potassium, two electrolytes naturally found in grapefruit, help to replenish electrolytes lost through sweat during a workout. Find more info on grapefruit here.
Tomatoes --> An awesome source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin B6 (which may help with glycogen storage) as well as calcium and vitamin K (which help in strengthening and performing minor repairs on your bones). Check out this Best Foods for Runners article.
I haven't even touched on almonds or mixed greens, which apparently have awesome benefits for runners too! Read all about almonds and mixed greens here.
Finally, top the salad off with some creamy, soft goat cheese. Just because. We don't need a reason for this right?
🔪 Recipe instructions
This salad requires some peeling and slicing but other than that this salad is a quick and filling way to eat a rainbow of nutrition.
- Make a homemade balsamic vinaigrette - 6 ingredients are all that we need, a quick whisk to combine, and our dressing is ready.
- Build your salad - Top assorted leafy greens with julienned red and golden beets, slices of juicy grapefruit, and halved cherry tomatoes. Then top it off with crumbles of creamy goat cheese and sliced almonds for a little crunch.
- Drizzle and eat! - Finish it off with a drizzle of the homemade balsamic dressing and enjoy!
Two letters. E-Z.
👩🍳 Recipe tips!
- If you won't be eating the salad right away or you are meal prepping it for later, wait to add the balsamic vinaigrette to the salad until just before serving to avoid the greens from turning soggy.
- Raw beets are pretty hard when eaten uncooked but when cut into short, thin strips (julienne cut) they add a perfect bit of crunch to the salad.
- Beets are great at staining hands and anything else they come in contact with. Avoid your hands from being stained by the beet juice by peeling them under cold running water or use rubber gloves. Also, julienne the beets on a dark-colored cutting board or a surface that you aren't concerned about possibly dyeing red.
💭 Frequently asked questions
Many citrus fruits are at their sweetest and juiciest during our winter months. Navel oranges, blood oranges, clementines, tangerines, ruby red grapefruit, white grapefruit, Meyer lemons, pomelos, kumquats are just a few of the many citrus fruits that are at their peak ripeness during those cold, dreary months when we need that extra dose of vitamin C the most!
Balsamic vinegar is exactly that, vinegar. Balsamic vinaigrette, on the other hand, is a mixture of ingredients such as olive oil, seasonings, some type of sweetener, and balsamic vinegar used to create a dressing.
Get out your forks and dig into this crunchy, juicy, vibrant salad! Pack it to work for lunch, make it for a quick and easy dinnertime meal, or serve it alongside your next holiday meal.
I hope you enjoy!
Now where did I put those running shoes...
✨ More tasty salad recipes!
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📖 Recipe
Winter Citrus Beet Salad with Balsamic Dressing
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 servings
Description
A super healthy and gorgeously delicious salad that is quick and easy to prepare!
Ingredients
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons honey (or agave)
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Winter Citrus Beet Salad
- 4 cups leafy greens
- ½ grapefruit, peeled, halved, and sliced
- 1 small red beet, peeled and julienned
- 1 small golden beet, peeled and julienned
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup goat cheese (or any other soft cheese you might like such as feta)
Instructions
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Tightly screw the lid on the mason jar and give it a good shake until the vinaigrette ingredients have fully combined.
Winter Citrus Beet Salad
- Add greens, grapefruit, red beets, golden beets, tomatoes, almonds, and cheese together in a large bowl.
- Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette (or dressing of choice) on the salad, and toss until the salad is combined and evenly coated. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use or recommend.
For the leafy greens, I used Earthbound Farm's Organic Spring Mix Salad.
- Category: Salad
- Method: Chop
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
- Diet: Gluten Free
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