Orange and Fennel Salad
This 4 ingredient Orange and Fennel Salad is the quick and easy salad you’ve been looking for!
The crispness of the fennel pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the oranges, creating a refreshing and satisfying dish. It’s perfect for a light lunch or an elegant side dish.
Just like my Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad or Fried Potatoes and Onions, my Orange and Fennel Salad is a side dish you’ll be making time and time again. This flavorful Sicilian classic known as Insalata di Finocchi e Arance, champions sweet orange slices, crisp fennel, and salty olives to make a memorable dish.
If the combination of fennel and orange sounds surprising, I’m confident this recipe will change your mind! It’s certainly one of the most delicious ways to upgrade your salad game and your family and friends will thank you.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Fresh and fragrant – this Sicilian Fennel Salad with orange is incredibly refreshing and satisfying. The combination of crunchy fennel and sweet orange is a surprisingly delicious pairing that will leave you wanting more.
- Elegant salad – say goodbye to boring salads and hello to this showstopper! Whether you enjoy this as a light lunch or serve it at your next dinner party, this Fennel Orange Salad is always a good idea.
- Classic Italian flavors – the combination of sweet, fragrant citrus with crispy fennel is a match made in heaven. While the salty olives bring a pop of savory delight!
- Quick and easy – with just a handful of ingredients, you’ll love how quickly this delicious winter salad comes together. It’s so easy to make, I know you’ll turn to it regularly.
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Ingredients
- Oranges – look for perfectly ripe and juicy oranges. My preference is naval oranges because they are readily available and always delicious.
- Fennel – choose a large fennel that looks fresh and unbruised. If you can buy it with fennel fronds, save them for a lovely garnish on this Fennel Orange Salad.
- Black olives – use your favorite variety of black olives. They add a delicious pop of savory saltiness to this fragrant salad.
- Extra virgin olive oil – good quality extra virgin olive oil is best here. This salad has no intricate vinaigrette, just a combination of olive oil and orange juice. So it’s important to use a nice olive oil.
- Salt and pepper – nothing fancy here. However, I will note this salad can take quite a bit of salt.
Instructions
Peel and segment the oranges, saving the leftover orange membranes.
Clean and trim the fennel bulb. Then cut into quarters and slice thinly.
To make the salad dressing, squeeze the juice from the reserved orange membranes into a bowl. Whisk in olive oil, salt and pepper.
Assemble the fennel slices, olives, and orange segments in a bowl and dress with prepared salad dressing.
Marcellina’s Hint: Taste after dressing the salad and adjust with additional salt and pepper to bring out the flavors of the ingredients. This salad can take more seasoning than you may think.
Substitutions
- Blood oranges – you could easily substitute regular oranges for beautifully red blood oranges.
Variations
- Red onion – I love adding a few slices of red onion to this salad for that delicious savory hit.
- Oregano – you could add a sprinkle of dried oregano over this salad or another one of your favorite dried herbs
- Zesty lemon – a squeeze of lemon juice in this salad dressing adds a little acidity and can help balance the sweetness of the oranges.
- Salad greens – add some crispy salad greens to this Fennel and Orange Salad for extra goodness.
Equipment
You’ll love that my Orange and Fennel Salad doesn’t require any expensive equipment to make. The only kitchen equipment integral to this dish is a good sharp knife for cutting the orange and fennel.
Storage
As with all salads, I prefer eating this freshly made so the ingredients (particularly the fennel) hold their shape and crunch. However, if you are making this for a party, you can prepare it an hour in advance. Take care to store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Top tip
- Take your time preparing the oranges. Carefully remove all the bitter white pith and don’t skip the segmenting of the oranges. These steps will produce the best tasting and best eating experience.
- Remove the core and slice the fennel as finely as possible so it is easy to eat. Fennel can discolor and soften quickly so prepare it just before you need to use it.
- If the fennel isn’t as fresh and crisp as you would like, soak the slices in icy-cold water for 10 minutes before assembling the salad. Be sure to drain it very well before combining it with the other ingredients.
- Save your fennel fronds for extra flavor and a perfect garnish for this elegant winter salad.
- For the best results and best flavor, it’s important to buy the quality ingredients you can find. There’s only a handful of ingredients in this salad and you want to make them shine.
FAQ
I love serving this Fennel Orange Salad alongside grilled chicken or fish. It also works well served after a pasta course because it’s so refreshing and almost acts as a palate cleanser!
Fennel is a seasonal vegetable and is at its peak in winter. Choose a fennel bulb that is white, and crisp, and avoid anything that’s got bruises or blemishes. I love it when I can buy a fennel bulb with its green fronds because they act as a lovely garnish on your dishes.
This dish can be made one hour in advance and stored in the refrigerator to preserve the crispness. If you make it further in advance, the fennel loses its crispness and it can become a little soggy.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this Orange and Fennel Salad as part of a larger Italian feast consisting of Giant Cheese Stuffed Shells, Chicken Spiedini, Roasted Garlic, and Rosemary Potatoes and finishing with my Nutella Cake for dessert.
Related
Artichoke Salad
Greek Couscous Salad
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Fennel Orange Salad
Ingredients
- 2 oranges
- 1 large fennel See note 1
- ⅓ cup pitted black olives
- 3 tablespoons (45mls) olive oil
- ½ -1 teaspoon salt See note 2
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Segment the Orange:
- Begin by cutting off the top and bottom of the oranges to create a flat surface.
- Stand the orange upright and use a sharp knife to cut downwards, removing the peel and the white pith.
- Once peeled, hold the orange over a bowl and carefully slice between the membranes to release the orange segments. Set the segments aside in a separate bowl.
- Squeeze the juice from the leftover membranes into a small bowl—this will be used for the dressing.
Prepare and Slice the Fennel:
- Trim off the fennel stalks and fronds (you can save some fronds for garnish).
- Cut the fennel bulb in quarters lengthwise, then remove the tough core from each quarter.
- Place the fennel quarters flat-side down and finely slice them into thin, delicate slices.
Make the Dressing:
- Combine the orange juice from the leftover membranes with olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, then whisk together until well combined.
Assemble the Salad:
- In a large serving bowl or platter, arrange the sliced fennel and orange segments.
- Scatter the black olives over the salad.
- Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad, then season with extra salt and pepper if needed.
Garnish and Serve:
- If desired, sprinkle some fennel fronds on top for extra flavor and presentation.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour.
Notes
- If the fennel lacks the desired freshness and crispness, soak the slices in ice-cold water for 10 minutes before preparing the salad. Be sure to drain them well before adding to the other ingredients.
- It’s important to taste and season this salad correctly. Salt and pepper will make the flavor sing, so don’t skimp.
- a few thin slices of red onion
- sprinkle of dried oregano
- Take your time when preparing the oranges. Make sure to remove all the bitter white pith, and don’t skip segmenting the fruit—these steps will enhance both the flavor and the overall eating experience.
- Remove the fennel core and slice it as thinly as possible for easy eating. Since fennel can discolor and soften quickly, prepare it just before use.
- Save the fennel fronds—they make the perfect garnish for this elegant winter salad.
- To achieve the best flavor, it’s essential to choose high-quality ingredients. With only a few components in this salad, each one should truly stand out
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
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Thank you for the memories Marcellina.. Fennel salad, minus the orange, always brings me back to my youth especially during the holidays. My dad would often thinly slice fennel, season it with evoo , salt and pepper and add black olives. Later in years, I prepared the fennel salad with orange slices for my family and Mom and Dad. We all loved it. It continues to please our growing family……
You’re welcome, Carole! Thank you for sharing your lovely memories!