Fennel + Citrus Salad with Shallots and Capers
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Vibrant citrus and crisp fennel team up in this deliciously fresh, simple salad recipe. Great as a side dish or over your favorite protein.
Why we love making this recipe
- It’s crisp and refreshing.
- Mixing and matching different types of citrus make this fennel salad beautifully colorful.
- It comes together in just a few minutes!
- No-cook, easy side dishes are always welcome additions to our kitchen repertoire.
It may surprise you to hear that I was a super picky eater as a child. There were a ton of things that I just would not eat.
One of the ingredients that was high up on my list of dislikes was fennel.
After having fennel roasted for the first time, I realized that there was much more to fennel than just pure crunchy licorice.
🥬 Ingredient Spotlight: Fennel
Fennel is a versatile vegetable that can be used both cooked and raw. The bulb, stalks, flowers, and leafy fronds are all edible.
Many recipes call for just the bulb of the fennel or dried fennel seeds.
Fresh fennel has a crisp texture and licorice-y flavor. When roasted, fennel caramelized and gets beautifully sweet.
When preparing a bulb of fennel for a raw dish, you should take care to remove the tough inner core. I like thinly sliced or shaved fennel when eating it raw.
You can use a mandoline if you want to ensure perfectly even slices.
If you’re craving more info about fennel and its uses, there’s a great article on what fennel is and how to cook it over on Love and Lemons.
This recipe is super simple to put together, and it’s a nice, refreshing salad that’s perfect alongside lots of different main courses.
Fennel citrus salad is delicious in the summer when you don’t want to heat up your kitchen by turning on the oven.
It’s also a great winter option that goes well with comfort food dishes like lasagna (this Ravioli Lasagna or Skillet Lasagna with Lamb, Ricotta + Mint would both be great choices) or a piping hot serving of Italian Sausage and Peppers.
How to make this recipe
- Cut off and discard the pith from all of your citrus fruit.
- Use your knife to cut supremes of fruit from between the membranes, letting them fall into the bowl.
- Squeeze the juice from the membranes over the bowl.
- Add sliced remaining ingredients and gently toss to combine.
- Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and enjoy!
We love this fennel and citrus salad served on top of fish like pan-seared cod, or with grilled chicken breasts.
The way the sweet-and-salty citrus juice mixture from the fennel salad drips down onto the meat is really lovely.
There are so many ways to utilize this simple fennel salad, and I’m looking forward to exploring more for years to come!
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FAQs about this recipe
How should I store leftover fennel citrus salad?
Leftovers should be stored in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to pour off all but a few tablespoons of the liquid before storing leftovers to help prevent it from getting too soggy.
Can I make this salad in advance?
You can, but note that the longer your fennel sits in with the liquid, the less crisp it will be. It will still taste fantastic, but won’t have quite as much crunch.
You could also prep everything but leave the sliced fennel in a separate container, tossing it together just before serving.
Can I use different citrus fruit in this salad?
Absolutely! I love the sour-tanginess that grapefruit adds, so I usually use that and one or two other options. Oranges, tangerines, and blood oranges are all great options. You could even use a can of drained mandarin oranges in a pinch.
I’d steer clear of adding lemons or limes, as they’ll likely be too sour.
Fennel + Citrus Salad with Shallots and Capers
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 Servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Vibrant citrus and crisp fennel team up in this deliciously fresh, simple salad recipe. Great as a side dish or over your favorite protein.
Ingredients
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1 ruby red grapefruit
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1 Minneola tangelo
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1 bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced (about 4 cups), reserving 1 tablespoon fennel fronds
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1 small shallot, thinly sliced (about 2-3 tablespoons)
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2 tablespoons nonpareil capers, drained
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 tablespoon honey (can substitute maple syrup or a smaller amount of agave to keep it vegan)
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1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
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Cut off and discard the peel and pith of the grapefruit. Cut out the supremes from between the membranes; place the supremes in a large bowl. Squeeze the juice from the membranes over the supremes. Repeat with Minneola.
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Add sliced fennel (reserving fronds for garnish), shallot, capers, oil, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and toss gently to combine.
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Garnish with fennel fronts and enjoy!
Keywords: citrus, fennel, fennel salad, grapefruit
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23 Comments
Sylvie Shirazi
Sounds so refreshing!
Laura @MotherWouldKnow
I love fennel and so do my kids. But they used to tell me that when I put in their school lunches the other kids made fun of them, thinking that they were eating raw onions:) Now that they are grown-up, no such worries. I’d love this salad and I bet they would too.
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
I didn’t like fennel until a few years ago. Now I cook with it fairly often. Hope you and your kids enjoy this one whenever you make it!
Sarah
It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten fennel! This salad sounds so refreshing- I need to go grab fennel again!
Ashley
It really is a nice, crisp addition to any meal. I don’t use fennel nearly often enough!
Cleo @Journey to the Garden
Fennel has such a refreshing and crisp taste to it! This looks like such a delicious salad!
★★★★★
Ashley
Thanks so much, Cleo! It really is a great way to refresh, especially after a heavy meal!
Jessica Robinson
Sounds refreshing and flavorful.
Ashley
It really is – I can’t believe I was afraid of fennel for so many years!
Dominique | Perchance to Cook
This salad is seriously calling my name. I love when fennel and citrus is paired together. I even like adding some carrots. This salad sounds amazing, especially this dressing. 🙂
Ashley
Ooh I bet carrots are nice in here, too. And such a nice pop of color!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
What a great sounding salad. I love all the ingredients….hubby would not like the shallots…but then all the more for me. I would eat this as a stand alone meal for sure.
★★★★★
Ashley
Ha! I loooove raw onions and shallots, but they definitely aren’t for everyone. #teamshallot 😉
Analida @ ethnicspoon.com
I love a sweet and savory salad like this too! There is something about the citrus and sharpness of the onions that really works for a great flavor!
Try this Turkish orange and onion salad if you have a chance: https://ethnicspoon.com/turkish-orange-and-onion-salad/ Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Ashley
Your salad looks fantastic, too, Analida! Turkish food is always so comforting – yum!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
I love using fennel for a salad! You’ve got some great flavors going on here! Not only is it a pretty salad but it looks sooooo delicious!
★★★★★
Ashley
Thanks so much, Elaine! Sometimes the simplest dishes end up being the prettiest 🙂
Veena Azmanov
I never like fennel a few years ago, but these last two years I have been making them often for myself. I still cook them lightly – can’t get myself to eating them raw. Perhaps will learn eventually. Saving this to try later.
Ashley
I was in the same boat, Veena. I used to hate the flavor of fennel and licorice, but after trying it roasted (and really well caramelized), I was a total convert!
Amanda Mason
That looks like fresh dill on top…but is that the fennel fronds? The ingredients look and sound amazing in this salad! I’ll definately be giving this a try!
★★★★★
Helene
I think so I need to look up tangelo, never heard of that ingredient! The other ingredients combined otherwise sound great for the colder days. Especially the dressing sounds very exciting. 🙂
Karyl | Karyl's Kulinary Krusade
This looks like a very light and refreshing salad. I’m not a fan of the salty brine of capers, but everything else sounds fabulous. I’m going to have to try this out
Tina
This may be simple but it sounds so refreshing with the fennel and citrus. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
★★★★★