Bright and fresh fennel orange salad with a zesty Mediterranean dressing. This refreshing citrus salad with hints of licorice is ready in just 10 minutes. Pair it with chicken, fish, or protein of your choice for an easy dinner!
![dressed fresh salad in a bowl](https://www.themediterraneandish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/fennel-orange-salad-recipe-6.jpg)
Fennel orange salad with a Mediterranean twist!
Fresh seasonal fruit is an easy way to elevate a simple salad by adding sweetness and color.
And in this fennel orange salad, there is also a nice contrast of textures that I love—sweet, juicy citrus layered with crunchy fennel and shallots. (I’ve been on a fennel kick lately and have been loving its subtle licoricey taste roasted or even in things like a lentil stew)
Drizzled with the garlicky lemon and sumac dressing, this quick citrus salad makes the perfect side to my baked chicken drumsticks or pan-seared or poached salmon, or protein of your choice for an easy dinner…and you get a nice boost of vitamin C while you’re at it!
Ingredients – what you’ll need to make this salad
Here’s what you’ll need to make this fennel orange salad:
- Navel oranges – peeled and thinly sliced into rounds. (See my tips below for how to slice an orange!) You can also use other types of sweet citrus that’s in season – such as tangerines or clementines – instead. If you decide to use these smaller options, you will need to separate them into segments instead of slicing them into rounds
- Grapefruit – peeled and sliced into rounds
- Fresh fennel – one small bulb, halved and thinly sliced
- Spring mix or other salad greens – a bag of spring mix is a convenient thing to use here, but if you like to mix your own, you can use baby spinach or kale with some peppery arugula
- Shallots – halved and thinly sliced. If you don’t have shallots, red onions will work but they are a bit stronger in taste.
- Dressing (see below)
For the Dressing
In keeping with the citrus theme, this fennel and orange salad is best tossed in a light dressing made with fresh lemon juice and good extra virgin olive oil (similar to my ladolemono Greek dressing) and seasoned very simply so that it does not clash or take away from the freshness of the salad. Here is what I used to make the dressing:
- Extra virgin olive oil – I like our Spanish extra virgin olive oil in this dressing–it is a moderately intense oil with fruity undertones and a slight peppery finish
- Fresh lemon juice – Use the juice of a large lemon
- Minced garlic – 2 cloves add just the right amount of garlicky goodness
- Sumac – Sumac is a tangy and earthy spice made from ground sumac berries. It has a subtle flavor that is reminiscent of lemons, making it the perfect choice for this citrus salad!
- Dried oregano – A teaspoon of dried oregano for an herby touch
How to make fennel orange salad:
- Assemble the salad. Add 2 cups spring mix (or other salad greens of your choice) to a large bowl. Add 1 small thinly sliced bulb of fennel and 2 thinly sliced shallots. Lastly, add 1 navel orange and 1 grapefruit, both peeled and sliced into rounds.
- Make the dressing. Combine 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, the juice of one lemon, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon each of sumac and dried oregano, and some kosher salt and black pepper in a measuring jug and stir/whisk to combine.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss very gently, and serve.
How to peel an orange
A good, sharp paring knife is the tool you need to peel oranges and grapefruit. For this recipe, I don’t recommend trying to peel the fruit with your hands, as this can sometimes break apart the fruit’s flesh. Since we need round slices, the flesh of the orange and grapefruit need to be whole and undamaged. Here’s how to peel an orange:
- Start by cutting a bit off the top of the fruit (where the stem would be) with a sharp knife to create a flat surface. Do the same on the opposite side of the orange or grapefruit.
- Place one flat end on a cutting board. Starting with the knife at the top of the fruit, carefully slice away the peel and the pith (the white membrane between the flesh and the peel) in a downward direction. While the pith is healthy and contains lots of nutrients, it is quite bitter, and the salad tastes a lot better without it!
- Keep moving around the orange or grapefruit until all the peel and pith have been removed.
- Once the orange and grapefruit have been peeled, you can either segment them or slice them into rounds (as is needed in this recipe).
Serve this salad with
Like our creamy fresh fennel salad, the crunch of the fennel in this bright citrus salad pairs well with many things. It’s the perfect little bed for any protein of your choice. I mentioned chicken drumsticks and pan-seared salmon earlier, but I also love it with fish kabobs and my harissa lamb chops, which are also marinated in orange juice!
And because it is a light and bright dish, this orange salad can be the perfect way to start hearty meal like Moroccan lamb stew, or served before harira soup for a soup-n-salad dinner!
Make ahead tips
If you want to do some prep in advance, slice all the ingredients a day ahead. Store the citrus in one airtight container, and the shallot and fennel in another. Keep refrigerated. You can also make the dressing a day ahead and refrigerate it in a tightly covered mason jar.
When you’re ready to serve the salad, all that is left to do is quickly assemble and dress it.
