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I can’t seem to get enough of this avocado and grapefruit salad lately. It’s fresh, simple, and surprisingly satisfying.
This is my lighter take on Ina Garten’s Avocado and Grapefruit Salad from Barefoot in Paris—keeping everything I love about the original, but with a few small tweaks to make it more Weight Watchers friendly.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Salad
- Bright, fresh, and naturally flavorful
- A perfect balance of creamy and citrusy
- Lightened up without sacrificing taste
- Simple ingredients, elegant result
- Great as a starter or light lunch
A Little Backstory
Like so many of Ina’s recipes, this one is beautifully simple.
She first enjoyed it at a restaurant in Paris and loved the “synergy” between the avocado and grapefruit—and I have to agree. It’s one of those combinations that might sound a little unusual at first, but once you try it, it just works.
I’ll admit, I was skeptical too. I love both ingredients, but together? Now I’m completely sold.
Ingredients
- Dijon mustard – Adds a subtle tang and helps emulsify the dressing.
- Fresh lemon juice – Brightens the flavors and balances the richness of the avocado.
- Olive oil – Creates a smooth vinaigrette. You can reduce slightly for fewer calories or use a lighter hand when drizzling.
- Salt & pepper – Simple seasoning to bring everything together.
- Ruby red grapefruit – Sweet, juicy, and slightly tart. You can substitute pink or white grapefruit if needed.
- Hass avocados – Creamy and rich. If your avocados are large, you can use less to keep the salad lighter.
Calories and WW Points
According to my calculations, these little changes resulted in a salad with 237 calories and 6 WW Points.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
7 PointsPlus (Old plan)
How to Make Avocado Grapefruit Salad
- In a small bowl (affiliate link), whisk together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.
- Cut away the peel and pith from the grapefruit, then segment it by slicing between the membranes.
- Slice the avocados into wedges or slices.
- Arrange grapefruit segments and avocado on a platter or individual plates.
- Drizzle with vinaigrette and season lightly with additional salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.
How I Lightened It Up
The original version is absolutely delicious—but also quite rich.
Most of the extra calories come from:
- A larger amount of avocado
- More dressing than needed
To make it lighter, I:
- Adjusted the ratio of grapefruit to avocado
- Used less dressing (just a light drizzle instead of coating everything)
- Skipped dipping the avocado in dressing
If you’re worried about browning, just toss the avocado slices in a little lemon juice instead.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Use ripe but firm avocados for best texture
- Segmenting the grapefruit (instead of slicing) makes a big difference
- This salad is best assembled just before serving
- A little salt really enhances the flavors—don’t skip it
Easy Variations
- Add a handful of arugula or mixed greens
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs like mint or basil
- Top with a few toasted nuts for crunch
- Add grilled shrimp or chicken to make it a meal
If you’ve made this Grapefruit Avocado Salad, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Ina Garten Avocado and Grapefruit Salad (Lightened-Up, WW-Friendly)
Ingredients
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large ruby red grapefruits
- 2 firm but ripe Hass avocados
Instructions
- In a small bowl (affiliate link), whisk together the dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
- Slice the peel and white pith off the grapefruits and then cut between the membranes to release the grapefruit segments.
- Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and peel off the skin. Cut the halves into slices.
- Arrange the grapefruit segments on a large platter or 4 small plates. Arrange the avocado slices with the grapefruit.
- Drizzle with vinaigrette and sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 7 PointsPlus (Old plan) To cut the calories and Points values even further, use only 1 avocado. The dijon mustard in this recipe is quite pronounced, so if you are not sure you’ll like it, use the lesser amount.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prep the components, but assemble just before serving to keep everything fresh.
How do I keep avocado from browning?
Toss slices in lemon juice and store covered until ready to use.
Can I use bottled grapefruit?
Fresh is best for flavor and texture, but in a pinch, you can use drained segments.
Is this salad filling enough for a meal?
It can be a light meal, or you can add protein like chicken or shrimp to make it more substantial.
Can I reduce the oil further?
Yes—just use a lighter drizzle or adjust to taste.
More Light & Fresh Salad Ideas
If you enjoy this one, you might also like:
I love this for breakfast or lunch! Thanks for adapting the recipe for WW. It is the peak of the citrus season in Florida. I’m so glad I found this. Your work is much appreciated.
I’ve seen orange and avocado together and it never tempted me, but that ruby red grapefruit is really calling out to me. I see my future and it has a plate of avocado and grapefruit.
Yes, Mireya, I love ruby red grapefruit more than oranges too.
Refreshing salad!! So lovely!!!
Thanks, Minnie. It really is refreshing and delicious.
This salad recipe really caught me on and I knew I wanted to try it, even though I wasn’t sure if I would like it. I made it for dinner tonight and we were rather pleased, but I think I still need to work at it to perfect it. I didn’t measure the ingredients out too carefully – just tried to eyeball it – and think I may have used too much dijon. And, the grapefruit I had was a much more pale than your picture (but it tasted good) and so there wasn’t quite as much contrast as I was hoping for.
Regardless, it was a really good recipe and I’m glad I found it. My plan is to keep working with it until I perfect it for me.
I think it would be easy to plan a whole dinner party just from the amazing recipes I am finding on your site. Keep ’em coming!!
Many thanks,
Pedro
Hi Pedro,
Glad you liked the salad and thanks for your kind words. I used a ruby red grapefruit that tends to be darker than the standard pink kind. And you are right about the mustard.Try using 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon next time.
Warmly,
Martha
Mmm, this is unique and a flavor combo I would have have thought of! Thank you for linking up at Successful Saturdays!