Emulsifier Free Fennel-Orange Salad
Crisp shaved fennel, jewel-bright orange segments, briny Castelvetrano olives, and paper-thin red onion come together in a salad that feels like something you'd order at a sun-drenched Mediterranean bistro. The dressing is a simple shake of olive oil, fresh citrus juice, honey, and a pinch of red pepper flakes — nothing processed, nothing hidden, just real ingredients whisked together until they naturally come together into a light, glossy coating. That matters a lot when you're avoiding commercial emulsifiers, because so many bottled dressings and store-bought salads sneak in additives like lecithin or polysorbates to keep things shelf-stable. Here, the emulsification happens the old-fashioned way, through a quick whisk and the natural interaction of the citrus and oil. The trick of soaking the fennel in ice water for ten minutes is a small step that pays off big — the slices curl, crisp up, and lose any harsh edge, making every bite delicate and refreshing. Finished with torn parsley, feathery fennel fronds, and optional shaved Parmesan, this is the kind of salad that looks impressive enough for a dinner party but comes together with almost no effort.
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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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