Citrus Fennel Avocado Salad

This refreshing Citrus Fennel Avocado Salad with a fruity champagne vinaigrette is like sunshine on a plate!

Happy first day of Spring! It’s been a loooong, cold winter (as usual in Michigan), and it’s finally starting to feel like spring around here! Last year we had a few warm days in February before it went back to winter until late April, so we’re ahead of schedule this year!

The last few days, we’ve been able to take a break to walk the dogs (in the sunshine!!). It’s made all the difference in our productivity and motivation. Working is so much more enjoyable when we can crack open a window for some fresh air. We’re just savoring the weather for now, because it’s still Michigan and could snow tomorrow (or in like, 2 hours).

As much as we’re looking forward to spring and summer produce, citrus season is still in full force and we love all the vitamin C. Citrus salads are a favorite in the winter, especially with all the comfort food (which we’ve been sharing a lot of lately…hello Mushroom Stew and Lentil Shepherd’s Pie!), so we are more than ready for this citrus fennel salad.

We always have a plethora of various citrus laying around the house from December to March, so we add a bit of everything to this citrus salad. Here, we used grapefruit, blood orange, navel orange, mandarins and a few kumquats (read more about them here)! A little bitter, a little sweet, a little tart – the perfect balance.

We love pairing refreshing citrus with a crunchy vegetable (here, fennel) and creamy avocado for balanced texture. Admittedly, I (Lexi) am not a big fan of fennel, but my mom loves it. She may just have changed my opinion with this citrus fennel avocado salad. Since fennel has such a strong flavor, the key is to marinate it in the dressing ahead of time. The citrus dressing is sweet, tangy and bright thanks to fresh juice + champagne vinegar. It really tames the fennel to a level that even I can handle.

Fresh mint and fennel fronds make for a beautiful, herbaceous garnish. This citrus fennel avocado salad makes for a great appetizer with a crisp glass of dry white wine. We also love it on the side with pesto pasta, or if you’re not vegan/vegetarian, fish or chicken.

For a slightly heartier citrus salad, try this Roasted Beet, Citrus and Lentil Salad!

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