Celery Free Fennel-Orange Salad
Bright, citrusy, and impossibly fresh, this salad is the kind of dish that makes people stop mid-bite and ask what's in it. Shaved fennel gets a quick soak in ice water so it curls into delicate, crisp ribbons before meeting juicy navel orange segments, briny Castelvetrano olives, and paper-thin red onion. The dressing is built right from the oranges themselves — fresh-squeezed juice whisked with lemon, honey, olive oil, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for just enough warmth. Everything about this recipe is naturally free of celery and celery-derived ingredients, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or swap anything out. It's a genuinely elegant plate that comes together with straightforward knife work and a mandoline, no complicated technique required. Finished with torn parsley, feathery fennel fronds, and optional shaved Parmesan, it's the kind of salad that holds its own as a starter or sits beautifully alongside grilled fish or roasted chicken.
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!