North Texas Citrus Salad with Pepitas and Cotija

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-04 · Updated 2026-08-04

A refreshing salad featuring bright North Texas citrus fruits, crunchy toasted pepitas, and crumbled cotija cheese for a vibrant, tangy bite. This American-inspired salad recipe, ready in about 15 minutes, pairs mixed salad greens, grapefruit segments, navel orange segments into a side that holds its own next to almost any main — bright, balanced, and quick enough to slot into a weeknight plate. Each serving lands at about 180 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly next to roasted proteins, grain bowls, or weeknight mains. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 cup (about 1 medium grapefruit) grapefruit segments
• 1 cup (about 1 medium orange) navel orange segments
• 1/4 cup toasted pepitas
• 1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large salad bowl, combine 4 cups mixed salad greens, 1 cup grapefruit segments (membrane removed), 1 cup navel orange segments, and 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion.
2. Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until emulsified and slightly thickened.
3. Step 3: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
4. Step 4: Sprinkle 1/4 cup toasted pepitas and 1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese over the top just before serving to maintain crunch and freshness.