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Home » Seasonal Salads » Citrus Carpaccio with Jalapeño

Citrus Carpaccio with Jalapeño

Jan 21, 2023 · by Valentina · 17 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Citrus Carpaccio is a fancy name for a very thinly sliced citrus salad. Decorated with fresh basil and jalapeño, it's a festival of seasonal flavors and a feast for the eyes.

Super thinly sliced blood orange, orange, and grapefruit on a white plate with jalapeño rings on top.

Every citrus variety has its own distinctive flavor, and the colors can vary greatly. While this dish is composed of only citrus, each bite is different from the next, and it's aesthetically beautiful.

Slicing fruit very thinly creates a really lovely texture and a very different eating experience than when you just bite into it.

You can make fruit carpaccio with all sorts of fruits: melons, plums, peaches, kiwi, strawberries, etc.

The Ingredients

Several slices of the tops and bottoms of citruses including blood orange, orange, limes, lemons and grapefruit, with a few basil leaves.

Choose citruses that are firm to slightly soft with a deep exterior color. They should be heavy for their size.

  • grapefruit - I use Ruby grapefruit in this recipe because it's a touch sweeter and less bitter than some of the other varieties, and I love the deep pink color.
  • orange - I love Naval oranges for this because they don't have seeds and they're incredibly sweet in the winter.
  • blood orange - The color of the skin is not an indication of the interior color. A bright orange exterior might be a very dark red inside, and an exterior that has a lot of red might be mostly all orange inside. Blood orange fruit can range from orange to a deep, dark burgundy. And sometimes they're a gorgeous blend of the colors.
  • lemon juice - Use a Meyer lemon if possible. They're are a touch less tart and a bit sweeter. And with a thinner skin and fewer seeds, they are incredibly juicy.
  • lime juice - Choose limes with smooth skin -- I find they're often juicier.
  • basil - The smaller the leaves the better for this.
  • jalapeño pepper - A good pepper should be firm, deeply colored and slightly shiny.

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

White plate lined with super thin slices of citrus (orange, grapefruit and blood orange), topped with jalapeno rings.

Substitutions

  • You can make citrus carpaccio with any citrus you like. The contrast in colors is fun, but if you prefer one over another, use it. It's beautiful with one or two colors also. (Keep in mind Naval oranges are typically free of seeds.)
  • The lemon and lime are drizzled on top, but both (especially Meyer lemons), can also be sliced and used as one of the main ingredients. (They're used this way in Lemon Poblano Guacamole.)
  • Cilantro, dill and chives would all be great substitutes for the basil. None are crucial to the dish, but the touch of green is sort of the "icing on the cake."

Recipe Tips

  • The sharper your knife, the easier it will be to get super thin, beautiful slices of fruit. (Pro Tip: A sharp knife is much safer than a dull knife.)
  • The grapefruit will be much easier to slice if you cut it in half after removing the skin. Cut it in half vertically. (See images below.)
  • Save all of your scraps for a later use, like to make salad dressing. You'll be amazed at how much juice you can get out of them.
  • The contrast of the sweet citrus with the spicy jalapeño is incredibly tasty, but if you're not someone who likes extra heat, remove the seeds or skip them all together.
  • The thinner the slices, the more dramatic the presentation will be -- however, whatever the thickness is, it'll still be pretty and delicious.
  • If you want a little more sweetness, lightly drizzle the citrus with honey once it's plated.
  • Rather than making 4 separate plates, fruit carpaccio is also lovely arranged on a large platter for the whole table to share.

How to Make it

- Use a paring knife to cut about ½-inch off the tops and bottoms of each of each of the citrus varieties.

Grapefruit, orange, lime, lemon and blood orange, each with about an inch cut off the top.

- Remove the skin by setting the fruit down on one of the flat surfaces and use the knife, moving downwards into the fruit and cutting only slightly into the flesh.

Grapefruit being peeled with a paring knife.
Orange, blood orange and grapefruit, all peeled with their skins on a dark wood.

- Cut only the grapefruit in half, vertically, while leaving both oranges whole. Then cut all three into very thin slices.

Nicely  peeled orange, blood orange and grapefruit with thin slices of them, all on dark wood cutting board.

- Arrange the fruit on 4 small plates or a serving platter, and then drizzle lightly with lemon and lime. Place a few jalapeño rings on top and a few basil leaves between some of the citrus slices.

(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)

More Citrus Appetizers to Tempt You

  • Honey-Rosemary Marinated Oranges
  • Citrus Caprese Kebabs with Mint
  • Pickled Ginger Citrus Salad with Wasabi Dressing

Making it Ahead

  • You can make citrus carpaccio this up to an hour ahead without it becoming too juicy.  If you make it any sooner and there's a lot of juice in the plate, just pour it off into a glass or bowl.
  • Don't drizzle the lemon and lime until you're ready to serve.

FAQ

What is Carpaccio, really?

Commonly served as an appetizer, Carpaccio is actually an Italian meat dish, served raw. The protein is very thinly sliced or pounded. It's traditionally served with olive oil, lemon juice, capers and onions.

