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Many citrus fruits come into season in winter — a welcome addition of color, brightness, and acidity in a season of cozy stews and warming braises and spice-rich cakes and cookies. Whether they use Meyer lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, blood oranges, or more, our best citrus recipes take advantage of these versatile fruits in savory mains, sweet desserts, and refreshing salads. Wake up your cold-weather table with these citrusy dishes.
Frozen Citrus ‘Soufflé’
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This no-bake showstopper from baker Michael Werrell stacks a silky lemon-poppy seed custard with orange-scented whipped cream and tangy lemon curd. Serve straight from the freezer with fresh citrus segments.
Puntarelle-Citrus Salad with Roasted Beets
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Bitter-crisp puntarelle meets sweet roasted beets and a tumble of blood orange, Cara Cara orange, and grapefruit segments. A lemony Dijon vinaigrette and herbs (dill, mint, parsley, tarragon) keep it bright; shaved ricotta salata adds salinity. Check your local farmers market for puntarelle, otherwise substitute it with another bitter chicory.
Roasted Soy-Citrus Chilean Sea Bass
Jacob Fox / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Jessica Thomas & Susan Mitchell
A citrus-forward pan sauce of fresh orange juice, ponzu, soy, ginger, and garlic perfumes butter-rubbed fillets as they roast. The result is tender, flaky fish with a lacquered surface and concentrated aromatics. Look for Chilean sea bass with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification label, or substitute halibut or salmon.
Spiced Duck Breasts with Mandarin Oranges and Dates
Pan-seared duck breasts in this elegant yet approachable dish are seasoned with ras el hanout and cooked until the skin turns deeply golden and crisp. The rendered duck fat enriches the fluffy couscous steamed with orange juice and turmeric, which is then tossed with dates, almonds, and fresh herbs.
Carrot and Orange Cake with Sour Cream Glaze
This carrot cake from cookbook author Nik Sharma is something special. “Chopped pieces of dried apricots and candied orange peels give each slice of cake a spot of unexpected fruit sweetness, while the pistachios add texture to the soft cake,” he says. “Serve it with a cup of warm tea or coffee to complete the experience.”
Citrus and Fennel Chicken with Olives and Calabrian Chiles
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
F&W’s Justin Chapple braises chicken leg quarters with toasted fennel seed, dry sherry, Castelvetrano olives, and oil-packed Calabrian chiles, nestling in slices of lemon and orange. The braise yields juicy meat and a spoonable pan sauce that begs for bread.
Lemon Curd Tart
Food writer and editor Jamila Robinson writes about making this recipe in her essay “Romancing the Stove,” “using the same lemon curd recipe my grandmother taught me when I was 6, long before I could use the stove unsupervised.” The tart layers that silky lemon curd — cooked gently until thick and glossy — into a crisp, prebaked shell. A crown of mixed citrus segments adds welcome sweetness and texture, balancing the curd’s rich, tangy intensity.
Salad of Pink Radicchio, Citrus, and Mushroom Bagna Cauda
Gentl & Hyers
In this recipe from Cooking with Mushrooms by Andrea Gentl, delicate pink radicchio, Cara Cara oranges, and a warm, nutty brown-butter bagna cauda enriched with porcini powder and anchovy make for a gorgeous and bright winter salad. The heat of the bagna cauda dressing softens the leaves while orange juice and sherry vinegar balance out its richness.
Grilled King Salmon with Meyer Lemon Relish
In this recipe from 1999 F&W Best New Chef Suzanne Goin, grilled king salmon is cooked over high heat until exceptionally tender. The combination of chopped lemon segments, shallot, capers, and Castelvetrano olives creates a floral, lightly acidic salsa that cuts through the buttery fish, while a touch of Aleppo pepper adds gentle heat.
Seared Scallops with Pomegranate and Meyer Lemon
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Inspired by Chef Ori Menashe’s scallop aguachile at Bavel in Los Angeles, the dish contrasts warm, golden-brown scallops with cool cucumbers, citrus segments, and fresh pomegranate arils. “It’s a roller-coaster flavor journey — sweet, sour, spicy, crunchy, soft, aromatic, floral, smoky, savory from the salt. So many things going on!” Menashe says.
Slow-Roasted Salmon with Citrus-Olive Relish
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
This mostly hands-off roast from The Global Pantry Cookbook by Ann Taylor Pittman and Scott Mowbray stays succulent at a gentle (only 250°F) temperature . It’s finished with a relish of mixed citrus and briny olives. Preserved lemon adds funky, salty depth.
Citrus and Avocado Salad with Pickled Onions
Chef and food writer Deborah Madison layers ruby grapefruit, blood and navel orange slices, watercress, and avocado with quick-pickled red onions for snap and color. A citrus–pomegranate vinaigrette with a hint of orange flower water ties it together.
