Nitrate & Nitrite Free Smoky Paprika Fennel & Citrus Slaw
This slaw is a bright, crunchy showstopper that earns its place on any table — shaved fennel, jewel-toned red cabbage, sweet orange segments, and tender julienned carrot all tangled together in a smoky, citrus-forward dressing. The smoked paprika and cumin give it a warm, almost campfire depth that you wouldn't expect from a vegetable side, and the fresh orange juice pulled straight from the segmented fruit ties everything together beautifully. For anyone navigating a nitrate- and nitrite-free lifestyle, this kind of recipe is a breath of fresh air — every single ingredient is a whole, unprocessed food with nothing hidden in the label. No cured meats, no packaged dressings, no preservatives to second-guess. A short rest after tossing lets the vegetables soften just enough to soak up the dressing without losing their satisfying bite. Finish it with a handful of raw pumpkin seeds and a scatter of feathery fennel fronds and you've got something that looks as good as it tastes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the slaw
- 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced, fronds reserved
- 2 cups red cabbage, very thinly shredded
- 2 medium navel oranges, peeled and segmented
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned or coarsely grated
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh orange juice (from the segmented oranges)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh fennel fronds, roughly chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Segment the oranges over a small bowl to catch the juice: slice off the top and bottom of each orange, stand it upright, and cut away the peel and pith following the curve of the fruit. Slice between the membranes to release each segment. Squeeze the spent membranes over the bowl to collect the juice; measure out 3 tbsp for the dressing.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tbsp orange juice, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cumin, honey, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is smooth and uniform in color.
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