Soy 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 looks like it belongs on a restaurant table but comes together with surprisingly little effort. The dressing is built entirely from olive oil, fresh citrus juice, honey, and a pinch of red pepper flakes — nothing processed, nothing hidden, just clean and vibrant flavor. That matters a lot when you're navigating soy-free eating, because so many bottled dressings and store-bought salads sneak in soy-based emulsifiers or oils without much fanfare. Here, every single ingredient is whole and easy to verify at a glance. The trick of soaking the fennel slices in ice water before assembling is a small step that pays off big, giving you delicate curls with a satisfying crunch rather than anything sharp or raw-tasting. A finish of fresh parsley, torn fennel fronds, and optional shaved Parmesan pulls the whole plate together with an herby, salty edge. It's the kind of salad that converts skeptics and disappears fast.
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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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