Leftovers and storage
This citrus salad is best eaten and finished immediately. But if you foresee leftovers, don’t dress the salad all at once, and instead dress individual servings. Store leftover salad in an airtight container for 2 days. Remaining dressing should be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Other Orange Recipes to Try:
Mediterranean Diet Recipes
Easy Mediterranean Orange and Pomegranate Salad Recipe
Meat and Poultry
Citrus Rosemary Chicken
Featured in today’s recipe
Browse our top Mediterranean diet recipes, or all Mediterranean recipes.
Visit our Shop
Fresh Fennel Orange Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 navel oranges, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced into round
- 1 small fennel, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cups spring mix or salad greens of your choice
- 2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
For the dressing
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, (I used our Spanish Hojiblanca EVOO)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Assemble the salad. Add the spring mix (or other salad greens of your choice) to a large bowl. Add the chopped fennel and shallots. Lastly, add the navel orange and grapefruit.
- Make the dressing. Combine 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon juice, minced garlic, sumac, dried oregano, and some kosher salt and black pepper in a measuring jug and stir/whisk to combine.
- Serve. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Transfer to as serving bowl or platter to serve.
Notes
- Make-ahead tips: Slice all the ingredients a day ahead. Store the citrus in one airtight container, and the shallot and fennel in another. Keep refrigerated. You can also make the dressing a day ahead and refrigerate it in a tightly covered mason jar. When you’re ready to serve the salad, all that is left to do is quickly assemble and dress it.
- Leftovers and storage: This citrus salad is best eaten and finished immediately. But if you foresee leftovers, don’t dress the salad all at once, and instead dress individual servings. Store leftover salad in an airtight container for 2 days. Remaining dressing should be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Visit our online shop to browse our organic spices (like the sumac used in this recipe), quality extra virgin olive oils, and more!
This salad is delicious! We made it exact to the recipe and it is now one of our favorites! It goes so well with the Baked Halibut and lemon dill recipe!
Yes! Definitely a great combo :).
This salad is a definite winner! My husband loved it! I didn’t have garlic for the dressing, but it was still great! We made it with the turkey meatballs recipe, the tzatziki recipe, and roasted small golden potatoes. What a wonderful meal!
Wonderful salad which is simple to make but full of flavor. I left out the grapefruit, adding extra oranges. I served it with a quiche and a glass of red wine. This salad could be served with a variety of mains including fish, chicken, pork, or pasta.
deliciously summery and light. I had no lemons, so juiced an orange instead. I also didnt have sumac, but it was still absolutely delicious without. Will definitely be making again!
A perfectly refreshing salad. Easy to make, light and delicious. This will be a go-to for me.
So refreshing, cleansing and interesting with the sumac- a spice I don’t use too often. Loved it
Glad to hear it! Thanks, Jess!
The shallots and fennel overpowered the salad. It was way too bitter. If you make this be sure to use a small fennel bulb and very small shallots.
Thanks again for this amazing salad recipe!! It tasted so fresh and juicy.
It was perfect for this warm summer day here in the Netherlands.
I was serve this salad with a nice baked lemon marinaded piece of cod.
Thanks again you are a true inspiration for me to make beautiful dishes and eat healthy.
Suzy ! Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing recipe!!! 5 stars!!! Bravooooo !!! I did it for a lunch and everybody loved it! I used the leaves of the fennel for decoration purposes and added some chopped fennel in the dressing and a pinch of all spice! Your recipes are easy to follow and I am a big fan! Thank you
Wonderful! Thanks, Lucia!
How critical is the fennel for this recipe? I’ve been to three different stores, and they all say that fennel has been unavailable for months due to distribution problems.
Hi, Denee. It would obviously change the flavor profile, but it’s still delicious, even without the fennel :).
I haven’t made this salad, but I will. I just want to take the opportunity to say that I appreciate all these heart healthy recipes you post online for us all to enjoy. I’ve rarely tried one I didn’t like. The Med Diet is very similar to the DASH diet, but with some added zip & delicious creativity 🙂 Nothing is ever boring in Suzy’s kitchen. The DASH & Med diets are the two healthiest diets in the world. I’ve always eaten healthy, but you’ve given me more choices & introduced me to ingredients I haven’t tried. I bought a bundle of your olive oils & love them all. They taste better than my go-to Costco organic evoo. I’ve also purchased some of your spices which I never knew existed & am having fun trying them out. Thanks, Suzy, for your hard work. I’ll continue to try your healthy recipes & look forward to the new ones.
Thank you so much for the kind words and support of our small business! Means the world to me and totally made my day :). This is why I love my job!
My two favorites! Fennel and Orange! This is a must try. Thank you Suzy!
My husband and I decided to eat a lot healthier this year. We made this salad and it was amazing! Your recipes are so easy and fun!
Thanks, Karen!
So good! I love citrus so this salad hit all the boxes for me! This is a new regular for me!
Yay! Thanks, Christina!
Wow! Talk about a flavor explosion! LOVE IT!
Thanks, Lauren 🙂
I love this salad! So fresh and juicy. I had it with my chicken dinner last night!