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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Fennel Salad

    Published Feb 9, 2023, modified Mar 14, 2023 by Nicole Shroff / This site uses cookies. See the privacy policy linked in my footer. This site generates income via ads/ 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe
    Pin of two images of fennel salad.

    This Italian fennel salad is deliciously aromatic and refreshing with fresh flavours, a delightful crunch and tangy orange dressing.

    Sicilian style fennel salad in yellow bowl.

    Our Italian fennel salad is a wonderful autumn/winter salad using fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables.

    The combination of these flavours and textures work so well together with sweet raw crunchy fennel, fresh oranges, raisins and apple balanced with a mild sharpness of red onion, then tossed in a tangy citrus dressing.

    We think this salad is excellent served alongside seafood and meats, but also with potato and egg dishes.

    You may like to serve it with our garlic butter shrimps, Italian sausages, potato salad and our zucchini frittata.

    Cooked fennel is delicious too, check out our fennel gratin and this cheesy fennel tart.

    Click the subscribe button above for more recipes like this to your inbox.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredient notes
    • Selecting fennel
    • How to cut fennel
    • Instructions
    • Optional extras
    • Make ahead
    • Storing
    • You may also like …
    • Pairing
    • 📋 Recipe

    Ingredient notes

    For best results use good fresh ingredients, you will need:

    Ingredients for fennel salad on wooden counter.
    • fennel – medium size round fennel bulb
    • oranges – one and a half oranges for slicing, the other orange half is juiced to make the dressing. The oranges don’t need to be very sweet.
    • apple – any crunchy dessert variety will do (i.e. not cooking apples).
    • red onion – thinly sliced using a mandolin or sharp knife.
    • raisins – for extra fruity flavour.
    • black olives – stoned preferably
    • olive oil – use a good quality olive oil for great flavour
    • apple cider vinegar – because its fruitier than white wine vinegar.
    • salt – adjust for flavour after tasting the dressed salad especially if using any of our extra recommendations listed below..
    • lemon zest – optional garnish, for extra zing.
    • black pepper – adds a little heat sprinkled on top of the salad, freshly crushed for best flavour.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Selecting fennel

    Select a round, firm, white, medium size fennel which feels slightly heavy with no bruising.

    Old stock fennels feel lighter and will look a little shrivelled as moisture is lost over time resulting in less flavour and wilted texture.

    How to cut fennel

    Step by step instructions for cutting fennel.

    Full fennel on wooden chopping board with knife.
    1. Wash and pat dry the fennel.
    Fennel with bottom cut off on chopping board.

    2. Slice off the bottom.

    Cutting the top of the fennel.

    3. Cut off the stalks on top.

    Trimmed fennel on chopping board.

    4. Cut the trimmed fennel bulb in half before slicing.

    Fennel thinly sliced with a mandolin.

    5. Use a mandolin (recommended) or sharp knife to thinly slice the fennel and add to a medium mixing bowl.

    Instructions

    Prep the salad ingredients:

    • Thinly slice the fennel following the steps outlined above.
    • Peel both oranges, halve one orange and set it aside for the dressing.
    • Use a sharp knife to cut the remaining oranges into horizontal slices.
    • Core and pip the apple then cut into thin bite size pieces.
    • Thinly slice the onion.
    • Use raisins and olives as they are.

    To make the dressing – blend the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, juice of half the orange and salt to make a smooth and creamy emulsion.

    Assemble the salad – Combine all the salad ingredients in the mixing bowl and pour in the salad dressing, mix till the salad is fully coated.

    Garnish – with lemon zest and a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper, serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

    Fennel salad on Italian painted plate.

    Optional extras

    Some extra ingredients you may like to mix in with the salad:

    • seafood – sardines, anchovies or your favourite cooked seafood. Taste for saltiness as you may need to reduce the amount of salt in the dressing.
    • red chilli pepper flakes – do you have some guests addicted to chilli pepper? Amp it up with a light sprinkling of red chilli flakes.
    • seeds – lightly roasted pine, pumpkin or sunflower seeds give extra crunchiness.
    • colourful ingredients – cut beets, grated radishes or halved grapes for great flavour and pop of colour.

    Make ahead

    This fennel salad can be made in advance and we would actually recommend letting it sit for 30 minutes before serving for flavours to combine beautifully.

    Storing

    Store leftovers in a sealed container and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

    Its not suitable for freezing as the fresh ingredients would loose their flavour and become soggy.

    You may also like …

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • Baked frittata in a cast iron wedge pan.
      Mini Frittatas
    • Close up of pear cobbler with scoop of vanilla ice cream.
      Pear Cobbler
    • Apple cider vinegar drink in green glass with orange slice and mint.
      Apple Cider Vinegar And Cranberry Juice
    • Orange drink next to halved oranges on red stripe cloth.
      Cranberry Mocktail

    Pairing

    Fennel salad is wonderful with these dishes.

    • cooked lamb in iron skillet.
      Mughlai Lamb
    • blue bowl with shrimps on rice
      Garlic Butter Shrimps
    • Close up of eggplant parmesan with basil in baking dish.
      Healthy Eggplant Parmesan (Air-Fryer)
    • Broccoli potato frittata in iron skillet.
      Broccoli Potato Frittata

    📋 Recipe

    Fennel salad in yellow bowl on chequered cloth.

    Fennel Salad

    Nicole Shroff
    This Sicilian style fennel salad is deliciously aromatic and refreshing with fresh flavours, a delightful crunch and tangy orange dressing.
    5 from 3 votes
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    Prep Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 172 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium fennel whole, washed and dried
    • 2 medium oranges
    • 1 small apple washed and dried
    • 1 small red onion
    • 20 g raisins 2 tablespoons
    • 30 g black olives ¼ cup
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

    Dressing

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons orange juice
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional

    Instructions
     

    • Cut off the stems, fronds and bottom of 1 medium fennel then slice the bulb in half. Use a mandolin or sharp knife to thinly slice both halves and transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
    • Peel 2 medium oranges, halving one orange to set aside for the dressing. Use a sharp knife and cut 1½ oranges into horizontal slices then add to the fennel.
    • Cut 1 small apple into bite size pieces, removing core and pips and add to the fennel.
    • Halve and then thinly slice 1 small red onion and add to the bowl, also adding 30 g black olives and 20 g raisins.

    Dressing

    • Juice the half orange to obtain roughly 2 tablespoons of juice. Then add to a blender with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, ½ teaspoon salt and blend to a creamy emulsion.
    • Pour dressing over the salad and mix well till the salad is properly coated. Garnish with ⅛ teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon lemon zest and serve.

    Notes

    Fennel stems and fronds – do not discard and they can be sliced for extra garnish or used in other recipes.
    Salt – adjust for flavour after tasting the dressed salad, this is important if adding any seafood extras which may already contain salt.
    Make ahead – for best results, cover the salad and set aside or chill for 30 mins for the flavours to develop.
    Storing leftovers – in a sealed container and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. It’s not suitable for freezing.
     

    MEASUREMENT NOTES

    The ingredients here on EOTF are set out in grams & milliliters and in US cups & spoons.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 172kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 441mgPotassium: 507mgFiber: 5gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 293IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe? I’d love to know how it turned out! Let me know by leaving a review below, or snap a photo and share it on Instagram tagging me @Endofthefork.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Miska Knezevic

      February 15, 2023 at 8:15 am

      5 stars
      Excellent! I,m going to make it today for lunch! Thanks!

      Reply

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