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    Home » Salads

    Fennel Salad with Blood Orange, Pomegranate and Capers

    5 from 3 votes

    By Pina Bresciani ⁠— February 13, 2019 (updated March 9, 2019) — 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Pinterest image for fennel salad with blood oranges

    At just 6 ingredients, this fennel salad with blood orange, pomegranate, capers, dill and walnuts is perfect to throw together when you're in a time crunch. It's tasty, only takes 20 minutes to make, and is a welcome departure from your usual green salad.

    Overhead shot of a fennel salad with blood oranges in a plate

    This fennel salad is that winter salad dreams are made of! It's simple, it's tasty, and it's easy to make. It's also not your typical salad made with lettuce leaves, so if you're looking for a unique salad to make, this is it!

    The blood orange, walnuts, capers and pomegranates compliment the shaved fennel perfectly. The blood orange tastes pretty much like a regular orange with a bit of a deeper flavor and adds such gorgeous color to the salad. It's a beautiful salad and will make a great statement on your table!

    If you're unfamiliar with fennel, I've provided some tips and information about it below.

    Side shot of a fennel salad with blood oranges and a sprinle of fresh dill in the background

    What Does Fennel Taste Like?

    Fennel has a bright, fresh, anise-like flavor. Some would say it tastes like black licorice. This flavor is strongest at the leaves and stalks, and gets milder at the bulb (the part that looks like a white onion).

    How to Cut Fennel?

    For this salad, remove the leaves (they look like dill), but keep the stalks on. Cut the fennel bulb in half from the bottom of the bulb to the top of the stalk. The fennel bulb will be composed of layers. Remove the outermost layer, then the second layer, and so forth until you reach the center of the bulb. You will shave each layer. Step by step photos on how to cut fennel

    How to Shave Fennel?

    Using a mandolin, shave each layer of the fennel bulb, and you will get beautiful, thin ribbons of fennel to use for the salad. Stop shaving once you reach the beginning of the stalk.

    Step by step photos on how to shave fennel

    How to Make This Fennel Salad - Step by Step

    Make the Dressing:

    In a bowl, combine olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper. Whisk with a fork until all ingredients are incorporated (photo 1)

    Assemble the Salad:

    In another bowl. add shaved fennel, and top with the dressing. Mix until dressing has fully coated the fennel (photo 2)

    Step by step photos on how to make dressing for fennel salad

    Add fennel to plate and top with pomegranate seeds and capers (photo 3)

    Finish salad by topping with walnuts, blood orange slices, and dill (photo 4)

    Step by step photos on how to assemble fennel salad

    Top Tips for Making Fennel Salad:

    • If you can't find blood oranges or they aren't in season, you can use regular oranges or grapefruit instead.
    • The best way to shave the fennel is with a mandolin. It will make the fennel very thin and the perfect consistency for the salad and to absorb the dressing.
    • If you don't have a mandolin, you can chop the fennel finely.

    Fennel salad on a plate with blood oranges, capers, dill and walnuts in a plate with a fork

    Other Salad Recipes You Might Like:

    • Italian-Inspired Cobb Salad
    • Prosciutto and Fennel Arugula Salad
    • Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad

    If you’ve tried making this Fennel Salad, or any other recipe on the blog please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’ve been up to.

    Recipe

    Overhead shot of a fennel salad with blood oranges in a plate
    Print Pin
    5 from 3 votes

    Fennel Salad with Blood Orange, Pomegranate and Capers

    At just 6 ingredients, this fennel salad with blood orange, pomegranate, capers, dill and walnuts is perfect to throw together when you're in a time crunch. It's tasty, a cinch to put together, and is a welcome departure from your usual green salad, when you're in the mood for something unique!
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes minutes
    Servings 2 people
    Calories 208kcal
    Author Pina Bresciani

    Ingredients

    For the dressing:

    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
    • salt and pepper to taste

    For the salad:

    • 3 cups shaved fennel about 1 fennel bulb
    • 2 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
    • 1 tablespoon capers
    • 2 tablespoon chopped walnuts
    • 2 teaspoon fresh dill, hand torn
    • 6 slices blood orange about 1 blood orange

    Instructions

    Make the dressing:

    • In a bowl, combine olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper. Whisk with a fork until all ingredients are incorporated.

    Assemble the salad:

    • In another bowl. add shaved fennel, and top with the dressing. Mix until dressing has fully coated the fennel. 
    • Add fennel to plate and top with pomegranate seeds and capers. 
    • Finish salad by topping with walnuts, blood orange slices, and dill.

    Recipe Notes

    • If you can't find blood oranges or they aren't in season, you can use regular oranges or grapefruit instead.
    • The best way to shave the fennel is with a mandolin. It will make the fennel very thin and the perfect consistency for the salad and to absorb the dressing.
    • If you don't have a mandolin, you can chop the fennel finely. 
    Nutrition Facts
    Fennel Salad with Blood Orange, Pomegranate and Capers
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 208 Calories from Fat 126
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 14g22%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 189mg8%
    Potassium 695mg20%
    Carbohydrates 20g7%
    Fiber 6g25%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 270IU5%
    Vitamin C 39.5mg48%
    Calcium 91mg9%
    Iron 1.2mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Comments

      5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Michael Lagana says

      February 13, 2019 at 2:09 pm

      5 stars
      Tasty

      Reply
      • Pina says

        February 13, 2019 at 5:29 pm

        Thanks so much Michael!! It's perfect to make when blood oranges are in season 🙂

        Reply

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    My name is Pina and I love Italian food and culture! Here you'll find delicious Italian-inspired recipes with a fresh west coast spin. Buon Appetito! About Me

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