This Sicilian fennel orange salad is incredibly simple but has a fantastic mix of sweet juiciness and savory crunch. It makes a great side salad or light lunch.
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I know, a salad doesn't come as naturally to mind in the winter as in warmer months. Apart from if you're having a detox, of course (and this super green kale salad would be perfect for that, by the way).
However a winter salad that makes use of seasonal produce can be just the thing to break up heavier meals or as a side. Especially when they are bright and refreshing like this fennel citrus salad.
It's incredibly simple but with a great mix of flavors and textures. It's just the thing to perk up your plate in the winter months.
Wonderful winter salads
While there are some things I can eat any time of the year, otherwise I am a big fan of eating seasonally. I know some think winter can be a boring time for produce, there are in fact more things around than you might think. And much of it works in salads.
For example, this farro salad includes some delicious roasted squash, radicchio and fennel. My winter fattoush has cauliflower and parsnip, and my winter beet salad has beets (funnily enough) as well as persimmon.
Fennel and oranges are some of the popular ingredients in Sicily and they certainly know how to prepare them simply and effectively, as this salad shows.
How to make this simple salad
As you can probably tell by now, it's super quick and easy to make. All you do is cut the fennel in half, remove the core and thinly slice. Peel and segment the orange and thinly slice the onion. Mix everything slightly on a platter or plate. Make a quick pressing with some lemon juice, olive oil and a little salt and pepper and that's it.
This fennel orange salad makes a great appetizer or side dish. It's also robust enough that you could take it along to a potluck or for lunch as it's not going to wilt (it just might not be arranged quite as well). However you enjoy it, it's fresh, with a lovely balance of juicy sweetness and savory crunch. Just what winter needs.
Try these other seasonal salad ideas:
- Vegan lentil salad with roasted Brussels sprouts and grapes
- Beet apple salad with maple vinaigrette
- Plus get more winter recipes in the archives.
Sicilian fennel orange salad
Ingredients
- ½ bulb fennel medium-large or 1 small
- 1 orange
- ¼ red onion
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp salt approx
- ⅛ tsp pepper approx
- 2 tbsp black olives approx 8, eg kalamata
- ½ tsp chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Cut the fennel bulb in half then trim the end and remove the core. Cut the remaining bulb in very thin slices, cutting larger slices in half. Stop slicing once you get to the greener part and discard the top or use for something else.
- Peel the orange with a knife so that you also remove the membrane on the outside of the flesh part. Cut down by the membranes on each segment to remove the segments without any membrane or white pith on them. Break larger pieces in half.
- Pell the chunk of red onion and finely slice it. Lay the fennel, onion and orange on a plate and gently mix together.
- Collect any juices from the orange, such as squeezing from the chopped-off membrane, and put them in a small bowl or jar (this is for the dressing). Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper then whisk or shake together. Drizzle over the salad.
- Top the salad with the olives and some torn/chopped parsley and serve.
Video
Nutrition
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Brian Jones
Such classic flavours, fennel and citrus are the most magical combination and I use it all of the time. The is such a lovely salad!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, and yes I agree they do go so well together!
Laura
I think this salad would work great not only health-wise but also any time you would need to boost your mood a bit. The colors are amazing and they do make me want to smile a bit. Needless to say, fennel is a fantastic ingredient to use.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, I do really like fennel as well and it goes so well with the citrus. And agree it does add that brightness!
ZEBA DURRANI
Caroline...this salad looks beautiful. I love fennel and use a mandolin to get very thin slices. Looks fresh and perfect!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Zeba, I really should get a mandolin to make it easier 🙂 But either way it works so well here and is simple but tasty.
Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook
I know what you mean by summer and winter salads. Strawberries are also in season, but I prefer them during summer months. But because they are in season, I tend to buy in bulk for smoothies and to eat them as is. This salad looks absolutely beautiful and sounds delicious!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Jhuls, I do like strawberries as well although more for snacking, in general (but I've put them in baking, drinks and more too!). Glad you like this salad, it's so easy but tasty!