Chocolate-and-Citrus Cassata
From New Orleans pastry chef Maggie Scales, this dramatic cassata layers cocoa-rich cake, ricotta filling scented with candied citrus, and a gorgeous, glossy ganache. It’s a showstopper cake that’s well worth the time.
Masa-Battered Fish Tacos with Citrus-Pickled Onions
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
In this recipe from 2023 F&W Best New Chef Isabel Coss, ultra-crisp fish fillets (dredged in a cornstarch–masa batter) meet orange-habanero aïoli and quick citrus-pickled onions.
Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil Citrus Cake
A tender olive-oil cake perfumed with mixed citrus gets a gentle dose of cannabis-infused oil in this recipe developed in partnership with Kitchen Toke. Semolina gives the crumb a texture reminiscent of cornmeal cake; a bright citrus glaze and fresh fruit on top add both tartness and sweetness.
Smoky Pasilla-and-Citrus Grilled Flank Steak
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Cookbook author Andrea Slonecker grounds smoky pasilla de Oaxaca chiles in a molcajete, then mixes in orange and lime juice for a robust marinade. The citrus tenderizes and perfumes the beef, which grills quickly to a juicy, chile-fragrant finish. Serve with tortillas, cilantro, and radishes.
Tortine di Riso Agli Agrumi (Italian-style Rice Custard with Citrus)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Italy-based food writer and cookbook author Emiko Davies layers her baked rice-and-custard tortine: creamy rice beneath, barely set custard on top. Scented with lemon and orange, they are ideal with an espresso or digestivo.
Mango and Citrus Salad with Hoja Santa Green Goddess
Cedric Angeles
2021 F&W Best New Chef Fermín Núñez blends hoja santa, herbs, spices, and yolk into a green goddess–style dressing that’s peppery and minty. Toss with pomelo or blood orange, mango, feta, and sesame seeds for a layered, savory-sweet salad.
Mom’s Citrus Meringue Pie
Named one of F&W’s 40 best recipes in 2018, this nostalgic pie from legendary culinary historian Jessica B. Harris features an orange-juice pastry shell, a lemon–lime custard filling, and a high, toasted meringue. Broil the meringue to brown it while the filling is still room temperature; it will help it better adhere to the custard.
Crisp Whole Red Snapper with Asian Citrus Sauce
Food & Wine / Photo by Jake Sternquist / Food Stylist / Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco
Whole snappers fry to delectable crispness and are served with a quick-mix sauce of soy sauce, orange and lime juice, sesame oil, and ginger. The combination is a salty and bright counterpoint to the rich, crackling skin of the fish. Serve with plenty of rice.
Grilled Halloumi Burgers with Citrus Tapenade
Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn
Searing halloumi for a bouncy, browned vegetarian burger makes for a delicious cookout-worthy main; a citrus-olive tapenade and lemon aïoli bring extra zip. Serve on cushiony brioche with roasted red peppers.
Roast Duck with Citrus Pan Sauce
Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Take the guesswork out of roast duck with this two-step recipe: first steaming, then roasting. Coriander seeds in the steaming water accentuate the orange and lemon stuffed in the cavity. Reduce the drippings to a glossy soy and citrus–tinged pan sauce.
Citrus, Beet, and Arugula Salad with Halloumi Croutons
Dan Perez / Food Styling and Prop Styling by Nurit Kariv
Cookbook author Adeena Sussman roasts red and golden beets, then pairs them with mixed citrus, lime juice, and peppery arugula. Cubes of pan-fried halloumi stand in for croutons, adding salty crunch.
Spritz Cookies with Citrus Buttercream
Food & Wine / Photo by Eva Kolenko
Cookbook author Zoë François pipes her spritz cookies, rather than use a cookie press, then swirls on brightly colored, tangy lemon buttercream for a festive set of five dozen cookies.
Poul Nan Sos (Haitian Chicken in Sauce)
“This dish is Haiti, something we make time and time again. I suspect you will, too,” writes James Beard Award winner Gregory Gourdet, chef-owner of the Portland-based Haitain restaurant, Kann. The recipe marinates chicken with onions, garlic, thyme, Scotch bonnet, and abundant citrus (orange, lime, lemon) before stewing with peppers.
Cannabis-Infused Citrus-Caramel Blondies
Chef and restaurateur Sarah Simmons came up with these moist, orange-scented blondies when she was left with extra caramel after an catering event. This recipe has been modified from the version developed by Simmons to include cannabutter instead of regular butter; it can be made with either.
Winter Citrus with Frozen Yogurt and Pistachios
1999 F&W Best New Chef Suzanne Goin made this dessert in 2018 to celebrate 20 years of her famed Los Angeles restaurant, Lucques. It highlights peak-season citrus, pairing tart blood oranges, Cara Cara oranges, and tangerines with cool vanilla frozen yogurt. A quick brown-butter drizzle infused with toasted pistachios adds warmth and nuttiness that contrast beautifully with the chilled fruit.