Close up of super thinly sliced citrus, pink, red and orange  on a white plate.

I hope I've inspired you to make this citrus carpaccio this winter. Enoy!

Close up of Citrus carpaccio on a white plate, orange, blood orange and grapefruit, with jalapeno rings.

Citrus Carpaccio Recipe

Valentina K. Wein
Citrus Carpaccio is a fancy name for a very thinly sliced citrus salad. Decorated with fresh basil and jalapeño, it's a festival of seasonal flavors and a feast for the eyes.
5 from 5 votes
Print
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, First Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 31 kcal

Equipment

  • paring knife

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Ruby Grapefruit (on the smaller side)
  • 1 Naval orange
  • 1 Blood orange
  • a few basil leaves washed and dried
  • about ½ of a small jalapeño, very thinly sliced in rings
  • drizzle of lemon juice
  • drizzle of lime juice

Instructions
 

  • Cut the citrus. To prepare the fruit, use a paring knife to cut about ½-inch off the tops and bottoms of each of each of the citrus varieties.
    Remove the skin by setting the fruit down on one of the flat surfaces and use the knife, moving downwards into the fruit and cutting only slightly into the flesh. (Here is a photographic guide of how to do this.)
    Cut the grapefruit in half vertically. Then cut all three into very thin round slices. (Save any scraps for juicing for other uses.)
    1 Ruby Grapefruit, 1 Blood orange, 1 Naval orange
  • Assemble. Arrange the fruit on 4 plates or a serving platter, and then drizzle lightly with lemon and lime. Place a few jalapeño rings on top and a few basil leaves between some of the citrus slices.
    a few basil leaves, drizzle of lemon juice, drizzle of lime juice, about ½ of a small jalapeño,

NOTES

Calorie count is only an estimate.

NUTRITION

Calories: 31kcal
Keywords fruit salads, citrus recipes
Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. valentina

    February 07, 2012 at 1:33 am

    Thank you Aimée! You will love Yuzu juice! xo

    Reply
  2. valentina

    February 07, 2012 at 1:35 am

    Thank you Gerlinde!

    Reply
  3. Jason

    January 14, 2013 at 7:51 pm

    Basil, citrus and jalapeno - what a great savory-sweet-spicy combination. Citrus is amazing at this time of year - a great time to try this recipe.

    And hey, you're not too far off with the 'carpaccio' name - the original beef dish was thought up in the '50s to pay tribute to a Renaissance painter, Vittore Carpaccio, who did lots of paintings in deep reds. So through a few more blood oranges in there and you're right on target! (this is what happens when a food nerd and a history nerd collide.)

    Reply
    • valentina

      January 15, 2013 at 8:08 pm

      Thank you for this, Jason. So interesting and I love when history, food & art collide, too.

      Reply
  4. angiesrecipes

    January 04, 2020 at 12:45 am

    So colourful, pretty and healthy! I certainly NEED some too.

    Reply
    • valentina

      January 05, 2020 at 1:17 pm

      Thank you, Angie! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
  5. 2pots2cook

    January 06, 2020 at 6:41 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely beautiful, healthy and soo vibrant one !

    Reply
    • valentina

      January 06, 2020 at 7:33 pm

      Thank you, Davorka. Hope you have a lovely week. 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
  6. Dawn - Girl Heart Food

    January 06, 2020 at 7:58 am

    5 stars
    After having a big dump of snow last night, this bright, refreshing salad is in order! I bet it tastes as good as it looks!! Love it!

    Reply
    • valentina

      January 06, 2020 at 7:33 pm

      I love light, refreshing dishes after the holidays -- and I probably would love them after a snow, too. 🙂 Thank you, Dawn! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
  7. David @ Spiced

    January 08, 2020 at 4:32 am

    5 stars
    While January in general can be dull and dreary, one of my favorite things is citrus! Yup, oranges, grapefruits, etc. I usually just eat 'em plain, but I'm digging the idea of turning them into 'capaccio. Love the concept!

    Reply
    • valentina

      January 09, 2020 at 12:05 am

      Enjoy and thank you, David! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
  8. Liz

    January 11, 2020 at 3:57 am

    5 stars
    Gorgeous!!! Saving this to serve to my dinner club next month!!

    Reply
    • valentina

      January 13, 2020 at 5:20 pm

      Yay! I hope the club loves it! Thanks, Liz. 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
  9. Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!

    January 23, 2023 at 8:17 am

    I'm impressed that you got such paper-thin slices with a knife! Good on you! I love this kind of salad, and I haven't had one in years and years. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  10. Frank | Memorie di Angelina

    January 24, 2023 at 11:37 am

    Wow, what an absolutely gorgeous salad. I make something a bit similar with oranges and fennel, but this takes the concept to another level. And that little kick from the jalapeño sounds especially appealing.

    Reply
  11. 2pots2cook

    January 25, 2023 at 4:36 am

    5 stars
    Dear, I must comment once again: every carpaccio is absolutely great but this vibrant and healthy, juicy version with jalapeno makes my heart sing! 🙂

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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