This Sicilian fennel and orange salad is a perfect example of why Italian food is so good—its simplicity. There are only a handful of ingredients, yet the combination is so much more than the sum of its parts. The thinly sliced fresh fennel paired with the sweet and tart oranges is a classic Italian combo I find myself returning to again and again.
This version of the classic Sicilian fennel salad features thinly sliced fresh fennel, blood oranges, and Cara Cara oranges, along with toasted walnuts and a mix of olives. A generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt finish of the salad. It’s incredibly quick to make, full of flavor, texture and absolutely worth trying—this might just become your new favorite salad!
This Sicilian fennel and orange salad is a perfect example of why Italian food is so good—its simplicity.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
This Sicilian fennel and orange salad is the perfect balance of sweet, citrusy, salty, and crunchy. The crispy fresh fennel pairs so well with the juicy, tart oranges, salty olives and crunchy toasted walnuts. This Italian citrus salad is easy to prepare and makes a fantastic side dish for seafood, grilled meats, or a simple lunch with crusty bread.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this easy fennel and orange salad, you’ll need:
- Fennel – A crisp, slightly sweet vegetable that forms the base of this fresh fennel salad. If you’ve never had fennel before it has a very mild anise or licorice flavor. Very delicious and one of my faves!
- Oranges – Use what you have and what is in season. Here I used a mix of blood oranges and Cara Cara oranges, but you can use navel oranges, mandarines or even clementines. Get creative with it.
- Olives – A variety of assorted olives is great for this. The contrasting colors look great, but the savory salty bite they add is even better. I recommend getting olives with pits, and pitting them yourself.
- Walnuts – Toasted until golden brown for extra depth and crunch. This would classically be made with pistachios, which you can totally substitute in here if you like.
- Shallot – Thinly sliced. The shallots are nice and mild.
- Olive oil – The simple dressing for this salad is a generous drizzle of good-quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Flaky salt and black pepper
How to Make Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad
- Toast the Walnuts
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the walnuts evenly on a baking sheet and toast them for around 10–15 minutes. They should be golden brown and fragrant. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning. Let them cool, then chop into small chunks. - Prepare the Fennel
Trim off any tough outer layers of the fennel bulb. Save a handful of the delicate fennel fronds for garnish. Using a sharp knife or mandolin, thinly slice the fennel bulb and tender stems. Arrange in an even layer on your serving platter. - Slice the Oranges
Using a sharp knife, cut off the peel and white pith from the oranges. Slice them into thick rounds and scatter them over the sliced fennel. - Assemble the Salad
Top the fennel and oranges with the thinly sliced shallot, your torn olives, and toasted walnuts. - Dress and Serve
Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds and then eat up!
Variations and Substitutions
- Nuts: Swap the walnuts out for some Sicilian pistachios, slivered almonds, hazelnuts or even pine nuts. Whatever nut you go with, make sure to toast it to get the maximum flavor and crunch.
- Citrus: Try adding grapefruit, pomelo or tangerines. Use any citrus you like and that is in season.
- Herbs: A generous handful or fresh mint or basil scattered over top this salad is a great option.
What to Serve with This Salad
This classic Sicilian salad pairs beautifully with:
- Crispy Chicken Cutlets – Thinly pounded chicken cutlets get coated in breadcrumbs and fried to perfection. They are an excellent paired with this fennel and orange salad.
- Easy Grilled Scallops – These simple grilled scallops go so well with this refreshing salad.
- A simple pasta with Pistachio Pesto – An easy recipe for pistachio pesto with basil and mint. A Sicilian pesto that’s full of flavor and goes great on just about everything.
- Shrimp Pil Pil – A quick recipe for delicious grilled shrimp tossed with a chili and garlic sauce
- Crispy Fried Pork Cutlets – Perfectly crispy fried pork cutlets (pork Milanese) pair perfectly with this fennel salad. This easy boneless pork cutlet recipe is quick to make and so delicious!
More Italian Salads to Try:
Arugula Salad – Peppery arugula, tangy pomelo, nutty pine nuts, and salty parmesan make the perfect Italian-inspired salad.
Tomato Tonnato – The classic Italian tuna sauce served with tomatoes, fried capers and crispy breadcrumbs.
Watermelon Salad with Feta -This watermelon salad with feta recipe has lots of Castelvetrano olives, fresh basil, cracked black pepper and delicious quick pickled onions.
Stone Fruit Caprese – This stone fruit caprese salad is a delicious twist on the classic! juicy peaches, plums, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella get topped with fresh mint and oregano.
Panzanella Salad – A classic Italian panzanella salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and a red wine vinegar and anchovy dressing.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you try this Sicilian fennel and orange salad recipe? Leave a comment and star rating below with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see it!
Sicilian fennel and orange salad
Ingredients
- 1 bulb fennel finely slice bulb and tender stems, save the fronds
- 2 oranges I used a Cara Cara and a blood orange, but use what you like
- 1/4 C walnuts chopped and toasted
- olives assorted, pits removed and torn in half
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- olive oil Extra Virgin
- flaky salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10–15 minutes, until dark golden brown and fragrant. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning. Let cool, then chop into small chunks.
- Remove any tough or dried outer layers of the fennel. Set aside some of the fronds for garnish and slice any tender stems to use in the salad. Thinly slice the fennel bulb and arrange in an even layer on a platter.
- Using a sharp knife, cut off the peel and white pith of the oranges. Slice into thick rounds and layer them over the fennel.
- Scatter the thinly sliced shallot, torn olives, and toasted walnuts over the fennel and oranges.
- Sprinkle over the reserved fennel fronds, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see how you made it your own!
FAQs
Can I Make This Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can slice the fennel and oranges a few hours in advance, but wait to add the olive oil and seasoning until just before serving to keep everything fresh and crisp.
What’s the Best Way to Slice Fennel for This Salad?
For the best texture, use a mandoline slicer or a very sharp knife to get ultra-thin slices. This helps the fennel absorb the dressing and meld with the other ingredients. Not to mention, makes it easier to eat!
Do I Have to Use Blood Oranges?
Not at all! While blood oranges add that gorgeous, stunning color, you can use any sweet, juicy oranges available. Cara Cara, navel, or even mandarins work beautifully here.
