Wheat Free Smoky Paprika Fennel & Citrus Slaw
This vibrant slaw is a serious crowd-pleaser — crisp fennel, jewel-toned red cabbage, sweet orange segments, and tender carrot all tossed in a smoky, citrus-forward dressing that tastes anything but simple. The smoked paprika and cumin give it a warm, almost barbecue-adjacent depth that you wouldn't expect from a salad, while the fresh orange juice keeps everything bright and lively. Every ingredient here is naturally free from wheat, so there's no swapping or substituting required — just straightforward, wholesome produce and pantry staples working together beautifully. The trick of segmenting the oranges directly over the bowl means none of that precious juice goes to waste, and it pulls double duty as the base of the dressing. A short ten-minute rest before serving is worth every second — it lets the vegetables relax into the dressing and transforms the whole bowl into something cohesive and deeply flavorful. Scattered fennel fronds and crunchy pumpkin seeds on top make it look like something you'd order at a trendy bistro, but it comes together in your own kitchen with minimal effort. Serve it alongside grilled proteins, pile it onto tacos, or eat it straight from the bowl — it holds up beautifully either way.
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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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