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Citrus Fennel Salad

Avatar photoby Updated: Oct 7, 2024

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This citrus fennel salad is teeming with vibrant colors, textures, and freshness from shaved fennel, bright and juicy citrus, cool, creamy avocado, and a champagne vinaigrette for a colorful, clean side salad to any rich meal.

Citrus Fennel and Avocado Salad

Simple salads should not be underestimated. They’re the perfect light and fresh foil for rich and heavy dishes, quick and easy to prepare, and a great way to add color and freshness to your plate. I particularly love a punchy salad made with fresh citrus, like my citrus shrimp and avocado salad,ย  avocado, grapefruit and fennel salad, and my quinoa and kale protein power salad. This citrus fennel salad tastes just as gorgeous as it looks, with its bejeweled ombrรฉ citrus slices, creamy avocado, and fresh herbs, all mingling in a bright champagne vinaigrette.ย 

Why You’ll Love It

  • This colorful citrus fennel salad is bursting with bright and fresh flavors and awesome textures
  • It’s a great way to lighten up a heavier protein but also super delicious on its own as a light bite
  • It’s easy to make and super versatile tooโ€”play around with different varieties of citrus, and add some nuts or cheese if you like

Citrus Fennel and Avocado Salad

Citrus Fennel Salad Ingredients

  • Fresh citrusโ€”I use an assortment of navel oranges, cara caras, minneolas, mandarins, and blood oranges
  • Fennelโ€”adds a nice crunch, and a peppery, licorice flavor to the salad that pairs so well with the citrus
  • Avocadoโ€”lends a nice richness and creamy texture to this salad
  • Shallotโ€”I slice them super thin. If slices of shallot are too strong for you, chop about 1 tablespoon of the shallot finely and add to the salad dressing for a lighter onion-y flavor.
  • Olive oilโ€”use a bright, fruity, extra-virgin olive oil for this salad
  • Champagne vinegarโ€”for acidity in our vinaigrette (you could also use white balsamic vinegar)
  • Honeyโ€”for just a bit of sweetness
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepperโ€”always, for flavor
  • Mintโ€”for color and freshness that plays so well with the citrus
  • Fennel frondsโ€”for presentation (these are so pretty in a salad!)

Find the complete recipe with measurements below

Citrus Fennel and Avocado Salad

How to Make This Citrus Fennel Salad

  • Prep the citrus. Slice the peels off of the citrus, cut into thin slices, and place them in a bowl or on a serving plate.
  • Layer. Layer the citrus with thinly slivered fennel slices. Add avocado slices and shallot slivers.
  • Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, slowly whisk the olive oil into the champagne vinegar until emulsified. Add the honey and whisk to mix. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Dress and serve. Pour dressing over the salad and season with more kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with reserved fennel fronds and mint leaves.

Citrus Fennel and Avocado Salad

Citrus Fennel and Avocado Salad

Recipe Variations & Tips

  • Arugula, endive, or butter lettuce would be amazing additions to this salad
  • Goat cheese, burrata, or shaved Manchego would be tasty cheese additionsย 
  • For even more sweetness and crunch, add some pomegranate seeds, and/or candied pecans
  • Kalamata or Spanish olives would also be delicious additions
  • The best way to get sliver-thin veggies is with my favorite kitchen tool. Get one, it will change your kitchen forever.

Citrus Fennel and Avocado Salad

What to Serve with This Citrus Fennel Salad

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave aย ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ย rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo andย tag me on Instagramย with #foodiecrusheats.

4.25 from 70 votes

Citrus Fennel Salad

This citrus fennel salad is the most refreshing counter to a rich dinner or makes for a vibrant, light bite on its own.
Print
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword citrus fennel salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients 

  • An assortment of citrus , (totaling about 2 ยฝ to 3 pounds)
  • I used:
  • 3 navel oranges
  • 3 cara cara oranges
  • 2 minneola oranges
  • 3 mandarin oranges
  • 1 blood orange
  • ยฝ fennel bulb , very thinly sliced
  • 1 avocado , peeled, pitted and sliced
  • ยฝ shallot , peeled and very thinly sliced
  • โ…“ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ยผ cup mint leaves
  • Reserved fennel fronds

Instructions

  • Slice the peels off of the citrus and place them in a bowl or on a serving plate. Layer with thinly slivered fennel slices. Add avocado slices and shallot slivers.
  • In a small bowl, slowly whisk the olive oil into the champagne vinegar until emulsified. Add the honey and whisk to mix. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
  • Pour dressing over the salad and season with more kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with reserved fennel fronds and mint leaves.

