Summertime is citrus time. Nothing tastes better than a fresh summer salad recipe. For instance, fennel salad with oranges has an incredible combination of flavors and textures. If you have never tried adding fennel and fruit to a salad, fennel salad with oranges is a summertime favorite.
When I tried fennel the first time, I was turned off by the black licorice, anise flavor. As a child, my Greek grandfather used to give us sips of Ouzo, a black licorice liquor, which sent my mother reeling. Of course, my grandfather told my mother he was trying to make me detest liquor, which worked. To this day, I'm not a black licorice fan.
Fennel, although licorice-flavored, changes flavors when combined with other ingredients. So, I made Fennel Tomato Soup, and I fell in love with cooking with fennel.
(FENNEL TOMATO SOUP)
WHAT IS FENNEL EXACTLY?
Even though many people believe fennel is a root vegetable, it is actually part of the parsley family. The most interesting thing about fennel, however, is the entire vegetable can be eaten including the stalks and leaves which resemble plumes similar to dill.
Grown in California, fennel can be eaten raw, sauteed, roasted, or added to soups or sauces. Raw fennel maintains it's anise flavor, but cooked, fennel takes on a sweet deep flavors. But, when eaten raw, the type fo dressing transforms the fennel taste to enhance fresh citrus flavors and crisp fresh vegetables.
HOW TO SELECT FENNEL AT THE MARKET
If you are new to eating and buying fennel, here are a few tips to make sure you pick the best fennel bulb. When choosing fennel, keep in mind it only lasts a few days in the refrigerator.
- Look for a small, but heavy bulb at the base
- The bulb should be free of any brown markings or cracks
- Fennel stalks should be firm like celery
- Tops should appear fresh, avoiding any wilted tops
Not only is fennel great for a variety of recipes, but it also has unique health benefits, high in:
- Vitamin C
- Iron
- Fiber
- Potassium
FENNEL SALAD WITH ORANGES IS MADE WITH SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
First, this fennel orange salad recipe is easy to make, yet has incredible flavors. Sometimes, the best recipes are teh combination of the ingredients rather than the number of ingredients or complexity of the recipe.
- Romaine lettuce
- Fennel
- Oranges
- Red onions
Four simple ingredients, with the right dressing, creates a fabulous salad loaded with incredible flavors. As I mentioned earlier, the whole fennel bulb, stalks, and leaves are used in the fennel salad with oranges. So, there are three different textures represented with one vegetable.
In fact, the only part of the fennel you don't use is the small bottom portion of the bulb, or end.
FENNEL SALAD WITH ORANGES TRANSFORMS WITH CITRUS DRESSING
When combined with citrus, fennel comes alive. As a result, the orange segments combined with the ingredients in the dressing have an acid/citrus explosion! In turn, the fennel comes alive!
CITRUS DRESSING FOR SALADS IS PERFECT FOR FENNEL SALAD WITH ORANGES
As most of you know, I love dressing. For me, dressing is more important than the salad. Since I love dressing, I make my dressings oil-free and with whole-foods, so I can use as much dressing as I like. So, what's in this magic citrus dressing?
- Oranges
- Lemon
- Apple cider vinegar
- Whole grain mustard
- Maple syrup
Then, just shake it all about and drizzle over the fennel salad with oranges. Don't forget to add the beautiful fennel tops to the salad.
HERE ARE SOME GREEN SALAD RECIPES I'D LOVE TO SHARE WITH YOU
- Green Bean Salad
- Mexican Chopped Salad
- Grape Salad
- Vegan Cobb Salad
- Asian Salad with Peanut Dressing
- Chopped Southwest Salad
- Asparagus Salad
- Roasted Vegetable Salad
- Spinach Strawberry Salad
- Quinoa Greek Salad with OMG Oil-Free Dressing
📖 Recipe
Fennel Salad with Oranges
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 fennel bulb build, stalks and leaves used
- 1 head Romaine lettuce chopped
- 2 oranges peeled and cut into bite sized segments
- 1 red onion sliced thin
- ¼ fresh mint leaves
Dressing
- 1 recipe Citrus Dressing for Salads
Instructions
- Cut the bottom of the build (end of the fennel bulb) and discard it.
- Remove the top leaves from the fennel bulb and reserve.
- Cut the bulb and stalks into bite-sized pieces
- Chop Romaine lettuce, red onion, and oranges
- Place the lettuce in the base of the bowls and add fennel
- Evenly distribute red onion, oranges and fennel leaves
- Dress with citrus dressing
Notes
- Look for a small, but heavy bulb at the base
- The bulb should be free of any brown markings or cracks
- Fennel stalks should be firm like celery
- Tops should appear fresh, avoiding any wilted tops
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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