Spinach-Grapefruit Salad

This spinach salad goes tropical with grapefruit sections, ripe papaya cubes, and orange segments piled over a base of torn spinach and bitter radicchio leaves. The combination of sweet fruit, peppery greens, and a tangy lemon dressing spiked with paprika and red pepper flakes makes this feel like a salad you’d find at a beachside restaurant.

Radicchio does real work here. Its bitterness balances the sweetness of the papaya and orange, keeping the salad from tipping into fruit-bowl territory. Tear both the spinach and radicchio into bite-size pieces so every forkful gets a mix of greens and fruit.

The jar dressing is lemon juice, oil, sugar, pepper, paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes shaken together. Dress the greens first, then add the fruit on top and toss gently so the delicate citrus segments don’t break apart. Thin onion rings add a sharp bite that cuts through all the sweetness.

Pro Tips

• Pat the spinach completely dry after washing. Wet leaves dilute the dressing and make the salad limp.
• Segment the grapefruit and oranges over a bowl to catch the juice. Add a splash to the dressing for extra citrus flavor.
• Use ripe but firm papaya. Overripe papaya turns mushy when tossed.
• Serve immediately after dressing. The acid in the lemon and citrus fruits wilts the spinach quickly.

Variations

• Swap radicchio for endive or frisee for a different kind of bitterness.
• Add sliced avocado for a creamy element that pairs well with the citrus.
• Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes or macadamia nuts on top for a Hawaiian-inspired twist.