Rye Free Fennel-Orange Salad

Total time20 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time0 min

Crisp shaved fennel, juicy 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 Italian trattoria. The technique of soaking the fennel in ice water is a small but brilliant step — it coaxes the slices into delicate curls and gives them an irresistible crunch that holds up beautifully once dressed. A bright, citrusy vinaigrette made with fresh orange juice, lemon juice, honey, and a pinch of red pepper flakes ties every element together with just the right balance of sweet heat and acidity. Every single ingredient here is naturally grain-free, so there's no label-scanning or substitution stress — just clean, whole foods doing exactly what they're supposed to do. Optional shaved Parmesan and torn fennel fronds on top add a savory, aromatic finish that takes the whole plate to another level. This is the kind of salad that converts skeptics — the kind of dish people ask about at the table before they've even finished their first bite.

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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
Private Selection Sicilian Pitted Castelvetrano Olives Murray's Pitted Castelvetrano Olives Murray's Castelvetrano Olives Divina Pitted Castelvetrano Olives, 6Pk Divina Pitted Castelvetrano Olives, 6 oz
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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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