Carrageenan Free Avocado Citrus Salad with Basil-Herb Dressing
Bright, creamy, and bursting with citrus, this salad is the kind of dish that makes you feel like you're eating somewhere sunny and expensive. Ripe avocado slices nestle alongside fresh orange and grapefruit segments on a bed of tender greens, finished with paper-thin red onion for a little bite. The real star is the blended basil-herb dressing — made from scratch with fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil — which comes together in under a minute and turns a vivid, glossy green. Because every component here is a whole, unprocessed ingredient, there's no need to scrutinize labels for hidden additives or thickeners that often sneak into bottled dressings and pre-made salad kits. Carrageenan is a common stabilizer in commercial dressings and packaged greens products, so making everything from scratch the way this recipe does is the cleanest possible approach. A pinch of flaky sea salt at the end pulls all the flavors together beautifully. Serve it immediately so the avocado stays vibrant and the greens stay crisp.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the basil-herb dressing
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
For the salad
- 5 oz mixed tender greens (such as arugula, spinach, or butter lettuce)
- 2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and sliced
- 2 navel oranges, peeled and segmented
- 1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented
- ¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced
- flaky sea salt, to taste
For serving
- fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the dressing: combine the basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, and ground ginger in a blender or food processor. Pulse 4–5 times until the herbs are roughly chopped. With the motor running on low, stream in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth and bright green, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- 2
Segment the citrus: working over a bowl to catch the juice, cut away the peel and white pith from the oranges and grapefruit. Slice between the membranes to release each segment. Discard the membranes.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!