Put this tangy fennel orange salad on the menu for a light meal or a refreshing first course. With a delicious poppy seed dressing!
This vegetarian salad is easy to make and only requires a few ingredients, and the dressing is made of pantry staples. The hardest part is cutting the fennel, which only takes a few minutes.
Don’t be afraid of fennel. Many don’t like it because it has a licorice flavor. The secret to enjoying raw fennel is allowing the fennel to marinate in the poppy seed dressing. The acid from vinegar helps tone down the fennel’s licorice flavor. It removes the onion’s sharp taste, leaving you with a mild flavor and a crisp crunch to the salad.
This light, refreshing salad is also an excellent way to use up fresh oranges, which are a great source of Vitamin C.
Bright, juicy oranges, crunchy red onions, and fennel make this the perfect side dish to balance hearty dishes. David and I do not like the licorice (anise) taste of anything, but we both enjoyed this fennel orange salad. anAnd highly recommend this salad for Meatless Monday!
Ingredients
The recipe card at the end of this post lists the complete ingredient list with measurements.
Fennel: you’ll need two medium-sized fennel bulbs for this salad.
Onion: thinly sliced red onion adds a sharp, slightly sweet, crunchy texture to the salad with beautiful color. Shallots or sweet onions are great substitutes.
Oranges: you’ll need three navel oranges. You can also use mandarins or blood oranges instead.
Lettuce: I love a good spring mix with various textures and colors. Any tyttuce will work, so use whatever you like best.
Dressing: follow the instructions to make the Poppy Seed Dressing or store-bought. If you don’t like poppy seed dressing, choose a dressing that will complement the flavor of the fennel. Some good dressing options include citrus vinaigrettes, balsamic vinaigrette, honey mustard dor ranch dressing.
Seasoning: kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
How To Make Fennel Orange Salad
Here’s a basic overview of how to make this salad. The recipe card at the end of this post provides detailed instructions with times.
- Prepare the Poppy Seed Dressing: Mix all the ingredients by blending with an immersion blender or seal with a lid and shake well.
- Marinate the Fennel and Onion: Cut the stalks and fronds from the fennel bulbs and reserve the fronds. Cut the fennel bulbs in half vertically, then thinly slice with a sharp knife or mandoline.
Thinly slice the red onion and transfer the sliced fennel and onion to a small bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to combine. Cover and let the veggies marinate at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. - Slice the Oranges: Trim the top and bottom of the oranges. Use a sharp pairing knife to remove the peel and the white pith from the flesh of the orange. Place the cut side of the orange onto a flat surface. Follow the curve of the fruit and trim the skin and pith away from the flesh and discard. Slice the oranges into ¼-inch round slices. Transfer the orange slices to a bowl; cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
- Make the Salad: In a large bowl, toss the spring mix with the marinated fennel and onions. Add the orange slices and season with salt and pepper. Finely chop a tablespoon of the reserved fennel fronds and sprinkle them over the salad. Serve immediately.
Fennel Orange Salad Tips
- Add more protein to this salad and keep it vegetarian by adding nuts such as pistachios, almonds, or walnuts. You could add roasted chicken or fish if it’s not Meatless Monday.
- In my opinion, the orange slices make a prettier presentation. You could also supreme an orange if you’d like.
- Use blood oranges or Cara Cara oranges for a more colorful and flavorful salad.
- An immersion blender makes the poppy seed dressing ultra thick and creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can put all of the ingredients in a jar and shake it extremely well.
- The dressing calls for canola oil. Extra virgin olive oil is usually my oil of choice, but I really wanted to use a neutral oil without a lot of flavor.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can make fennel orange salad ahead of time. The salad can be made ahead of time with the prepared ingredients of the salad is kept separately stored in the refrigerator inside an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Just bring the salad up to room temperature before serving.
I promise this will be one of the best fennel salad recipes you’ve ever had.
Making this salad? We’d love to hear your feedback. Leave us a comment and a star rating below. We really appreciate it!
See ya on the mountain!
Fennel Orange Salad With Poppy Seed Dressing
Useful Equipment:
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 fennel bulbs
- ¼ small red onion thinly sliced
- 3 navel oranges
- 5 ounces Spring Salad Mix
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Poppy Seed Dressing:
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¼ red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Poppy Seed Dressing:
- Add all of the poppy seed ingredients to a small jar. Blend with an immersion blender or seal with a lid and shake well.
Marinate the Fennel and Onion:
- Cut the stalks and fronds from the fennel bulbs and reserve the fronds. Cut the fennel bulbs in half vertically, then thinly slice with a sharp knife or mandoline.
- Thinly slice the red onion and transfer the fennel and onion to a small bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to combine. Cover and let the veggies marinate at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
Slice the Oranges:
- Trim the top and bottom of the oranges. Use a sharp pairing knife to remove the peel and the white pith from the flesh of the orange. Place the cut side of the orange onto a flat surface. Follow the curve of the fruit and trim the skin and pith away from the flesh and discard. Slice the oranges into ¼-inch round slices. Transfer the orange slices to a bowl; cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
Build the Salad:
- In a large bowl, toss the spring mix with the marinated fennel and onions. Add the orange slices and season with salt and pepper. Finely chop a tablespoon of the reserved fennel fronds and sprinkle them over the salad. Then season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
- Add more protein to this salad and keep it vegetarian by adding nuts such as pistachios, almonds, or walnuts. If it’s not meatless Monday, you could add roasted chicken or fish.
- In my opinion, the orange slices make a prettier presentation. You could also supreme an orange if you’d like.
- Use blood oranges or Cara Cara oranges for a more colorful and flavorful salad.
- An immersion blender makes the poppy seed dressing ultra thick and creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can put all of the ingredients in a jar and shake it extremely well.
- The dressing calls for canola oil. Extra virgin olive oil is usually my oil of choice, but I really wanted to use a neutral oil without a lot of flavor.
Leave a Reply