Description
This vibrant Mediterranean Orange Salad features sweet Navel oranges complemented by fresh mint, crunchy pomegranate seeds, and a zesty honey-lime dressing with a hint of aromatic orange blossom water. It's a refreshingly light and colorful salad perfect as a side dish or appetizer for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 25 fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 6 Navel oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch sweet paprika
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pomegranate, seeded (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups seeds)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange blossom water (optional)
Instructions
- Soften the onion: Place the thinly sliced red onions in a bowl of ice water and let them soak for 10 minutes to mellow their sharpness, then remove and dry completely with a towel.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey, and optional orange blossom water until well combined. Set aside.
- Prepare the serving platter: Arrange half of the chopped mint leaves on the platter. Then neatly layer the peeled orange slices and softened onions on top.
- Season the salad: Sprinkle the arranged oranges and onions with a pinch of kosher salt, sweet paprika, and ground cinnamon. Scatter the pomegranate seeds evenly over everything.
- Dress and serve: Drizzle or spoon the honey-lime dressing over the salad to your desired taste. Finish by topping with the remaining fresh mint leaves. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
- This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours before serving to keep the mint vibrant and the oranges juicy.
- If orange blossom water is unavailable, you can omit it without compromising the overall flavor.
- Use sweet, juicy Navel oranges for the best balance of sweetness and tenderness.
- Ice water soaking for onions helps reduce their pungency making them mild and pleasant in the salad.
- Adjust honey in the dressing according to your preferred sweetness level.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 149 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 12 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
