Charred Citrus Salad Recipe

The fruit salad of your dreams

The idea with this salad from SuperBite in Portland, Oregon, is to play up the vibrant flavors of ingredients like grapefruit, arugula and turmeric. Grapefruit, which is naturally bitter from quinine, gets charred for an even deeper flavor. And the arugula, which is naturally spicy, gets dressed here in an Aperol vinaigrette. Turmeric is mixed into Greek yogurt for a cooling effect, and a vadouvan spice mixture kicks up fried shallots.

Thanks to powerful components—the creamy yogurt, acidic dressing, sweet orange segments, herbaceous notes of parsley and tarragon, and crispy fried shallots—this salad is absolutely delicious.

Check out more of our best salad recipes.

Recipe adapted from Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, SuperBite, Portland, OR

Charred Citrus Salad
5 from 30 ratings
Get the recipe for this vibrant salad, which packs the ultimate punch with charred grapefruit and sweet orange segments, a tart vinaigrette, spicy arugula, and creamy turmeric Greek yogurt.
Prep Time
40
minutes
Cook Time
30
minutes
Servings
4
to 6 servings
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients
  • For the Vadouvan Fried Shallots
  • ½ tablespoon cumin seeds
  • ¾ teaspoon coriander seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon sumac
  • 1 pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
  • 3 shallots, peeled
  • 2 cups vegetable oil
  • For the Turmeric Yogurt
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • For the Aperol Vinaigrette
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ tablespoon Aperol
  • ½ tablespoon mirin
  • 1 green onion, just the green ends thinly sliced
  • ¼ small shallot, minced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • For the Charred Citrus Salad
  • 3 medium grapefruit, skins and rinds removed
  • 2 medium Cara Cara oranges, skins and rinds removed, segmented into supremes
  • 2 medium navel oranges, skins and rinds removed, segmented into supremes
  • 4 cups loosely packed arugula
  • ½ cup parsley leaves
  • ¼ cup tarragon leaves
  • Aperol vinaigrette
  • Turmeric yogurt
  • Vadouvan fried shallots
  • Sea salt, to taste
Directions
  1. Make the vadouvan fried shallots: In a small sauté pan, toast the cumin, coriander and brown mustard seeds separately until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes each. Grind the spices until fine and combine in a bowl, along with the turmeric, brown sugar, salt, sumac and nutmeg. Set aside.
  2. Using a mandoline, slice the shallots ⅛ inch thin, then using your fingers, separate the individual rings. Place the shallot rings in a small saucepot and cover with the vegetable oil. If the shallots are not completely submerged in the oil, add more oil until they are covered.
  3. Place the pot over medium-low heat and fry until the shallots are golden brown and crispy, 17 to 20 minutes. Stir the shallots in the oil frequently to keep them from burning. Using a spider tool, transfer the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil as they begin to cool and crisp up. Lightly season the shallots with salt. While still warm, transfer the shallots to a small bowl and toss with the vadouvan spice mixture; reserve for later.
  4. While the shallots are frying, make the turmeric yogurt: In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt and turmeric until the turmeric is fully incorporated into the yogurt. Season with salt and set aside for later.
  5. Make the Aperol vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk all of the vinaigrette ingredients together and set aside.
  6. Make the charred citrus salad: Turn the broiler on high and move one rack to the position closest to the broiler. Place the grapefruit on a baking sheet and char, 7 to 10 minutes. Let the grapefruit cool to room temperature. When they are cool enough to handle, segment the grapefruit into supremes. Transfer the grapefruit and orange segments to a medium bowl, and squeeze out any juice from the pith into the bowl as well. Toss the segments in their own juices and set aside.
  7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the arugula, parsley and tarragon leaves with the desired amount of the Aperol vinaigrette.
  8. Plate the salad: Spoon the turmeric yogurt across each serving platter, then build the salad on top of the yogurt, alternating between the dressed greens and the three kinds of citrus segments. Garnish each salad with some of the vadouvan fried shallots and a small sprinkle of finishing salt to serve.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 853
Total Fat 80.2 g
Saturated Fat 6.9 g
Trans Fat 0.6 g
Cholesterol 6.4 mg
Total Carbohydrates 32.1 g
Dietary Fiber 5.7 g
Total Sugars 21.6 g
Sodium 933.2 mg
Protein 7.3 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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