Gut Friendly Fennel-Orange Salad
Bright, refreshing, and built entirely from whole, minimally processed ingredients, this salad is the kind of dish that makes eating well feel genuinely exciting. Fennel is a standout for digestive wellness — its natural compounds have long been associated with soothing the gut — and pairing it with fresh citrus creates a combination that's as functional as it is beautiful on the plate. The trick of soaking the shaved fennel in ice water is a small but brilliant step that tames any sharpness and gives you delicate, crisp curls that hold up beautifully under the dressing. Castelvetrano olives bring a buttery richness without heaviness, while the honey-citrus vinaigrette ties everything together with just enough brightness and a gentle kick from red pepper flakes. Red onion adds a little bite, and the optional shaved Parmesan rounds out the whole thing with a savory, nutty finish. It comes together quickly and relies on fresh, recognizable ingredients from start to finish — no processed shortcuts, no mystery additives. This is the kind of salad you bring to the table and watch disappear.
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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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