Name: Orange Fennel Arugula Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 small garlic clove, crushed; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon honey (OR 1/2 teaspoon sugar); 2 oranges, peeled and sliced; 1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly; 4 oz bag of baby arugula; 1/3 cup black olives, pitted and chopped; 1/4 cup pecans(or walnuts), chopped

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This awesome Orange Fennel Arugula Salad is ideal to serve with spicy or rich foods. The zesty orange blends perfectly with the delicate flavor of fennel and the peppery arugula.

Orange Fennel Arugula Salad on white and blue plate0

I love this recipe of arugula fennel and orange salad. It goes well with a lot of things and it is perfect for any time of the year.

We learned to love this salad in the middle of the winter, when not too many vegetables taste good, but fennel and oranges are in season.

However, I enjoy making this recipe even in the summer, as we eat a lot of salad when it’s too hot outside to cook.

Key ingredients to make this salad:

I wish I could tell you which one of the following ingredients is the star of this salad. Each one of them is unique, but together they create a beautiful symphony of flavors and textures.

Arugula– Arugula is peppery, delicate, a little bit pungent. If you don’t like arugula, try baby spinach for a change. It is not going to be the same, but it will be good too.
Oranges– Navel oranges are the choice of oranges in this recipe, as they are sweet, juicy, and seedless. However, other types of citrus are perfectly acceptable. Blood oranges are popular, but who says that grapefruit is not a good choice if you like it? go for it.
Fennel– Slicing the fennel bulb really thin is very important. Fennel brings not only texture to the salad, as it is crunchy, but also a mild, pleasant taste of anise, which complements the sweetness of the orange and the peppery taste of the arugula.

There are variations to this basic recipe.

Nuts– Some people like to add nuts, like I did, for extra crunch. Pecans or walnuts are my choices, but pine nuts are an interesting addition as well.

Olives– I have this Spanish recipe of only fennel and oranges with a touch of red onion. Olives are a great addition to this salad. It doesn’t matter what kind you use. I personally like both black and green olives. They bring lots of flavor to the salad.

Ingredients for orange fennel arugula salad0

For the dressing, things are very simple:

Extra virgin olive oil– Choose the best olive oil you can afford.
Balsamic Vinegar– if you do not have balsamic vinegar in the pantry, use any vinegar you would use for your salads. I like apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, red wine vinegar.
Garlic– It needs to be crushed and mixed with the rest of the ingredients.
Salt and Pepper
Optional: a touch of honey or sugar to balance the vinegar.

How to make the salad:

Step 1. Fennel

Use a mandolin for slicing the fennel if you have one. Otherwise, use a sharp knife to slice it the thinnest possible. Fennel bulb is a sturdy vegetable, and slicing it thin will create a balance with the delicate arugula.

Step 2. Oranges

Peel the oranges, removing all the white pith. Slice them into thin rounds or segment them. Do this on top of a bowl to collect the juices. You can use them in the salad.

Step 3. Put the ingredients together

Grab a bowl and throw together the arugula, fennel, oranges and olives.

Step 4. Make the dressing

I like doing this in a jar. Pour oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper, optional a little bit of honey or sugar. Close the jar with the lid and shake well until the mixture emulsifies and salt, sugar/honey are dissolved.

Pour the dressing over the salad, mix well, and sprinkle the nuts over. Serve immediately.

This recipe would be good with roasted meat, like a roasted chicken, or roasted pork. Keep it simple and enjoy it!

Other recipes to love:

Strawberry Arugula Salad With Pecans And Avocado

Acorn Squash With Chicken And Fennel

No Bake Orange Mousse Cake

Spanish Orange-Almond Flan Recipe

Yield: 6 servings