Description
A vibrant and refreshing Fennel Salad with Blood Oranges, featuring crisp greens, creamy avocado, crunchy walnuts, and tangy citrus segments, all tossed in a honey-blood orange vinaigrette. Perfect for a light lunch or a colorful side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 blood oranges
- 1 Navel orange
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 3 cups red leaf lettuce
- 2 cups baby kale
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced mint
- ½ avocado (thinly sliced)
- 4 radishes (thinly sliced)
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons blood orange juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the Fennel: Use a sharp chef’s knife to remove the stalk from the fennel bulb. Place the bulb root side down and cut into halves, then quarters. Thinly slice each quarter crosswise about ⅙ inch thick, starting from the stem to the root end. Set aside for assembling the salad.
- Prepare the Oranges: With a sharp paring knife, carefully peel the skin and white pith from the blood oranges. Segment the flesh by cutting between the membranes. Squeeze the remaining pulp to extract 2 tablespoons of juice for the vinaigrette. Segment the Navel orange similarly and set all segments aside.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, gently combine the baby spinach, red leaf lettuce, baby kale, and thinly sliced mint. Carefully layer the sliced fennel, avocado, radish, blood orange segments, Navel orange segments, chopped walnuts, and shaved Parmesan cheese on top of the greens.
- Make the Vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, the reserved blood orange juice, red wine vinegar, and minced shallots. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously until the dressing thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To Serve: Just before serving, pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately to enjoy the crisp textures and fresh flavors.
Notes
- This salad is a refreshing blend of sweet citrus and crunchy fennel, balanced by creamy avocado and savory Parmesan.
- Use fresh baby greens for the best texture and flavor.
- The vinaigrette can be prepared ahead but add it to the salad right before serving to keep the greens crisp.
- Walnuts add a nice crunch but can be substituted with pecans or almonds if preferred.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the Parmesan or use a vegetarian-friendly cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 177 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 4 mg
