Walnut Free Avocado Citrus Salad with Basil-Herb Dressing
This salad is a bright, gorgeous showstopper that layers creamy avocado, juicy orange and grapefruit segments, and peppery greens into something that tastes like it came from a serious restaurant kitchen. The real star is the blended basil-herb dressing — two full cups of fresh basil blitzed with parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil into a silky, vivid green sauce that clings beautifully to every leaf. A whisper of ground ginger in the dressing adds just enough warmth to make the citrus pop in a way you won't expect. Many salads that look this impressive lean on toasted nuts for texture and richness, but here the buttery avocado slices and the bold, herby dressing do all that heavy lifting without any tree nuts in sight. Thinly sliced red onion adds a gentle bite that keeps the whole bowl from feeling too sweet, and a final pinch of flaky sea salt ties everything together. It comes together in just a few simple steps — blend, segment, arrange, drizzle — making it as practical as it is beautiful. Serve it immediately so the greens stay fresh and the dressing stays brilliantly green.
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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.
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