Carrageenan Free Fennel-Orange Salad
Crisp shaved fennel, juicy orange segments, briny Castelvetrano olives, and a whisper of red onion come together in a salad that feels like something you'd order at a sun-drenched Italian bistro. The dressing is built entirely from scratch — olive oil, fresh citrus juice, lemon, and honey — so you know exactly what's going into it without having to decode a label or worry about hidden additives lurking in a bottled vinaigrette. Many store-bought dressings and even some packaged olives or pre-marinated produce can contain carrageenan as a stabilizer or emulsifier, which makes a fully homemade approach like this one genuinely worth the extra few minutes. Soaking the fennel in ice water is a small but brilliant step that transforms it from sharp and fibrous into something delicate and almost sweet, with a satisfying curl. The orange segments do double duty here — they add brightness to the bowl and donate their juice straight to the dressing, so nothing goes to waste. A finish of flat-leaf parsley, torn fennel fronds, and optional shaved Parmesan pulls the whole thing together with freshness and a little savory depth. It's the kind of salad that looks impressive enough for a dinner party but comes together with nothing more than a sharp knife and a good mandoline.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!