Pregnancy Friendly Fennel-Orange Salad
Bright, refreshing, and built entirely from whole, recognizable ingredients, this fennel and orange salad is the kind of dish that feels like a treat while actually doing your body a lot of good. Crisp shaved fennel, juicy citrus segments, briny Castelvetrano olives, and paper-thin red onion come together in a way that's genuinely stunning on the plate. The dressing is a simple whisk of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh orange and lemon juice, honey, and a pinch of red pepper flakes — nothing processed, nothing to second-guess. During pregnancy, eating well doesn't have to mean eating boringly, and this salad is proof of that. Fennel's natural digestive-soothing qualities make it a particularly welcome ingredient when your stomach has opinions, and the vitamin C from all that fresh citrus is a genuine bonus. The ice-water soak for the fennel is a small but brilliant step that gives the slices a satisfying crunch without any extra effort. Finish it with shaved Parmesan and torn fennel fronds and you've got something that looks like it came from a restaurant but came together in your own kitchen.
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!