Celebrate citrus season with this beautiful blood orange fennel salad! Shaved fennel, quick pickled red onion, and vibrant blood oranges are punctuated by fresh mint, parmesan, and walnuts. It’s a refreshing winter salad recipe that’s vegetarian and gluten free.
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Lizzie’s Notes
It may seem counterintuitive, but I often crave a refreshing salad in the middle of the winter. Soups can get old after a while, and sometimes what I really need is bright produce with a little crunch and a refreshing burst of flavor.
This blood orange fennel salad certainly satisfies my seasonal salad craving! The juicy oranges, pickled onion, and raw fennel wake up all the senses. Fresh mint brings it all together, and fresh shavings of parmesan provide the final salty twist. There’s not even a “real” dressing, just the leftover orange juice and some olive oil…because it’s THAT good!
If you think I’m swooning, it’s because I am. Add this salad to your must make list ASAP. I promise it will help you snap out of those winter blues!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Blood oranges: I love the color and flavor (part orange, part grapefruit) of blood oranges, and I think they make a particularly beautiful salad. However, you can substitute other oranges (such as navel or Cara Cara) and even grapefruit.
- Fennel: You’ll need a small bulb to make blood orange fennel salad.
- Red onion: Substitute shallots if that’s what you have.
- White wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar or lemon juice work as substitutes.
- Honey: Replace with maple syrup or granulated sugar if needed.
- Mint: Sub other fresh herbs, such as parsley.
- Walnuts: Pine nuts, pistachios, or almonds would be nice subs.
- Parmesan: Omit if you want the salad to be dairy-free. Look for a parmesan cheese labeled as vegetarian if you need it. For a sub, try goat or feta cheese.
Instructions
The full recipe card for blood orange fennel salad is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you.
Thinly slice the red onion using a mandoline if you have one or a sharp knife.
Add the onion to a bowl with the vinegar and honey.
Thinly slice the fennel.
Prep the oranges. Begin by trimming off the top and bottom.
Use a paring knife to slice off the peel and pith.
Slice the orange into thin rounds.
Gather the leftover orange juice in a small jar or bowl. You can pour some from the cutting board and squeeze it from any flesh on the pieces of peel you cut off. Whisk with olive oil.
Arrange the salad. Start with a layer of fennel and onion, followed by the oranges. Scatter the rest of the fennel, onion, mint, walnuts, and parmesan on the oranges. Drizzle the juice/olive oil mixture on top.
Storage
Blood orange fennel salad is best enjoy right away, but it will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. The mint will get soggy/brown over time, so feel free to pick it out and/or add fresh mint leaves before eating leftovers.
Top Tip
Cutting the fennel, onion, and blood oranges into thin slices is key to make the salad palatable and easy to eat. I use the mandoline blade of this slicing set for the fennel and onion.
More Winter Salad Recipes
Love this refreshing blood orange fennel salad? Check out these other recipes while you’re here:
- Winter Farro Salad
- Watermelon Radish Salad with Citrus Thyme Dressing
- Beet and Fennel Salad with Citrus Dressing
- Chicken Fennel Salad with Yogurt Dressing
- Shredded Radicchio Salad with Farro and Chicken
- Lemony Fennel Lentil Salad with Parsley
For another way to use blood oranges, see the Blood Orange Smoothie.
📖 Recipe
Blood Orange Fennel Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion - from ¼ small red onion
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt - to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- 1 small bulb fennel - cored and thinly sliced, about 1.5 cups
- 3 blood oranges - peel sliced off and cut into thin rounds, about 2 cups
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
- 3 tablespoons roughly chopped raw walnuts
- 1 ounce parmesan cheese - shaved
Instructions
- Thinly slice the red onion using a sharp knife or mandoline. In a small bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the red onion. Let it pickle while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Before slicing the fennel, remove the core with a knife. Then, slice it into thin shavings using a sharp knife or mandoline.
- Prepare the blood oranges by trimming the top and bottom. I recommend using a cutting board with a juice groove to collect the orange juice. Use a paring knife to slice off the peel and pith (white spongy part). Slice the peeled oranges into thin rounds.
- At this point, add the fennel to the bowl with the red onion and toss together.
- If your cutting board caught some juice from preparing the oranges, pour it into a small bowl or jar. Squeeze any pieces of peel you cut off that have some flesh on them into the bowl or jar. You should have a tablespoon or two of juice. Add the olive oil and whisk well.
- Assemble the salad. Start with a layer of fennel and red onion. Arrange the orange slices on top, and scatter the rest of the fennel and red onion on them. Sprinkle with mint leaves and walnuts. Use a vegetable peeler or knife to shave the parmesan into thin pieces. Sprinkle on top. Finally, drizzle with the juice/olive oil mixture. Add a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.
- Transfer to plates and enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- This is best enjoyed right away, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days in the fridge. Pluck out the mint leaves if they get soggy/brown and add fresh ones if desired before eating.
- If you need the recipe to be strictly vegetarian, look for a parmesan cheese labeled as such and use maple syrup instead of honey.
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