Almond Free Fennel-Orange Salad
This bright, refreshing salad is everything you want on the table when you need something that feels a little special without a lot of effort. Shaved fennel gets a quick ice-water bath to coax out its natural crunch and curl, then it's layered with juicy orange segments, briny Castelvetrano olives, and paper-thin red onion for a combination that's equal parts elegant and bold. The dressing is a simple whisk of olive oil, fresh citrus juice, honey, and a pinch of red pepper flakes — nothing fussy, just clean flavors that tie everything together beautifully. A finish of flat-leaf parsley, torn fennel fronds, and optional shaved Parmesan takes it from simple to genuinely stunning. The entire ingredient list is naturally free from tree nuts, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or swap anything out — it just works as written. This is the kind of salad that disappears fast at a dinner party, and it's just as satisfying as a light lunch on its own.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 2 medium fennel bulbs, fronds reserved
- 3 medium navel oranges
- ¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup castelvetrano olives, pitted and roughly torn
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice (from one of the segmented oranges)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fennel fronds, roughly torn (optional)
- 1 oz shaved parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Trim the fennel bulbs: cut off the stalks and any tough outer layers, then halve each bulb through the root. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, shave the fennel crosswise into very thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick. Place in a large bowl of ice water and let stand for 10 minutes, until the slices curl slightly and crisp up. Drain well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- 2
Working over a bowl to catch the juice, cut the top and bottom off each orange, then stand each orange upright and slice away the peel and white pith from top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit. Hold the peeled orange over the bowl and cut between the membranes to release the segments, letting them fall into the bowl. Squeeze the spent membranes over the bowl to extract the juice, then measure out 2 tbsp of the juice for the dressing.
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