The days are getting a little longer and spring is just around the corner. What better way to celebrate than with a sweet and tart colorful dish celebrating the season's finest? Citrus Fruit Salad is as vibrant as this time of year.

Pop the bubbly and pour an Orange Creamsicle Mimosa. This cheerful salad is brunch ready and dressed in her finest. Combining season's peak citrus with the sweet burst of strawberries, it comes together with all of the dazzling brightness and sparkle of bubbly prosecco.

Ingredients

It's always an event whenever anything starts with a bottle of champagne or prosecco. This Citrus Fruit Salad combines seasonal produce with a light and bright bubbly marinade. If you love the flavor of the macerated fruit in sangria, you will love this fruit salad.

Grapefruit - While grapefruits have a similar acidity and brightness as oranges, they are slightly more bitter and tart.
Cara Cara Oranges - Cara Cara oranges are a winter citrus known for their sweetness and lower acidity. They can be used for salads, juicing, or just eating raw. They're often slightly pink fleshed like a grapefruit.
Strawberries - Strawberries and citrus, and strawberries and champagne are a natural pairing. The acidity of the citrus enhances their sweetness and juiciness.
Honey - Balances the acidity of the salad and gives a hint of sweetness while enhancing the sweetness of the strawberries and oranges.
Lemon Zest - The oils of the lemon zest add a sunny pop without watering down the other flavors.
Champagne - Light and effervescent, this macerates the fruit and infuses flavor into every bright without overpowering the natural flavors of the fruit.
Fresh Mint - Adds an herbaceous pop that wakes up all of the flavors.
Egg White - While this is completely optional, the egg white combined with the sugar is used to create a cloud like meringue perfect for topping this treat.
Sugar - Adds sweetness to the meringue while also helping it to hold its shape.

How to Section Citrus Fruit

The most labor-intensive portion of making this Citrus Fruit Salad is sectioning the Cara Cara oranges and grapefruit. Here are the simple steps for easy and perfect citrus segments.

Remove Ends - Place your citrus fruit on a cutting board on its side. Use a sharp knife to cleanly slice off the top and bottom of the citrus. This will allow you to let it stand evenly.

Cut Away Pith and Peel - Place the citrus upright so it's standing straight. Starting at the top cut a strip downwards removing both the peel and the pith, revealing the flesh of the fruit. This will be your guide for removing the remaining peel. Proceed with the rest of the peel. You may lose a little of the fruit and that's okay.

Segment - Once you have removed all of the peel hold your fruit over a bowl. With the same sharp knife cut between the membrane separating the sections towards the center of the fruit. Repeat with the over side, removing the section from the citrus. Continue with the rest of the fruit, making sure to collect the juices. You can use these citrus supremes in any of your favorite salads or just on their own.

How to Make Citrus Fruit Salad

Don't you love beautiful dishes that require absolutely no cooking? This colorful and fresh fruit salad is all about slicing your citrus and allowing the fruit to macerate with the champagne so the flavors can fully marry. Make this ahead of time for the maximum flavor.

Time needed: 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Winter fresh citrus and sweet strawberries are macerated in a bright champagne bath.

Section
You will want to section your citrus over the bowl you are macerating your fruit salad in. This will allow you to catch any juices that are released during the process. Supreme your citrus.
Strawberries
Wash and thoroughly dry your strawberries. Slice them into the bowl.
Macerate
Add the honey, lemon zest, mint, and champagne to the bowl and gently toss to combine. Allow the fruit to refrigerate for at least a couple of hours. You can make this the night before.
Meringue
While it's completely optional, adding meringue is a sweet finishing touch to this fruit salad. To make your meringue, add the egg whites and sugar to a bowl. Using a mixer or whisk, whisk until it forms stiff peaks. This means it will hold its shape.
Serve
Divide the citrus fruit salad between serving glasses or serve in a bowl. Top with the fluffy cloudlike meringue.

Variations

The brightness of the grapefruit paired with the sweet Cara Cara oranges are an ideal match. However, you can swap out the citrus in this salad for any of your favorites such as blood oranges, pomelos, or navel oranges.

Substitutions for Citrus Fruit Salad

Champagne really does make anything into a party. However, you don't have to use champagne in this recipe. You can use Prosecco, cava, sparkling white wine, or your favorite white wine. To make this dish kid friendly, you can also use nonalcoholic sparkling white grape juice.

Tools

The main portion of making this salad is segmenting your citrus. You will need a sharp knife to make this both easy and safe. A good paring knife works well for this.

In addition to a good knife you will also benefit from using a hand mixer or stand mixer for making the meringue. This allows the stiff peaks to come together faster and easier than if you use a whisk.

Storage

Citrus Fruit Salad is a great make ahead dish. All of the flavors come together as the fruit marinates in the champagne, honey, mint, and lemon zest. Keep it covered and refrigerated until it's ready to serve. If kept refrigerated it will last for up to four days.

Top Tip for Citrus Fruit Salad

When sectioning your citrus fruit, always make sure to cut it over a bowl. Even if you aren't using the juice for the recipe itself it can be added to other things like a fresh and tangy citrus vinaigrette.

Citrus Fruit Salad