Description
A vibrant and refreshing Mediterranean orange salad combining sweet Navel oranges, crunchy pomegranate seeds, fresh mint, and a zesty honey-lime dressing with subtle hints of cinnamon and paprika, perfect as a light side dish or appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Main 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
- 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. This will mellow their sharpness and give a crisp texture. After soaking, remove the onions and dry them thoroughly with paper towels.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey, and orange blossom water if using. Set the dressing aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Prepare the serving platter. Sprinkle half of the chopped fresh mint leaves evenly on the platter. Arrange the peeled and sliced orange rounds evenly over the mint, then scatter the softened onions on top. Season the layered ingredients with a pinch each of kosher salt, sweet paprika, and ground cinnamon.
- Add pomegranate seeds. Evenly spread the pomegranate seeds over the orange and onion layers, adding a burst of color and crunch.
- Dress and serve. Drizzle the prepared honey-lime dressing over the salad as desired. Finally, sprinkle the remaining fresh mint leaves on top for a fresh herbal note. Let the salad rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- This salad is wonderfully bright and refreshing, making it a perfect light addition to any meal, especially Mediterranean or Middle Eastern-inspired dishes.
- You can substitute honey with maple syrup to make it vegan friendly.
- The orange blossom water is optional but adds a beautiful floral aroma; omit if unavailable.
- Make sure to dry the onions well after soaking to prevent a watery salad.
- For a nuttier texture, consider adding toasted pistachios or walnuts as a garnish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 149.4 kcal
- Sugar: 21.8 g
- Sodium: 11.5 mg
- Fat: 3.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 5.8 g
- Protein: 2.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
