30 Ways to Use Grapefruit, Enjoy the Bold Citrus at Every Meal With Our Recipes for Cocktails, Salads, and More (2024)

Orange-Vanilla Shake

Grapefruit Sorbet

As refreshing and delicious as it is beautiful, this grapefruit sorbet is the best way we know to end a meal or cleanse your palate. It's spiked with Campari or Aperol for a bitter contrast to its bright flavor.

Grapefruit and Honey Margarita

You'll love how freshly squeezed grapefruit juice pairs with tequila and honey in our lower-ABV margarita. The honey replaces the usual orange liqueur, and it's a taste upgrade we're really on board with.

Grapefruit With Pistachios

Don't be fooled by the short ingredient list—this sweet-and-salty brunch dish packs a wallop.

Grapefruit, Salmon, and Avocado Salad

Sweet-tart grapefruit, buttery avocado, roasted salmon, and crisp greens make a satisfying main dish salad. A super simple lime vinaigrette ties all the flavors together.

Honey Zabaglione With Grapefruit

Red grapefruit segments are stunning against the pale golden yellow of zabaglione. Our take on the classic Italian dessert adds honey and whipped cream to the whipped egg-yolk mixture for a sweeter taste and richer texture.

Seared Halibut Tacos With Grapefruit-Avocado Salsa

Ruby red grapefruit meets avocado, and it's a perfect pairing. This salsa is too good to save for fish tacos and also too good not to serve with them.

Strawberry-Grapefruit Smoothie

Grapefruit and strawberry make surprisingly delicious partners in this antioxidant-packed smoothie. Sweet apple and fresh ginger add extra oomph.

Mixed Grapefruit With Ricotta and Cardamom Honey

Simmering honey with crushed green cardamom pods yields an incredible sauce for colorful grapefruit segments and fresh ricotta.

Warm Duck Salad With Caramelized Beets

Use ruby red or oro blanco grapefruits in this colorful and hearty winter salad. They complement the roasted beets, duck breast, and bright herby sauce.

Winter Fruit Salad

Colorful, crunchy, and fresh, this gorgeous salad is a welcome refresher in the winter. Grapefruit segments, slices of Asian pear, and pomegranate arils are drizzled with honey and sprinkled with sea salt and mint leaves. It’s that simple—and so good!

Basil-Yogurt Panna Cotta With Grapefruit Gelèe

An elegant yet easy dessert that's also naturally gluten-free and no-bake. The grapefruit gelée (think fancy French Jell-O) is chilled until partially set. Then, a basil-infused yogurt is added, so the two elements form pretty swirls.

Pomegranate-and-Pink-Grapefruit Punch

A sophisticated, non-alcoholic punch that looks as good as it tastes. After pouring a grapefruit-lychee juice mix, top each glass with a drizzle of pomegranate syrup and arils that falls to the bottom, giving the drink a striking ombre look. Top with prosecco if you prefer a lightly boozy drink.

Black-and-Pink Grapefruit Cookies

Like black-and-white cookies, only better: pink grapefruit zest gives these cookies a zing, while the fruit's juice and more zest flavor the pink frosting.

Grapefruit and Smoked-Trout "Cobb" Salad

Nutty farro and flaky smoked trout make this elegant take on Cobb salad substantial enough for lunch or dinner. Thinly sliced grapefruit and avocado, crunchy romaine and watercress, and a zingy grapefruit-Dijon vinaigrette complete the dish.

Grapefruit and Vinegar-Roasted Beets With Salsa Verde

Contrast makes a simple side dish come alive. Tender, caramelized beets are paired with juicy grapefruit rounds and a briny, herb-packed salsa verde.

Spicy Grapefruit Spritz

This all-ages thirst-quencher gets its heat from thinly sliced jalapeno. Spike it with tequila or mezcal for cocktail hour.

Spice-Rubbed Fresh Ham With Citrus Glaze

Grapefruit zest goes into the dry rub for this showstopping ham, and grapefruit wedges roasted underneath it make a bright, intensely flavored accompaniment.

Salmon Poached in White Wine

Here, salmon gets a double hit of grapefruit flavor: zest on the fish, and juice-infused hollandaise on top.

Vermouth-Grapefruit Sangria

This low-ABV sipper is superb at brunch (or anytime!). It's a drink for grapefruit lovers, not your usual sangria. Our favorite citrus is juiced, supremed, and thinly sliced into wheels—before it's mixed with vermouth for a crowd-pleasing punch.

Bitter Greens, Grapefruit, and Avocado Salad

This sophisticated salad transforms an assortment of ingredients that includes grapefruit, basil, avocado, poppy seeds, and three types of lettuce (escarole, Belgian endive, and frisée) into a harmonious whole.

Veal Scaloppine With Ruby Red Grapefruit

Grapefruit juice and segments cut the richness of the buttery pan sauce in this weeknight veal dish that's fancy enough for company.

Citrus Salad With Pomegranate Seeds

This showstopper (a Martha holiday brunch original) is worth every minute spent peeling, seeding, and scattering. Tackle the prep in stages—the fruit can be segmented one day ahead, and the full salad stored in the fridge for up to eight hours.

Broiled Grapefruit

A round of blood orange and a caramelized brown-sugar crust make the proverbial "diet plate" anything but plain. You could also dust with confectioners' sugar or add a dollop of yogurt.

Warm Grapefruit Tea

Freshly squeezed ruby red juice is sweetened with honey and infused with cinnamon and allspice. Enjoy this noncaffeinated tea before bed, to soothe a cold, or as an invigorating alternative to spiced apple cider.

Lillet Rose Spring Cocktail

For extra-special occasions, nothing suits like a signature drink. If the edible flowers don't sell you, the base of grapefruit juice, gin, and Lillet Rosé will leave no doubts. (The White Nixon is another favorite.)

Miniature Grapefruit Souffles with Ginger

Fresh ginger and Greek yogurt liven up these single-serving soufflés, while sugar and egg yolks tame grapefruit's trademark bite. The result is a balanced, sophisticated, and memorable dessert.

Jasmine Shortbread Sandwiches With Grapefruit Curd

Homemade grapefruit curd is heaven on fragrant jasmine shortbread—but don't stop there. Try it on toast or stir it into yogurt for a snack that feels like a treat.

Seared Scallops with Shaved Fennel, Cucumber, and Grapefruit

This upside-down salad anchors itself atop tender pan-seared scallops. Zest, juice, and chunks of grapefruit as garnish ensure bright flavor in every bite.

Watercress, Pink Grapefruit, and Walnut Salad

A sesame-lime vinaigrette lends this tangle of watercress an Asian flair, while the grapefruit adds its lively punch.

Grapefruit and Mint Mojito

The classic mojito gets a tart update from grapefruit-infused rum. Add splashes of mint syrup and seltzer, and you'll wonder why you ever had this cocktail any other way.