Citrus Dressing
Fresh orange, grapefruit, and lemon juice whisked with olive oil into a bright, gently sweet dressing for shaved fennel, bitter greens, and seafood.
Why you'll love Citrus Dressing
This is the dressing from the Fennel and Citrus Salad with Pistachios, written out so you can make it on its own. In Sicily, where oranges and fennel share the same winter season, salads like that one are dressed with good olive oil and the juice of the fruit itself. Orange brings the sweetness, grapefruit brings a faint bitterness that keeps the sweetness in check, and lemon sharpens the whole thing.
The proportions run close to equal parts juice and olive oil, more acid than a classic vinaigrette. Citrus juice is softer and sweeter than vinegar, so it takes that much to taste bright, and the extra juice keeps the dressing light enough to pour over thin-shaved vegetables and leave them crisp.
Use it anywhere you want brightness with a little sweetness from the fruit itself: shaved fennel, arugula and avocado, seared scallops, grilled shrimp, or a piece of roasted salmon.
Quick overview: This Citrus Dressing comes together in 10 min and makes 7 servings, each 2 tablespoons (makes a scant 1 cup).
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 medium orange)
- 2 tbsp fresh grapefruit juice (from about 1/4 grapefruit)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Juice the fruit: Roll the orange, grapefruit, and lemon firmly on the counter under your palm, then halve them and squeeze the juice into a measuring cup. Rolling breaks the juice cells inside, so each fruit gives more. Fish out any seeds with a spoon.
- Season the juice: Add the salt and a few grinds of pepper to the juice and whisk until the salt dissolves. Salt dissolves in the juice, where it seasons evenly, so it goes in before the oil.
- Whisk in the oil: Pour in the olive oil in a slow stream while whisking, or pour everything into a jar, seal it, and shake hard for 20 seconds. The dressing turns cloudy and slightly thick as the oil breaks into tiny droplets held in the juice.
- Taste and adjust: Dip a sliver of fennel or a lettuce leaf in and taste. Citrus changes through the season, so if it tastes flat add a squeeze of lemon, and if it tastes sharp add a little more olive oil.
- Shake before pouring: Juice and oil drift apart within a few minutes, so shake or whisk the dressing again right before you pour it over the dish.
Storage and leftovers
Keep the dressing in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Fresh citrus juice tastes brightest on the first day and grows duller and slightly bitter as it sits.
Olive oil thickens and clouds in the cold. Let the jar stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, then shake it well before using.
Variations
- Blood orange: Use blood orange juice in place of the orange juice in winter for a deep red dressing with a berry-like sweetness.
- With shallot: Stir 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot into the juice and let it sit for 10 minutes before adding the oil, for a savory edge.
- Orange zest: Grate 1/2 teaspoon orange zest into the juice for a stronger orange aroma.
- Fresh herbs: Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped mint or fennel fronds just before serving.
Notes and tips
- On the fennel salad: About 1/3 cup dresses one Fennel and Citrus Salad with Pistachios for four. Use it in place of both the lemon juice and the oil-and-juice dressing: toss the shaved fennel with the salt and a spoonful of the dressing while you cut the citrus, then drizzle the rest over the platter. Pour any juice left on the cutting board into the jar.
- Check your medications: Grapefruit juice changes how some medications work, including certain statins and blood pressure drugs. If a prescription you take carries a grapefruit warning, use orange juice in place of the grapefruit.
- Pick heavy fruit: Citrus that feels heavy for its size holds the most juice.
- Squeeze it fresh: Fresh-squeezed juice tastes brighter than bottled, and its only ingredient is the fruit.
Nutrition and mindful eating
- Olive oil is the real fat in this dressing, and fat on a salad helps your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids in the vegetables it coats, such as the vitamin K in greens and the beta-carotene in carrots.
- Orange, grapefruit, and lemon bring vitamin C and a sweetness that comes from the fruit itself, a few spoonfuls of juice spread across a whole salad.
- The grapefruit's mild bitterness is part of the balance. Sweet, sour, and bitter together make a plate of vegetables taste complete with a light hand on each.
- As you eat, notice how the juice makes shaved fennel or greens taste sweeter and fresher than they do plain, and check in after the meal: with olive oil and a protein beside it, a plate dressed this way should leave you satisfied, with the fruit's own sweetness feeling like enough.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this Citrus Dressing? Start here, with the questions people ask most.
Can I use bottled juice?
Fresh juice is what makes this dressing bright. If you do buy juice, choose 100 percent juice whose label lists only the fruit, and taste the dressing before using it, since bottled juice tastes flatter.
Why does it separate?
Citrus juice and oil hold together only briefly on their own. Shake it right before pouring, or whisk in 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard before the oil, which helps the dressing stay emulsified longer.
How much should I use?
About 2 tablespoons dresses a side salad, and about 1/3 cup dresses the full Fennel and Citrus Salad for four.
Does fruit juice fit RESET360?
RESET360 uses low-glycemic fruit, and oranges and grapefruit are on the list. Here the juice works as a seasoning, spread across the whole batch and eaten with olive oil and vegetables, which slow how its natural sugar reaches your blood. A glass of juice on its own is a different matter.
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