Blood Orange and Fennel Salad

Jim Robinson

By Jim Robinson

Updated

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5 from 2 votes

Experience a taste of Sicily with this refreshing Blood Orange and Fennel Salad. A perfect way to use late winter seasonal citrus, it’s a simple, stunning mix of juicy Cara Cara and Moro blood oranges, crisp fennel, and fresh parsley. Ideal for a light lunch or an easy, flavorful side dish.

Blood Orange and Fennel Salad.

This Blood Orange and Fennel Salad is my take on a seasonal classic hailing from the Mediterranean region, particularly from Sicily. The combination of orange and fennel is a traditional pairing that showcases the balance of sweet and aromatic flavors, which is characteristic of many dishes from that area of the world.

This late winter salad is generally made with blood oranges, so it’s not just healthy and super simple to make: it’s truly stunning.

Whenever blood oranges are in season, I try to think of every way I can use them in a recipe. They’re my favorite winter citrus fruit. It usually ends up being in the form of a salad, like this blood orange salad with balsamic vinegar or this winter citrus salad with honey vinaigrette. But I also like to use them occasionally in salted toffees, meringue pies, or gin and tonics.

A Moro blood orange with a slice cut out on a countertop.

Although I prefer to use organic oranges when I’m using the skin or zesting them, I think it’s fine to use conventional varieties when the oranges are fully peeled, as in this recipe. I chose a combination of Moro and Cara Cara oranges that are sold under the Sunkist label.

Moro blood orange and Cara Cara orange cut up on a countertop.

The Moros are a lovely dark red, and the Cara Caras are deeply orange. Both are super high in immune-boosting anti-oxidants and are available in most grocery stores where I live here in Maryland. They are reasonably priced and delicious, so if you see them, buy them! If you can’t find any suitable specialty oranges, navel oranges will work just fine.

The peak season for fennel at the farmer’s markets in my area is around October and extends into December, but I’m still easily able to find it at my local grocery store as I write this in February (thanks California!). I do my best to eat seasonally and buy locally, but in the winter months, locally-grown produce in Maryland (zone 7a) is limited!

Top view of blood orange and fennel salad on a plate.

My oranges were small-medium sized, so I used three, but you might only need two if your oranges are on the larger side. Although I didn’t have any on hand, I think arugula or a little minced red onion or shallot would be nice additions to this salad.

This salad doesn’t store well once you cut the oranges, so I recommend serving it immediately after preparing it. I hope you enjoy this light and refreshing salad and enjoy the immune-boosting antioxidants it offers in these last days of winter. Spring is just around the corner!

Blood Orange and Fennel Salad.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Blood Orange and Fennel Salad

Experience a taste of Sicily with this refreshing Blood Orange and Fennel Salad. A perfect way to use late winter seasonal citrus, it's a simple, stunning mix of juicy Cara Cara and Moro blood oranges, crisp fennel, and fresh parsley. Ideal for a light lunch or an easy, flavorful side dish.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 1/2 fennel bulb large, trimmed, peeled and very thinly sliced
  • 3 oranges
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 1/2 lemon juiced, I like to use or Meyer lemons for this
  • coarse sea salt
  • black pepper freshly ground

Instructions

  • Using a very sharp knife, peel the oranges. Make sure to remove all of the pith. Cut the oranges into cross-wise slices and then cut each slice in half. Remove and discard any seeds.
  • Arrange the fennel and orange on a serving plate and scatter the parsley on top. Drizzle with the olive oil and the lemon juice, and season with the salt and pepper.

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