Let’s be honest…plain grapefruit can be a littleee tough to swallow. Sure, the citrus fruit is tangy and refreshing, but without at least a drizzle of honey, it can also be kinda bitter. However, grapefruit is also packed with fiber and vitamin C—eat ’em when you need to knock out a cold (it can’t hurt)—and are low on the glycemic index, meaning they won’t cause a huge spike in blood sugar.
So instead of going HAM on the grapefruit diet (and failing by lunch), or worse, cancelling out the fruit’s nutritious benefits by dousing ’em in sugar, sneak some more of the pink fruit into your diet by adding a few slices to summery salads, desserts, cocktails, and smoothies. When mixed in with greens, berries, or avocado, it becomes a whole new fruit.
1. Grapefruit Avocado Salmon Salad
You can’t go wrong with a salad this colorful. Start with arugula, blood oranges, and grapefruit, then add avo, salmon, radishes, and pumpkin seeds. Top it off with a spicy-sour poblano lime dressing. Best summer salad ever.
2. Grapefruit Cherry Smoothie Bowl
You’d never know it at first glance, but this creamy smoothie bowl is actually hiding veggies (chopped cauliflower) and healthy fats (avocado). Grapefruit, dark cherries, banana, and vanilla extract keep things sweet; from there, add your favorite toppings, such as granola, shredded coconut, sliced almonds, or more fruit slices.
3. Grapefruit Greek Yogurt Loaf
If you like lemon loaves, you’ll love this slightly tangier grapefruit version. Made with Greek yogurt, flour, brown sugar, and freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, this breakfast/dessert/anytime loaf even comes with grapefruit glaze.
4. Spicy Grapefruit Jalapeño Margarita
Spicy margs get a fruity upgrade with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice and lime juice. Soak tequila and jalapeño slices for 20 to 30 minutes to spice things up, then add agave or simple syrup and garnish with more grapefruit and jalapeño slices.
5. Grapefruit Ginger Chia Seed Pudding
Just like overnight oats, chia seed pudding is a clutch grab-and-go breakfast that’s beyond simple to make. Whisk together coconut milk, cashew, or almond milk, chia seeds, fresh ginger, vanilla, and maple syrup, and refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight. Add grapefruit slices and toasted coconut in the morning—sweet breakfast, let’s go.
6. Spicy Shrimp and Citrus Salad
Oranges and grapefruit are the perfect complement to Cajun shrimp in this hearty salad. The recipe comes with a flavor-packed vinaigrette made with avocado, grapefruit juice, Dijon mustard, and fresh ginger. Taste buds, get ready.
7. Cashew Chicken, Couscous, and Grapefruit
Ground cashews are a genius way to make chicken crispy and golden without frying ’em. Pair it with mint and parsley couscous and a super-simple grapefruit salad, and you’ve got a solid meal that will impress any of your ~foodie~ friends.
8. Roasted Grapefruit With Walnut Granola
Any breakfast that resembles an ice cream sundae gets an A+ in our book. This roasted grapefruit takes just a few minutes to prep and then gets plopped in the oven for 20 minutes while you get ready. Top it with a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt and dig in.
9. Kale, Avocado, and Grapefruit Salad
Superfoods, unite! This salad has tons of healthy ingredients and tons of texture, from leafy greens to creamy avo to crunchy almonds. Grapefruit slices, onions, freshly shaved Parmesan, and a Dijon dressing add to the flavor. Say hello to your new go-to salad.