Wheat Free Fennel-Orange Salad
This bright, refreshing salad is everything you want on the table when you need something that feels a little special without a lot of effort. Shaved fennel soaks in ice water until it curls into delicate, crisp ribbons, then gets tossed with juicy navel orange segments, briny Castelvetrano olives, and paper-thin red onion for a combination that's equal parts bold and elegant. The citrus dressing — built from fresh orange juice, lemon juice, honey, and a pinch of red pepper flakes — ties it all together with a sweet, tangy heat that makes every bite pop. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of wheat, so there's no swapping, substituting, or label-squinting required. Optional shaved Parmesan and torn fennel fronds on top add a savory, aromatic finish that takes the whole thing over the edge. It's the kind of salad that disappears fast, so don't be surprised if you're making it on repeat all season long.
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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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