37 Citrus Recipes to Put Some Pep in Your Winter Step
These citrus recipes are proof that there is still beauty and growth and pretty colors to be found in the world! Despite plenty of evidence that nothing (and no one 👋) is thriving right now, there’s a few things that, come winter, always are: Limes! Grapefruits! Oranges! You get the picture. The fact that citrus is in season during the colder months is one of nature’s more genius moves. Because, you know what? These colorful little jewels are also packed with vitamin C and minerals—all of which can’t hurt your immune system right now. Though, the most compelling reason to eat them might be that juicy, zesty flavor. We love to see it in everything from beautiful grapefruit tarts to crunchy salads and peppy lime-braised meats. Whether you’re after drinks, dinner, or dessert, these citrus recipes won’t let you down.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova1/37Charred Kale With Citrus and Green Tahini
No more free massages for stubbornly tough greens. Here, a quick char in a hot skillet tempers the raw edge of kale and balances its vegetal flavor.
- Photography by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jamie2/37
Chicken Salad With Citrus and Chile Oil
With plenty of protein, a double punch of acid from citrus and vinegar, and a garlicky chili oil, this salad is made for dinner.
- Photography by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jamie3/37
Crispy Rice With Ginger-Citrus Celery Salad
To get the best texture, evenly distribute the rice in your pan and gently press down to flatten it. Don’t touch until you hear it crackle!
- Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio4/37
Citrus-Ginger Raita With Spice Oil
Ginger and orange juice give this raita a holiday feel. Treat it like cranberry sauce–it goes with everything.
- Photograph by Kelly Marshall, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio5/37
Raw and Crispy Kale Salad With Ginger and Coconut
In this refreshing Thanksgiving salad, half the kale gets crisped up in the oven like chips while the rest is tossed with a gingery soy-tahini dressing.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser6/37
No-Fail Roast Chicken With Lemon and Garlic
Only 6 ingredients, and you'll always know when it's done.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susan Spungen, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski7/37
Grapefruit Bars with Candied Zest
The twice-cooked curd method ensures that these bars are extra sturdy and have a smooth, shiny surface.
- Alex Lau8/37
Pomelo Salad with Chile, Lime, Peanuts, and Coconut
A palate cleanser packed with sweet, sour, and salty flavors; taste and tweak the seasonings as you go.
- Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Sue Li9/37
Ginger-Citrus Cookies
Blanching the citrus peel in several changes of boiling water removes bitterness while still leaving plenty of bright flavor behind.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski10/37
Scrunched Cabbage Salad With Grapefruit and Chiles
Not just for slaw, cabbage is a snappy base that can handle lots of refreshing acidity—in this case from torn grapefruit and hot-and-sour chiles—without withering.
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Citrus-and-Dill Gravlax
Many gravlax recipes will instruct you to drain, turn, and babysit the fish while it cures. Not this one: Set it and forget it.
- Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio12/37
Tangy Vinegar Chicken With Barberries and Orange
A fragrant, sweet-and-sour, perfectly acidic roast chicken.
- Photo by Alex Lau13/37
Grapefruit-Orange Crostatas
While these mixed citrus tarts bake, the semolina flour in the frangipane absorbs the juices and turns into a slightly puffed, airy layer surrounded by flaky pastry.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio14/37
Mole-Spiced Ribs With Orange and Pickled Onion
These ribs are tenderized with tangy kombucha—yep!—and flavored with Mexican mole spices.
- Photo and drink styling by Emma Fishman15/37
Citrus Shandy
Summer’s most accessible cocktail is much like the season itself: easy, relaxing, refreshing, sunny, and filled with fruit and flavor.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio16/37
Chicken Braised in Lime and Peanut Sauce
A spiced and braised chicken that tastes like summer in the dead of winter.
- Photographs by Laura Murray, food styling by Simon Andrews, prop styling by Sophie Strangio17/37
Labneh and Lime Ice Cream With Granola
This no-churn ice cream is tangy, lime-y, and maaaybe even healthy.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou18/37
Brothy Tomato and Fish Soup With Lime
This sour-salty soup was made for using up sweet, late-season tomatoes.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens19/37
Pasta al Limone (Lemon Pasta)
This creamy lemon pasta recipe is luscious and amply cheesy,but still bright and fresh. Best part: You can make it for dinner in just 15 minutes.
- Alex Lau20/37
Blood Orange Buttermilk Upside-Down Cake
Be sure to invert the cake after it's baked while it's still warm; if you wait too long, the oranges will stick to the pan.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio21/37
Spicy Citrus Refresher
A big batch of jalapeño-spiced orange-lime juice that you can top with seltzer or spike with rum. Your call.
- Photo by Alex Lau23/37
Sour Candied Citrus Peels
These are like homemade Sour Patch Kids, and we can't stop eating them.
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Citrus Salad with Orange-Flower Water, Pistachios, and Pomegranate Seeds
Orange-flower water can give even a simple fruit salad a faraway lilt, but adding too much of it leaves a dish tasting like old-fashioned soap. Use this ingredient with serious discretion—start with 1/8 tsp.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro25/37
Slow-Roasted Salmon with Fennel, Citrus, and Chiles
Don’t bother trying to divide this fillet into tidy portions. Instead, use a spoon to break it into perfectly imperfect pieces.
- Chris Gentile27/37
Rosemary-Tangerine Cooler
So tangerine-y we'd almost consider his tasty rum cocktail a wellness tonic. Almost!
- Photo and food styling by Sarah Jampel28/37
Citrusy Chicken Thighs
The zest and juice of lime and lemon deliver a simple but powerful flavor-packed punch to this everyday staple.
- Gentl & Hyers29/37
Blood Orange and Mixed Bean Salad with Sprouts
Beans can roll with virtually any flavor profile, including bright fresh citrus, lime juice, and chiles in this wintery salad.
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Lime-in-the-Coconut Macaroons
Lime zest is a fresh addition to macaroons, and a Microplane is our zesting tool of choice. If you can’t find unsweetened coconut chips, use two 7-oz. bags of sweetened shredded coconut and reduce the sugar to 1 Tbsp.
- Alex Lau31/37
Seared Duck Breasts with Blood Oranges
Citrus segments get saucy in our play on duck à l’orange.
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Citrus Vinaigrette
Always make more salad dressing than you'll need. It takes no longer to mix a big batch, and it means tomorrow night's salad will be ready in minutes. This recipe makes enough vinaigrette for three large salads.
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Striped Bass with Lime Broth
Serving a perfectly cooked, crisp-skinned piece of fish in a seasoned lime broth lets you get a spoonful of bright flavor in every bite.
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Spicy Grapefruit Margarita
This spicy margarita recipe gets its heat from habaneros and acidity from grapefruit. Adjust the steeping time depending on how spicy you want to go!
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Orange and Soy-Glazed Baby Back Ribs
Summer isn't the only time to enjoy sticky ribs-these baby backs, showered with citrus zest, also work well in winter. You can customize the size of the zest by using a Microplane for smaller pieces or a 5-hole zester for longer strips.
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Chicken Skewers with Meyer Lemon Salsa
Punchy, tropical-feeling salsa meets juicy, blackened chicken skewers. Also known as Big Summer Energy…but in winter. Get it? Good!
- Marcus Nilsson37/37
Blood Orange, Beet, and Fennel Salad
Our fresh take on the classic Moroccan salad pairs shaved fennel and red onion with assorted beets and oranges for color contrast.