More Refreshing Salads to Try

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Comments

    4.25 from 70 votes (67 ratings without comment)

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  1. Lyn

    Iโ€™ve been salivating over this salad recipe for ages, and will finally make it today, but I think the number of servings is off. It says it serves 2, and includes 12 citrus fruits. Thatโ€™s a lot of citrus for two people!

    Reply

  2. Theresa Polacek

    5 stars
    I find myself craving the fresh, bright taste of this salad! Every time I make it my family says how much they love it. Tonight I’ll serve it over a bed of arugula….

    Reply

  4. Andrea

    5 stars
    This is a lovely salad. My husband and I made it together and had some on the back porch in our garden. Perfect addition to our day. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  8. BURGET Rachel

    bonjour, elle fait trop envie cette recette je vais la faire dans ces prochain jour je salive dรฉjร  ? merci la photo est super on mange d’abord avec les yeux :-)

    Reply

  9. Toni

    Looks delicious. I’m always looking for new recipes for my son, who has become very conscious of eating healthy. I’ve copied so many of your recipes and am preparing a binder of all my copied recipes. I must note that we don’t care for onions or garlic in my family so I will modify many of the recipes. This is one of those recipes that can be modified to to be made without onion/shallots and I think it will still be amazing because the pungent onions/shallots will not overpower the more mild flavors of the other ingredients. I don’t believe every recipe has to have have onions and/ or garlic. In my family, we cook without those two ingredients and never have missed them but have enjoyed all the other aromatic flavors in foods since they haven’t been overpowered by pungent foods. Of course, this is just my opinion and am not suggesting that people should cook or eat like my family.

    Reply

  10. Taimy

    I got here by accident when I clicked a link that says: “7 homemade detox drinks for weight loss” and not drinks here. :(

    Reply

  13. Vicky

    The salad looks fabulous! I make a similar salad and put it on a bed of spinach or arugula with a white balsamic and blood orange olive oil dressing. Fabulous. Pomegranate seeds would really pop in this lovely winter salad.

    Reply

  16. Sangeeta

    Hi, I am visiting your site from pinterest. On pinterest, you have said “7 Homemade Detox Drinks for Weight Loss”. On clicking, it is opening to this salad recipe!! Would you please check?

    Anyway, citrus and avocado is an excellent salad combo. And this recipe is a must try for me tonight.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

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  36. Kate @Almond Butter Binge

    Can I be a foodie if I’ve never eaten fennel? I think I’d like it, I’ve just never really found a recipe that spoke to me that also contained fennel. This one might be it, though. And I’m pretty sure fennel is seasonal at the moment โ€” Real Simple magazine says so, so it must be true :)

    Reply

    • Avatar photoheidi

      Seriously, shaved and eaten raw, it’s divine. Give it a try! Ina Garten also does a braised fennel I want to try. Sounds really good, kind of like a gratin.

      Reply

  40. Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking

    This salad is everything gorgeous about citrus season!!!! I am too scatterbrained to do a CSA box too. I always want to but by the time I think of it, it is already too late to sign up. Plus I don’t know what I would do with all that produce.

    Reply

  41. Patti

    I love oranges in my green salad. It doesn’t look nearly as beautiful as yours, and I always add avocado and dried cranberries. I can see that I need to up my game, that salad looks so yummy!!
    Thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply

  46. Denise | TLT

    Not only does this salad looks absolutely divine (I know and love the combination of fennel and oranges, but the addition of avocado is just brilliant!), but I also loved the girl in the orange-swimming pool shot. Put a smile on my face!

    And also: I think you not skipping sugar or eating 100% organic only makes you more of a foodie. Cause foodies loves it all:)

    Reply

  48. Cecile

    This salad looks so good!! I keep telling myself that I have to eat more salads – and – I actually love them… but, as much as I love cooking/eating… it’s a bit hard now that I don’t have a family to cook for. That being said – I’ve got learn to Take Care of Me – think I’ll start with this salad!! PS I’m so glad you posted both the photo of the orange-filled pool and the story behind the photo!

    Reply

  50. Yvette (Muy Bueno)

    Love to hear about your old job — reminds me of my former job. We are so spoiled with digital cameras. Now if only I can take gorgeous photos like you. Wowza! This salad looks so refreshing and beautiful. Yummy!

    Reply

  51. Becky

    I think it’s just perfect!! And I’ve been using fennel a lot lately too! Just made a butternut squash and chickpea stew with fennel the other day! I love the subtle liquorish flavor and the pretty bright green fronds :). Thanks for joining in the eatseasonal crew. I’m grateful!!

    Reply

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