In the depths of winter, it can be easy to despair about ever tasting fresh and bright flavors again! We yearn for summer tomatoes or spring greens, but winter has it's own special jewels - namely citrus and fennel. They combine is this bold and beautiful salad for a wonderfully juicy combination.
You can use your favorite type of citrus, but I chose grapefruit, Cara Cara oranges, and blood oranges to combine with crunchy fennel and soft mozzarella.
Emily's Recipe Notes
I love a colorful combination of citrus for this salad with shades of red, pink, and orange. Use several different types of citrus for the spread of flavors and color.
I know grapefruit on its own can be a tad astringent for people but paired with the sweet, tangy oranges and the mellow mozzarella it really shines.
This salad recipe is a perfect side dish for 4 to 5 people. It's easy to prepare in advance for a dinner party or it can be thrown together and served immediately. I like to serve it with roasted pork chops or baked halibut.
What You'll Need
- A variety of citrus - grapefruit, pomelo, navel oranges, Cara Cara oranges, Sumo, mandarins, clementines, or blood oranges will all work!
- Fresh Fennel - one good size bulb of fennel will work. Try to choose one with some fronds on top so you can scatter those over the finished dish.
- Mozzarella Ball - fresh mozzarella is a must for this recipe! Adds creaminess and offsets the bitterness of the citrus.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - choose a good quality olive oil as it's the base of the dressing.
- Balsamic Vinegar - just a little balsamic packs in wonderful, rich flavor and adds depth to the dressing.
- Kosher Salt or Sea Salt - finish with a little sprinkle of salt
Instructions
Slice the fennel into thin rounds. Reserve some of the fronds to top the salad.
Slice the peels off the citrus fruit with a sharp knife and cutting board. Cut the citrus into thin slices.
One of the easiest ways to remove the tough outer skin of a piece of citrus is to cut off both its ends and then run a knife along the outside, removing the skin in vertical strips.
Be careful not to take too much flesh from the piece of fruit. Remove as much white pith as possible (use a paring knife if necessary). This way of cutting the fruit gives it an interesting geometric shape as well.
Arrange the grapefruit slices, orange slices, mozzarella, and raw fennel on a large plate or salad bowl.
Mix the olive oil, balsamic, and salt briskly in a small bowl to create a vinaigrette. Dress the salad with the vinaigrette right before serving.
Optional - Sprinkle the fennel fronds across the top.
Optional Adds Ons
- Greens - if you'd like to add another punch to this salad, dress it with some torn mint and basil, or serve it on a bed of arugula.
- Toppings - you can add some fun toppings like pomegranate seeds or chopped nuts (pine nuts or pistachios for a crunchy texture).
- Pepper - you can add ground black pepper or white pepper to the salad as well.
- Onions - if you'd like an allium bite, feel free to add some sliced shallots or crisp red onions.
Winter Citrus Fennel Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large grapefruit peeled & sliced into rounds
- 2 Cara Cara oranges peeled & sliced into rounds
- 3 blood oranges peeled & sliced into rounds
- 1 fennel bulb thinly sliced, some fronds reserved
- 8 ounces mozzarella sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Arrange the grapefruit, oranges, mozzarella, and fennel on a plate.
- Sprinkle the fennel fronds across the top.
- Mix the olive oil and balsamic vinegar to create a vinaigrette. Dress the salad with the vinaigrette right before serving. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
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