A healthy salad made with raw ingredients, quick and easy and packed with vitamins. A sliced fennel, onion and radish salad tossed in a mustard dressing and garnished with blood oranges and creamy feta, perfect for days when you don't feel like cooking.
Fennel might not be everyone's cup of tea however when paired with blood oranges, olives and feta, it will surely win over even the most sceptic! Some may argue that fennel should be at least roasted before adding to the salad but trust me, raw fennel tastes as good when tossed through a good dressing!
With the weather warming up here in Australia, simple salads are back on our menu. Shilpi & I eat a bowl of salad for lunch quite often, just greens with avocado and tomatoes usually. And on days when we are slightly more hungry, we make our salad a bit more substantial. Two of our favourites Salad meals are tuna nicoise and this Salmon quinoa & kale bowl.
And if a salad looks as inviting and colourful as our fennel and blood orange salad with feta, it can easily get away as a main too! Don't you agree?
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SALAD INGREDIENTS
Some ingredients in this salad are seasonal. Interestingly, this salad is actually a winter salad in the Northern Hemisphere since blood oranges grow their during the colder months. With Australia being in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are completely the opposite -something I am still getting used to!
Fennel buy medium to large fennel bulbs with the greens attached. The fronds taste like anis so don't throw them! Use these fronds to decorate the salad or can be added to the dressing.
Blood Oranges are seasonal hence you can replace them with normal oranges if not available. If you use blood oranges, look for smaller ones that are firm and feel heavy.
Radish red radish or French radish adds colour and texture to the salad. White radish works well too.
Red Onions are shaved and added raw to the salad but If you are not a fan of raw onions (like Shilpi!) replace them with shallots, spring onions or just leave them out.
Parsley is added to the salad in form of sprigs. Other herbs that you can use are chives, coriander, mint and oregano.
Lemon juice goes into the dressing. You can however replace the lemon juice with white or red vinegar as well.
Olives I used pitted kalamata olives but this is totally up to you. Feel free to use your favourite olives.
Feta is our choice of cheese for this salad however feel free to replace with other cheese. Blue cheese, mozzarella or pan seared halloumi are excellent substitutes.
Whole Grain Mustard is the base for the salad dressing but if you don't have any, use Dijon mustard instead.
Other than these ingredients, to make this salad, you need your basic olive oil, salt and pepper.
HOW TO MAKE THIS SALAD
Making the fennel blood orange and feta salad does not require any cooking (Yay!)! All vegetables are simply sliced and mixed together.
My favourite tool for slicing is the Japanese mandoline. It will make slicing vegetables as thinly as you need them. I use it quite often like in this slaw - highly recommend adding this tool to your kitchen. Otherwise you can also use a food processor with the slicing blade or a sharp knife.
Slice off the top and bottom of the blood oranges, then place on your cutting board. Next, cut along from top to the bottom of the orange, cutting just the peel away and remove any white parts that have been left from the peel. Then cut the orange into thin round slices.
For the fennel , remove the green fronds and set aside. Cut the fennel in half and slice on the mandoline into thin slices. Place in a bowl with ice cold water to keep crisp.
Then peel and cut in half the red onion, slice thinly on the mandoline. Place in a seperate bowl with ice cold water to take the sharpness out of the onion and make them more crisp. Next, slice the red radish on the mandoline as well and again soak it in ice cold water until ready to use.
Pick the parsley and cut or crumble the feta (your choice).
Now, strain all the vegetables and squeeze out any remaining water. Place the fennel, onion and radish in a bowl and pour the Salad dressing on top. Toss well and season with salt and pepper.
Next go in the olives, parsley, fennel fronds and oranges - toss all together lightly.
Serve the salad in a bowl to share or plate up individually. Decorate with the diced or crumbled feta cheese!
SIMPLE MUSTARD DRESSING RECIPE
This mustard dressing is a simple broken vinaigrette so the ingredients could be added straight to the salad. However I prefer making the salad dressing separately and then adding it to the salad.
To make the dressing mix the whole grain mustard and lemon juice in a bowl and add salt and pepper. Add the olive oil while whisking.
AS A NOTE: If you find the mustard dressing too tart add a spoon of honey or other sweeteners.
FAQ's
Can this salad be vegan?
Yes absolutely. Leave the feta cheese out and the salad is vegan. Other substitutes can be crumbled tofu, cashew cheese or nutritional yeast. Another option is to sprinkle the salad with roasted nuts like almonds or pecans to make the salad look inviting.
Can the salad be prepared ahead?
It surely can. If you are preparing the salad ahead of time you can mix the sliced vegetables with the dressing and add the remaining ingredients when you are ready to eat. That way the salad stays fresh and appealing.
MORE SALAD RECIPES
The fennel orange salad is delicious as a stand-alone starter, but also alongside fish or meat! If you are looking for more salad inspiration, checkout these recipes!
Roasted Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad from its not complicated recipes
Mango Cashew Salad with zesty Lime Dressing from goodie goodie Lunchbox
Lebanese Fattoush Salad Recipe from Plant Based Folk
Spinach Strawberry and Pecan Salad from whole food bellies
and our Easy Tabouleh Salad Recipe
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it! Leave a comment, rate it, this is the only way we will know whether you loved the recipe (or not)!
Until then leaving you with this thought - Meatless doesn't mean tasteless😉
Fennel Blood Orange Salad with Feta
Equipment
- vegetable slicer (mandoline)
- salad bowls
- whisk
Ingredients
for the salad
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 3 blood oranges
- 4 red radish
- ½ red onion
- ¼ bunch flat parsley
- 65 gram olives
- 90 gram feta
- salt and pepper to taste
for the dressing
- 2 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
for the dressing
- In a bowl combine the whole grain mustard, lemon juice and add salt and pepper. Whisking, drizzle the olive oil into the bowl and continue whisking well. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
for the salad
- Slice off the top and bottom of the blood oranges and place on a cutting board. Slice along the shape of the orange from top to bottom cutting the orange peel away. Remove any white parts that have been left on the orange. Then cut the orange into thin round slices and set aside.
- Remove the green fronds from the fennel and set aside. Cut the fennel in half and using a mandoline slice into thin slices. Place in a bowl with ice cold water to keep crisp.
- Peel, cut in half and slice the red onion on the mandoline. Place in a bowl with ice cold water.
- Slice the red radish on the mandoline and soak in ice cold water.
- Pick the parsley and cut or crumble the feta.
- Strain all the vegetables and squeeze out any remaining water. Place the fennel, onion and radish in a bowl and pour the dressing on top. Toss well and season with salt and pepper.
- Now add the olives, parsley, fennel fronds and oranges and toss lightly.
- Serve the salad in a bowl to share or plate up individually. Decorate with the feta cheese.
Sarah
What a gorgeous salad, and such a great way to use seasonal blood oranges. Plus I will eat anything with fetta and olives in it, yum!
Lucette
What a delicious salad!