6 Grapefruit Recipes for the Perfect Saturday Brunch

Spring is right around the corner, and those fresh and breezy weekends are just begging to be spent with good friends and great food. In

keeping with the refreshing spirit of the coming season, juicy Texas red grapefruit from Winter Sweetz make the perfect foundation for your perfect brunch.

We’ve collected a whole meal’s worth of grapefruit recipes below, but brunch isn’t always a full-meal affair. Whether you just need a few apps and drinks, or a meal with an entrée and dessert, here you can find all of the grapefruit recipes you will need.

1. Grapefruit Sparkling Water

We’ve got you covered for every part of your brunch, including the start when your friends are still arriving. Look like an elegant and experienced host with glimmering glasses of thirst-quenching grapefruit sparkling water.

What You’ll Need:

• 1 and ½ cups sparkling water
• 2 grapefruit peel slices, 2” by 1”
• 2 teaspoons Winter Sweetz fresh Texas red grapefruit juice

What to Do:

1. Twist one grapefruit peel to release the juice and rub it around the rim of a glass with ice in it.
2. Pour sparkling water into the glass over the ice.
3. Put both peels in the glass to add some more tangy flavor.
4. Stir in grapefruit juice and serve.

Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1

2. Goat Cheese and Grapefruit Toasts

A good brunch balances the light and healthy feeling of breakfast with the more filling and rich fare of lunch. Goat cheese and grapefruit toast is the epitome of sweet and savory, tangy and creamy, breakfast and lunch. Deceptively sumptuous, this simple recipe serves as the carbohydrates for your meal.

The Ingredients:

• ½ cup (4 fluid oz.)  goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 Winter Sweetz Texas red grapefruit, peeled and segmented
• 16 slices of salami
• 16 baguette slices, toasted
• freshly ground black pepper

Preparing the Toast:

1. After toasting your baguette slices, bring together the honey and the goat cheese in a small bowl.
2. Generously apply this spread on the toasted baguette slices and layer a slice of salami with a grapefruit segment on top.
3. Drizzle the dish with a little honey and pepper to taste.

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 16 slices

3. Kale and Pink Grapefruit Salad

Brunch and healthy food often go together, but healthy food sometimes may not seem as fun. Not when you’re eating grapefruit! This tangy and energizing fruit can make any health food exciting, and, even more importantly, grapefruit itself is an amazing superfood!

What to Get:

• 8 cups of thinly sliced kale with center ribs and stems removed
• 1 Winter Sweetz Texas red grapefruit
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced into wedges of ½“
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

What to Do:

1. Cut peel and white pith from grapefruit with a sharp knife; discard. Cut between membranes to release segments into a small bowl.
2. Squeeze juice from the membranes into another small bowl, and add any juice from the bowl of segments. You will need ¼ cups total. Whisk together oil, juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a bowl, drizzle 3 tbsp. of dressing over the kale. Toss and let stand for 10 minutes.
4. Toss again and arrange avocado slices and grapefruit over the kale. Drizzle remaining dressing and serve.

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

4. Slow-Roasted Salmon with Fennel, Grapefruit, and Chiles

This unique entree has the benefit of being incredibly healthy! Salmon, fennel, and, of course, grapefruit are all excellent nutritional options for you and go together to make one great dish! Salmon is a nice way to add protein to your meal without adding a lot of weight. After all, brunch should give you energy for your day, not send you to the recliner for a nap.

The Ingredients:

• One 2-lb. salmon fillet, center cut preferably
• 1 Winter Sweetz Texas red grapefruit, very thinly sliced, seeds removed
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
• 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 red Fresno chile or jalapeño, thinly sliced
• 4 sprigs dill, more for garnish
• ¾ cup olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt

How to Prepare:

1. First, preheat oven to 275°.
2. In a 3-qt. baking dish, mix together your grapefruit slices, lemon slices, fennel, chile, and 4 sprigs of dill. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
3. Use kosher salt to season the salmon and place it on top of grapefruit mix. Pour olive oil over the fish and produce.
4. Roast salmon for 30 to 40 minutes. Salmon should be just cooked through until the tip of a knife will cut in easily and the flesh is slightly opaque.
5. Break salmon into large pieces on a platter. Add the grapefruit mix and oil from baking dish. Add fresh dill sprigs; discard baked sprigs. Season with salt and pepper.

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 6

5. Grapefruit–Poppy Seed Loaf Cake with Yogurt Glaze

Possibly the most classic recipe on this list, grapefruit poppy seed loaf cake makes a delightful end to any brunch. The grapefruit adds a surprising and more modern twist to this familiar favorite. It’s sure to keep its fresh, moist flavor for quite a while because the recipe uses oil; in fact, this cake can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temp.

What You’ll Need:

• 8 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice, divided
• 1 tablespoon finely grated grapefruit zest
• ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, plus more for sprinkling
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Non-stick vegetable spray

Baking Your Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, and line an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2–inch metal loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a little extra parchment paper to hang over the sides. Then, lightly coat it with the non-stick spray.
2. Take your medium bowl and whisk in it the flour, baking powder, and ¾ tsp. salt.
3. Work together grapefruit zest and granulated sugar with your fingers until sugar starts to clump, usually for about one minute. Next, add in the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, and beat on high with an electric mixer for about 4 minutes or until the mixture is light yet thick.
4. Now reduce the mixer’s speed to low, and add half of the dry ingredient mix and ¾ cup yogurt. After a brief mix, add the rest of the dry mixture, 5 tbsp. grapefruit juice, and 1 tbsp. poppy seeds.
5. With a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf to see if it comes out clean. If so, your cake is ready to take out of the oven.
6. Transfer pan holding your creation to a wire rack, and poke a few holes in top of the cake. Then, brush on the remaining 3 tbsp. grapefruit juice and let it sit for 15 minutes. 
7. Run your knife around the outside of the cake to loosen it. Then, use the parchment paper to lift the delicious cake out of the pan and onto a wire rack. Next, remove the parchment paper, and leave it to cool down.
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, remaining 1 tbsp. yogurt, 1 tsp. water, and a pinch of salt until smooth. You’ll need to do this to make the drizzle.
9. Drizzle over cake and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Let sit until the glaze is set, usually about 30 minutes.

Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes (including prep and bake time)

Serves: 8

6. Grapefruit-Mint Bellini

What sort of brunch list would this be if it didn’t include a little something for the adults? Bellinis are a classic brunch staple, but by adding some fresh Texas red grapefruit juice and a touch of mint, you have a new and interesting cocktail that will have your friends begging for the recipe. For any non-drinkers, consider using a non-alcoholic sparkling wine, or treat yourself to some pure, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice by itself.

The Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 cups freshly squeezed Winter Sweetz Texas red grapefruit juice
• 1 bunch fresh mint
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 bottle sparkling wine (champagne, prosecco, cava…choose your favorite!)
• edible flowers for garnish (optional)

To Make:

1. For the simple syrup: Bring water, sugar, and mint to boil in a saucepan. Simmer 3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and remove from heat. Let cool completely then discard the mint.
2. Evenly distribute grapefruit juice and your freshly made simple syrup between 6 glasses. Stir.
3. Top off the glasses with sparkling wine and garnish with edible flowers. You can also use a grapefruit slice as a garnish if you would prefer. 

Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 6

You can find deliciously fresh Winter Sweetz Texas red grapefruits at any of these retailers, or ask your grocer to contact us at (956) 424-7775 to get our fresh Texas grapefruit in stock today!