Description
A bright and refreshing Mediterranean orange salad featuring sweet Navel oranges, crunchy pomegranate seeds, and fresh mint, dressed with a zesty honey-lime dressing accented by hints of paprika and cinnamon. Perfect as a light appetizer or side dish for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 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
- 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 into a bowl of ice water and let them soak for 10 minutes to mellow their sharpness. After soaking, remove the onions and pat them dry thoroughly.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey, and orange blossom water (if using) until well combined. Set this dressing aside.
- Prepare the serving platter: On a large serving dish, scatter half of the chopped fresh mint leaves as a bed. Then, neatly arrange the orange slices and dried onions over the mint. Lightly sprinkle the salad with kosher salt, sweet paprika, and ground cinnamon for flavor balance.
- Add pomegranate seeds: Evenly distribute the pomegranate seeds on top of the arranged oranges and onions, adding a burst of color and texture.
- Dress and finish: Drizzle or spoon the prepared dressing over the entire salad to taste. Finally, sprinkle the remaining fresh mint leaves on top. Allow the salad to rest for 5 minutes before serving to let flavors meld.
Notes
- This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours before serving to enhance flavors.
- Orange blossom water is optional but adds a floral aroma that complements the citrus.
- For a vegan option, substitute honey with agave syrup or maple syrup.
- Removing the bitterness of the onion by soaking in ice water is key to a balanced flavor.
- Feel free to garnish the salad with a sprinkle of toasted nuts like pistachios or almonds for added crunch.
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 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
