This orange fennel salad is comprised of the simplest ingredients yielding a bright and flavorful dish that is beautiful to look at and delights the taste buds.  Our recipe uses the cara cara, navel, and blood orange varietals and are gently tossed with sliced fennel bulbs, razor-thin onion, lemon juice and olive oil, and sprinkled with toasted pine nuts, fennel fronds, and flaky sea salt.

Platter with orange fennel salad.


Recipe Ingredients

All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.

Ingredients shown: 5 oranges, 1 onion, 1 fennel, pine nuts and extra virgin olive oil on a wood cutting board.
  • Oranges. Oranges, of any variety will work.  Slice, or segment, the choice is yours!
  • Fennel. Fennel is a key ingredient in this dish, as its name suggests.  The entire fennel bulb is edible, as are the stalks and the fronds. 

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make it

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

  1. Begin by removing the fennel stalks and setting them aside.  The fronds will be used later.  
Fennel and orange salad recipe process shot collage group number 1.
  1. With a good knife, begin to slice the fennel into very thin strips.  Once sliced, you can run them under cold water to clean them, and then run through a salad spinner, or pat dry.
  2. Rinse the fennel fronds in cold water and pat dry.  With a knife, give them a rough chop.  Set aside as these will be used as a garnish. 
Recipe process shot collage group number 2.
  1. Slice the onion the same thickness as the fennel slices.  Combine with the fennel slices and add to a serving plate.
  2. With a paring knife, remove the skin from the oranges and slice into 1/4 to 1/2″ inch thick discs.  Alternately, you can slice your oranges into segments.  I prefer slicing them into discs because I find them easier to eat this way.  Once sliced, layer them on top of the fennel and onion mixture.  Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and good quality extra virgin olive oil.
Recipe process shot collage group number 3.
  1. Add the pignoli nuts to a dry, small frying pan.  Since the nuts have a high fat content on their own, there is no need to use oil in this step.  On low heat, gently toast the pignoli nuts until lightly golden (about3 minutes). Make sure you watch them closely as they can burn easily.  Once toasted, remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes before adding to the orange and fennel salad.  Add the fennel fronds at this point, and just before serving, top with flaky sea salt.  Serve with more extra virgin olive oil if desired.  Enjoy! 

Try these other Italian salads

While the orange and fennel salad is currently at the top of my list, there are so many other salads that I adore.  I think you’ll love them too.  Check these out:

If you’ve enjoyed this Orange Fennel Salad Recipe or any recipe on this site, give it a 5-star rating and tell us about it in the comments below.

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Orange Fennel Salad

4.67 from 3 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Orange, fennel, and onion salad tossed with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, and topped with fennel fronds and flaky sea salt.

Ingredients 

  • 2 medium Cara cara oranges segmented or sliced into 1/2" discs
  • 2 medium Blood oranges segmented or sliced into 1/2" discs
  • 1 large Navel orange segmented or sliced into 1/2" discs
  • 1/4 cup (35g) Pignoli, aka pine nuts toasted
  • 1 Lemon juiced
  • 1 small Onion halved, and thinly sliced
  • 1 large Fennel bulb and fronds thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup (60g) Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Flaky sea salt

Instructions 

  • Slice the fennel bulb lengthwise, then slice thinly, crosswise. Chop the fennel fronds and set aside. Slice the onion in half, and slice each half thinly.
  • Toss the onion and fennel together and place on a serving dish. Layer the orange slices on top of the fennel and onion slices.
  • Drizzle the lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil on top of the fennel, onion and orange mixture.
  • To a dry, small pan, add the pignoli nuts and toast over low heat (about 3-5 minutes) paying close attention to not let them burn. Remove from the pan once fragrant and light golden brown.
  • Once the pignoli nuts are cool, sprinkle on top of the orange fennel salad.
  • Top the salad with the chopped fennel fronds and flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • While this salad travels well, I would suggest waiting until you are about to serve before topping with the flaky sea salt.  The salt has a tendency to dissolve into the oranges and waiting until ready to serve will ensure that the flaky sea salt texture is intact.
  • You can substitute any type of oranges for this salad, or use just one type.  For a less sweet version, try adding in some grapefruit slices.  
  • Some variations include oil-cured olives, fresh mint, or fresh basil.  Feel free to experiment!

Nutrition

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.7g | Protein: 3.1g | Fat: 18.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.2g | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 382mg | Fiber: 4.8g | Sugar: 16.4g | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.67 from 3 votes

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10 Comments

  1. Lynn Cappiello says:

    5 stars
    Made this with fennel from my csa and shared with my coworkers. Kept it simple and light. So refreshing and easy to make. I used pitasticios instead of pignoli bc thatโ€™s what o had on hand. A lovely and healthy salad for the summer!

    1. Tara says:

      We’re so happy you loved it Lynn!

  2. Lou Spencer says:

    I love all your recipes and suggestions. Your style of cooking is amazing, simple with excellent results. I have tried several of your recipes and have never been disappointed. From one fellow Italian to another, thank you and keep up the good work. Ciao ๐Ÿท

    1. Tara says:

      Hi Lou, we’re so happy you’re enjoying the recipes and really appreciate your comment. Thank you!

  3. Sharon Nowicki says:

    I made this salad twice this week!! Delicioso!!
    I love your videos and recipes, my favorites!!
    I recommend Sip&Feast to everyone who enjoys good food or are Italian!!
    Thank you!!

    1. Jim says:

      Hi Sharon, it’s great to hear you enjoyed this so much you made it twice! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the videos and recipes, thank you!

  4. Erica says:

    5 stars
    Made this tonight with your Sicilian meatballs. Amazing! Such fun flavors for summer.

    1. Jim says:

      Hi Erica, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed the salad. Sounds like you made a perfect Sicilian meal!

  5. Tess says:

    4 stars
    Left one star for wgen I actually make this. If it tastes as good as it looks/ sounds, I’ll be back with that fifth star!

    1. Jim says:

      Hi, Tess. I think you will love it. Hope to see that star rating move up, haha!