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Autumn Salad with grapefruit, avocado and goat cheese (and more!) is a riot of bold and bright flavours and contrasting textures- all factors which make a meal deliciously satisfying as well as a feast for the eyes. And sweetening the deal- it’s drizzled with a homemade maple Dijon vinaigrette dressing.
Honestly, this hearty avocado and grapefruit salad would be enough for me. But it wouldn’t take too much persuasion to split a hot and toasty goat cheese and roasted vegetable focaccia too!
This is my own low-carb, no-cook version of an Autumn salad. A quick Google will tell you that a rule-following autumn salad will include root vegetables like butternut squash or parsnips, and fibre-rich grains like barley or quinoa.
But honestly, I’m not sure I’m ready to give myself over to autumn’s cosy vibes completely yet! So in the meantime, I’ve created this simpler, easier-to-prepare salad recipe that takes just 20 minutes, is light on the belly and can be eaten as a standalone salad or paired up with some protein. Hello, grilled chicken!
Don’t I always say, “make it your own”?
Why you’ll love it
Not only is this avo and grapefruit salad recipe nutritious; packed with Vitamin C and healthy fats, it’s satisfying thanks to the variety of whole ingredients and their clashing textures.
What’s more, there’s no cooking involved (bar toasting a handful of walnuts), and this versatile autumn salad is bold enough to hold its own at any meal; as the main event, sandwich sidekick or supporting side dish.
Ingredients
Now, I love to tailor a salad to my tastes, but it’s this unique combination of ingredients that makes this autumn salad recipe really sing. Let me break it down for you:
- pink (ruby) grapefruit: acidic and sweet, it keeps the maple vinaigrette in check. Plus, the sunset pink segments glimmer like jewels.
- salad greens: I used a handy bag of mixed leaves, but use what you like best, peppery rocket or crunchy cos, it’s all good.
- goat cheese: I favour crumbly goat cheese for its consistency. The cheesy crumbs catch in all corners of the salad making every mouthful complete.
- walnuts: woody walnuts add unskippable texture. If they’re not your fave, substitute with another nut (see below). If nuts are off the menu, use a seed mix so you don’t miss out.
- avocados: smooth, creamy and green. That’s colour and texture! A perfectly ripe avo will melt in the mouth. Keep the slices large so they don’t disintegrate!
How to make it
The closest you’re getting to cooking in this autumn salad recipe is toasting some nuts. So, let’s start there:
- Toast the walnuts in the oven (3 mins!). Leave to cool.
- Peel and slice the grapefruit into segments. Reserve some juice!
- Make the maple Dijon vinaigrette– combine all the dressing ingredients in a lidded jar and shake.
- Combine all the salad ingredients in this order: salad leaves, grapefruit slices, avocado wedges, crumbled goat cheese, toasted nuts.
- Drizzle with the autumn salad dressing (about 10 mins before serving), gently toss to coat evenly.
Recipe Tips and notes
- Customise your salad as you wish as long as the main players are still present: salad greens, grapefruit, avocado, maple Dijon dressing.
- For example, swap walnuts for pecans or pistachios, or feta for goat cheese.
- Prefer orange to grapefruit? That’s fine too. Personally, I like the bitter edge the grapefruit brings- it balances the maple vinaigrette.
- Make it a main meal by adding protein. Chicken, steak, shrimp or scallops all taste great here. And if you’re really pushing the boat out, try lobster!
Serving suggestions
There are so many options for this juicy, creamy grapefruit salad with maple vinaigrette!
- liven up your workday packed lunch with this bit-of-everything zesty delight!
- serve with a sandwich; I’m backing a hot one (as the season’s turning chilly), like a classic Croque, or duck breast with roasted peppers and artichokes.
- dish up alongside a main meal that’s bringing the protein; roast chicken dishes, steak or pork will all benefit from the sweet and sour salad notes.
Storage and leftovers
If possible, store your autumn salad and maple Dijon vinaigrette separately to avoid sogginess and preserve the leafy crunch.
NB: The avocado in the salad will brown fast, so unless you’re up for an avocado extraction operation, the salad will only keep overnight. Store it in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container in the fridge. The salad dressing on the other hand, will last up to five days in the mason jar.
More cold weather salads
- Festive Red Cabbage Slaw
- French Carrot Salad with Hazelnut Crunch
- Walnut Beet Salad with Garlic Mayonnaise Dressing
- Winter Salad with Red Cabbage, Kale and Pomegranate
Autumn Salad with Grapefruit, Avocado and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pink (ruby) grapefruit, or orange
- 2 avocados, pealed and cut into wedges
- 120g / 8 cups mixed salad greens, lettuce, spinach and arugula/rocket
- 115g / 4oz goat cheese
- 60g / 1/2 cup walnuts, or any other nuts
For the Maple Dijon Dressing
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.maple syrup
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 4 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- a pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts in the oven for 3 minutes at 200C/400F, cool and set aside till needed.
- Cut the top and the bottom of the grapefruit, so it has two flat ends, then stand it on a cutting board and start removing the peel together with the pith (the white spongy part) with a sharp pairing knife following the natural curve of the fruit. Once no visible white parts remain hold the grapefruit in the palm of your hand and start cutting out little segments of the grapefruit flesh between the membranes. Once you finish segmenting the grapefruit, squeeze out the remaining juice and save it for the dressing.
- Alternatively, you can simply peel the grapefruit and slice it if you don’t want to fuss.
- Make the salad dressing by combining the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, white wine vinegar, olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and the saved earlier grapefruit juice in a mason jar. Cover with a lid and twist it tightly, then shake till well combined and emulsified.
- In a large salad bowl combine the salad leaves, grapefruit segments, avocado wedges, crumbled goat cheese and walnuts. Drizzle the dressing all over and mix gently to coat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
