This citrus salad wreath with citrus champagne vinaigrette is one of our favorite holiday salads. The vibrant greens against the orange citrus segments and red pomegranate arils, with creamy goat cheese and buttery pistachios, are always a hit on our holiday spread. Ready in 20 minutes, with a homemade citrus champagne vinaigrette to finish it off.

When we think of the holidays, we think of vibrant green and festive red. Lucky for us, lots of produce is naturally green and red – the perfect holiday pairing!

At The Produce Moms, with some of the most honest food critics (our kids), we love presenting produce in a way that’s beautiful and gets our kids saying “more salad, please!”

Citrus wreath salad is sponsored by Pro Citrus Network.

So we used our holiday wreath as inspiration for this easy and quick citrus wreath salad with homemade citrus champagne vinaigrette. 

You’ll love this recipe because it’s prepped, plated, and ready to serve in 20 minutes. Plus, it hits all the crisp, creamy, crunchy, and citrusy notes that make each bite feel like a celebration in your mouth. 

Be sure to check out more citrus-inspired recipes at the end. But for now, let’s make the easiest holiday citrus salad that’s sure to steal the spotlight this season.

Fresh Citrus Ingredients

Let’s make sure you have everything you need to make your citrus salad and vinaigrette. You’ll find most of the ingredients in the produce aisle, and the others are probably already in your pantry. Be sure to check the full ingredient list in the recipe card to avoid last minute grocery runs.

Citrus

Oranges are the star in this citrus salad. We used 3 large navel oranges, cut into segments for the salad, but blood oranges and grapefruit make really gorgeous toppings as well. You’ll need juice from another orange and half of a lemon to make the citrus base of your vinaigrette.

We like to use citrus from Pro Citrus Network because their navel oranges are sweet, seedless, and have a meaty flesh that makes this salad super satisfying, while the lemon juice cleanses the palate before you move on to the next dinner course. 

Related: How to Select, Store, and Serve Oranges

Salad

We used spring salad mix as the base of our wreath for its mildly sweet and bitter flavors. But you can also use baby arugula or baby spring mix for a slightly peppery addition. Be sure not to skip the shelled, roasted, and salted pistachios for nuttiness, pomegranate arils for jewel-like festive flair, and creamy goat cheese for tang. If you can’t find pomegranate arils, swap them for dried cranberries or dried cherries – they still look beautiful. 

Viniagrette

We’ve already got our fresh citrus juices, so check your pantry and your fridge to see if you have honey, champagne vinegar, olive oil, and Dijon mustard. If you’ve got all those, you’re minutes away from your citrus wreath salad centerpiece.

How to Make a Citrus Salad Wreath

The best part? Zero cooking involved! Just a few slices with a knife, plating, and you’re done in 20 minutes. Don’t forget to have your kids help you put the salad together; they love playing sous chef, and they’re usually more excited to eat what they make, too!

Step 1: Make the wreath.

Place a large, round serving bowl or platter in front of you. Use your hands to place the spring mix along the edges to create the wreath shape. Place a small serving bowl in the center to make it easier to form your wreath shape.

Step 2: Slice the oranges into rounds.

We cut our oranges into rounds so they are easier to eat. Place your orange on a cutting board in front of you, with the stem facing away from you. Use the knife to cut the orange in half and then into rounds as big or as thin as you’d like. As you cut, have your kids peel them so they’re ready for plating and serving. Or use your knife to cleanly cut away the skin and the pith (the white part under the skin). Repeat with the rest of your oranges.

Want to cut your oranges another way? Here are 5 Ways to Cut a Navel Orange Like A Pro!

Step 3: Arrange the toppings.

Now, let’s decorate our citrus wreath! Place the orange rounds evenly around the wreath. Then, sprinkle the pistachios, pomegranate arils, and crumbled goat cheese around your wreath salad. 

Substitutions: 

If you don’t have a particular ingredient on hand or you’re making this salad again and want to switch it up a bit, these are some of our favorite swaps. Each substitution gives a slightly different flavor while keeping the bright citrusy flavors front and center. Feel free to give them all a try!

Lettuce → baby arugula, sweet baby green mixture

Oranges → blood oranges, grapefruit

Pomegranate arils → dried cherries, dried cranberries

Goat cheese → crumbled feta, blue cheese

How to Make Citrus Champagne Vinaigrette

Every salad needs a drizzle of vinaigrette. And this one takes just a few minutes to whisk together. 

Step 1: Whisk the vinaigrette.

Whisk the orange juice, lemon juice, honey, champagne vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until the salt dissolves.

Step 2: Drizzle.

Last, drizzle the citrus vinaigrette over your citrus salad wreath just before serving so the spring mix stays crisp and crunchy.  

Why We Love Pro Citrus Network

It’s our pleasure to partner with Pro Citrus Network because of their commitment to doing things right. Their citrus is held to strict food safety standards from grove to grocery store for high-quality oranges, lemons, and grapefruits all year long. That’s a promise any mom can feel good about! 

Look for your sweet navel oranges in the produce aisle when shopping for ingredients for your citrus salad wreath. And don’t forget a few extras for your homemade citrus vinaigrette, too!

More Citrus Recipes You’ll Love

• Mandarin Orange Butterfly – a fun treat for picky eaters
• Blood Orange and Apple Tortilla Pinwheels – just spread, roll, slice, and serve
• Fresh Citrus Shrimp Ceviche – a fresh, light appetizer that cooks in minutes
• Upside Down Citrus Cake – sweet and tangy with a caramelized citrus topping
• Sparkling Citrus Punch – only 6 ingredients