Grapefruit, Orange and Fennel Salad
This refreshing winter orange and fennel salad combines thinly sliced marinated fennel, orange and grapefruit segments, avocado, mint and a tangy lemon dressing. A yummy light lunch or side.
It might be the middle of February, but who says winter salads have to be boring? We’re taking the best of winter produce: grapefruit, oranges, avocado and lemon and pairing them with fennel, radicchio and mint.
I served this orange and fennel salad at one of my cooking classes a few weeks ago, and I’ve gotten roughly six emails since from participants telling me how they have since made this salad for others and how much they love it.
That’s probably the best compliment of all– when you make a recipe and share it with others. See below for tips for success, including how to segment the citrus, or head to the full recipe below.
Ingredient Notes
- Grapefruit: You know I love a grapefruit and mint salad combination, so I had to include grapefruit here as well. It pairs nicely with the sweet oranges and gives this fennel salad more interest than just having oranges alone.
- Oranges: Cara cara, navel, even mandarins will work here. The ratio should be 2:1 oranges to grapefruit, so adjust based on size of your oranges.
- Avocado: Avocado is a winter fruit as harvest season is typically late fall until now. The creaminess of the avocado is so lovely with the oranges and grapefruit, a similar pairing to my avocado and citrus salad.
- Fennel: You will just be using the bulb here, so you can save the fronds for another recipe, or thinly chop as a garnish for the salad. I use a sharp knife to thinly slice the fennel, but a mandoline also works.
- Radicchio: I like the bitter radicchio to help add contrasting color and interest to this salad alongside the avocado and citrus. Use ~ 1/2 of a small head, tearing the leaves. Like kale, radicchio is more bitter so larger chunks will taste more bitter than smaller pieces of leaf.
How to Make
Make the Dressing
Make the dressing by whisking together the garlic, dijon, lemon juice and zest together in a small bowl. Dijon is the secret is so many good dressings as it helps to provide a little acid and emulsifies together the olive oil and lemon juice. Keep whisking as you add in the olive oil, until a dressing forms. Taste, adjust for seasoning, and set aside.
Marinate the Fennel
Thinly slice the fennel bulb and place in a medium bowl along with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Toss together and let sit while you prepare the citrus. This step helps to really flavor the fennel and cut through some of fennels strong taste. I admit that I’m not the biggest fennel fan, but when it’s marinated like this, it’s tender and delicious!
Prep the Citrus
The hardest part about this orange and fennel salad is segmenting the grapefruit and the orange. It’s not hard, but it does take a little bit of time. Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom of the grapefruit and oranges, just enough to expose the flesh. Stand the fruit on one flat end and carefully slice away the peel and white pith, following the curve of the fruit. Work your way around until all the peel is removed.
Hold the peeled grapefruit over a bowl to catch any juices. Gently insert the knife between a segment and the membrane, working from the outside toward the center. Repeat on the other side of the segment to release it.
Arrange the Salad
I think that this orange and fennel salad works best as a composed salad, layering each one on top of one another and then drizzling the dressing on top.
Start by placing the marinated fennel on a platter. I like to take the radicchio leaves and toss them in the bowl the fennel was just in, then place on top of the fennel. Top with the citrus, the avocado, the mint and then drizzle with remaining dressing.
Make Ahead Tips
If you want to make this orange and fennel salad ahead of time, prep the dressing, thinly slice the fennel and segment the citrus. You can also tear the radicchio leaves and the mint leaves and then place in a container in the fridge.
Before serving, marinate the fennel and then assemble with the dressing. The fennel can be marinated up to 30 minutes, but you don’t want to go beyond that as it will start to lose it’s texture. Don’t add the dressing to the fruit and rest of the salad until right before serving.
Chef Tips for Success
- The grapefruit paired with the oranges helps to balance the tartness of the grapefruit. I recommend a 2:1 ratio of oranges to grapefruit.
- Use a mandoline or very sharp knife to shave the fennel into thin slices, as thick slices of fennel can taste overly strong or fibrous.
- Toss the fennel with dressing 10–15 minutes before serving to slightly soften it and mellow the flavor.
- Add the citrus segments right before serving so they stay intact and juicy, then drizzle with the lemon dressing!
- I like to add some freshly ground black pepper and a small pinch of flaky sea salt right before serving, but that’s optional.
More Fruit-Centered Recipes You’ll Love:
- Tropical Kale Smoothie
- Raspberry Chia Jam
- Simple Triple Berry Syrup
- Macerated Strawberries
- Low Sugar Strawberry Jam
If you try this orange and fennel salad, make sure to come back to leave a comment or a rating. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Grapefruit, Orange and Fennel Salad
Equipment
IngredientsÂ
Orange and Fennel Salad
- 1 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
- 1/2 small radicchio head, leaves torn
- 3 oranges, segmented
- 1 grapefruit, segmented
- 1 large avocado, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- Flaky salt and freshly cracked black pepper, for topping
Lemon Dressing
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice + zest
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Make the Dressing
- Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, dijon and salt. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until a dressing forms. Taste, adjust for seasoning, and set aside.
Marinate the Fennel
- In a medium bowl, toss the sliced fennel with two tablespoons of the dressing. Set aside for 15 minutes to let the fennel soften a bit. This step helps to mellow the fennel flavor!
Assemble the salad
- Arrange the fennel layer on a platter. I like to take the radicchio leaves and toss them with any remaining dressing that was in the marinated fennel bowl, then add to the platter on top of the fennel. Then add the citrus segments on top, then the avocado and mint. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and a small pinch of flaky sea salt.