Every so often I feel the need to keep my family on their proverbial toes by throwing a non-iceberg salad their way. Now, my husband won’t eat “weeds” and my kids won’t eat anything dark green – even if its smothered in ranch dressing – but I had to give it a try.

You see, I’ve been craving fresh, summer salad from on of my favorite local lunch spots – Clementine’s. But the parking around there has been awful lately. Like, really really awful. Non existent awful. It’s summer. I know. Soon things will be back to just the normal awful parking situation and I can go and get my salad anytime. But here’s the thing about Clementine’s… they change the menu seasonally! Which is awesome! But it also means that I may miss my perfect summer salad once the summer parking situation had resolved itself.

Why not just pick up the salad at the curbside take-out? Well, if you must know, it’s because salads just don’t travel well. Trust me. I’ve tried. Even when the dressing is packed on the side, it’s just not the same.

So, instead of getting all mad at all of the other people who are craving the delicious lunches over at my favorite eatery, I decided to make my own version of this summer Grapefruit and Hazelnut salad.

At first, nobody was too keen on the salad. Not even my mom.

But after a few bites, everyone – even my picky husband – was gobbling up the greens and even asking for more! There was NOTHING left by the end of dinner.

I’m calling that a huge success.

This salad is perfect. Crunchy. Sweet. A little sour. It has a good bite but isn’t rich. It’s perfect for a hot summer evening if you can’t get out here to LA to have it for lunch.

Go ahead.

Try it.

You’ll be obsessing about it soon enough too.

Grapefruit and Hazelnut Salad

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Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

A refreshing and crunchy salad with sweet and sour notes, featuring butter lettuce, grapefruit, and toasted hazelnuts, perfect for a hot summer evening.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 head butter lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1 grapefruit, zest, supremes, and juice
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted
1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
Olive oil, for drizzling
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Wash and tear the butter lettuce into bite-size pieces and place them into a large bowl.
Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the red onion into the thinnest slices possible. Soak the slices in champagne vinegar for 10 minutes to mellow the flavor.
While the onion is soaking, zest the grapefruit and set the zest aside. Cut the grapefruit into supremes (segments without membrane) and squeeze the juice from the remaining grapefruit into a small bowl.
Add the grapefruit zest, supremes, and juice to the bowl with the lettuce.
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they are golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let them cool slightly before adding to the salad.
Drizzle olive oil over the salad, then season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Toss all the ingredients together until well combined. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Toasting the hazelnuts enhances their flavor and adds a delightful crunch. If you prefer a milder onion flavor, soaking the red onion in vinegar helps to mellow it. This salad is best served immediately after tossing to maintain its crispness. For a more substantial meal, consider adding grilled chicken or shrimp.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Salad
Cuisine: American