Until my late teens I avoided salads unless they were iceberg lettuce drowned in ranch. I only ever added carrots or cucumbers. Because of that late start experimenting with greens, it still takes effort to build truly interesting salads — but this one is a keeper. It’s a favorite in our household: bright, crunchy, and balanced.
Fennel and orange are a classic pairing. The fennel provides crisp texture and a subtle anise note, the oranges add sweetness and acidity, and toasted walnuts bring a toasty richness. I like combining spinach with arugula — the spinach is mild while the arugula adds a peppery bite. If fennel’s licorice flavor worries you, the sweet oranges (in the salad and dressing) mellow it out so you mostly taste clean, crunchy vegetable.
Start by toasting the walnuts. Toasting intensifies their flavor and only takes a few minutes. Place one cup of walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat and stir frequently. You’ll know they’re done when they smell and taste toasty — keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
While the walnuts toast, prepare the vegetables. I used two small fennel bulbs because mine were tiny; you’ll need about 2 cups thinly sliced fennel. The amounts don’t have to be exact — this salad is forgiving and flexible, and we often vary the quantities.
Trim the fronds off the fennel, cut each bulb in half, and remove the tough central core. That core is too firm to eat, so discard it. Then thinly slice the remaining bulb and set it aside.
For the oranges, zest one before you peel or cut them. To segment the fruit cleanly, slice off the top and bottom of each orange so it sits flat on the board, then use a knife to remove the peel and pith by slicing down the sides. Save the peel scraps — you’ll squeeze them for extra juice to make the dressing.
Cut the peeled oranges into small cubes and set aside.
Make the citrus vinaigrette by squeezing the juice from the orange peel scraps into a bowl, adding the juice of half a lemon, and mixing in the orange zest. Add equal parts olive oil to the citrus juice — for example, if you have 3 ounces of juice, add 3 ounces of oil. Season with salt and pepper, then whisk or shake until combined.
In a large bowl, combine the greens (I used a 5 oz box of spinach and arugula mix), the sliced fennel, the cubed oranges, and the toasted walnuts. Drizzle enough vinaigrette to just moisten the greens, toss gently to combine, and serve immediately.
Recipe details and proportions are below for convenience.
Orange, Fennel, and Walnut Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
- Author: Annie Chesson
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 6 side salads
Ingredients
- 5 oz box spinach-arugula mix (or just spinach)
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1–2 bulbs fennel (about 2 cups thinly sliced)
- 3 oranges
- 1/2 lemon
- Olive oil (equal parts to citrus juice)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Stir frequently until walnuts are evenly toasted and fragrant; remove from heat and set aside.
- Trim fennel fronds, halve each bulb, and remove the hard core.
- Thinly slice the fennel and set aside.
- Zest one orange and reserve the zest.
- Trim the tops and bottoms of the oranges, peel by slicing down the sides, and save the peel scraps for juice.
- Dice the peeled oranges and set aside.
- Make the dressing: squeeze juice from the orange peel scraps into a bowl, add juice from half a lemon, and stir in the orange zest.
- Add an equal volume of olive oil to the citrus juice (for example, 3 oz juice + 3 oz oil). Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
- Toss the greens, fennel, oranges, and toasted walnuts in a large bowl. Drizzle just enough dressing to lightly coat the greens and toss gently. Serve immediately.
Enjoy this crisp, citrus-forward salad as a bright side or a light lunch. The recipe is flexible — adjust fennel, walnuts, or citrus to taste.