A refreshing winter citrus salad with briny olives, thinly sliced fennel and a light champagne vinaigrette. This colorful, sweet and savory salad is absolutely delicious and the perfect appetizer or side to impress your dinner party guests.
The recipe and blog post for Citrus Salad with Olives and Fennel was made in partnership with California Ripe Olives! I received compensation and product in exchange for this work. I am a true olive enthusiast and my opinions are genuine. I deeply appreciate your continued support!
Did you know that 95% of all olives produced in the United States are California grown? Hundreds of farmers and their families work each year to bring California Ripe Olives from their farms to your table.
This recipe was inspired by California Farmer & Farmworker month. October is an abundant time to recognize the contributions of the dedicated people that work tirelessly to provide us with the food that is the foundation of our health and well-being.
I’m all about the California Olives
I absolutely LOVE olives and I’m super excited to share that love with this citrus salad featuring California Ripe Olives.
Not only are these salty little gems delicious, they’re full of health benefits. Olives are loaded with heart healthy fats and pack a powerful antioxidant punch.
Olives are a staple for me in salads, on pizza and sandwiches or just straight from the jar for snacking. This bright and fun citrus salad just might be my new favorite way to enjoy them.
Mixed citrus fruits topped with crunchy fennel, salty black and green olives and drizzled with a light and simple vinaigrette – it’s wildly delicious. It’s sweet, savory, tart, juicy, crunchy, just bursting with flavor and texture. The olives give it the perfect meaty, salty bite that just really makes it sing. Let’s make it!
Ingredients
Some fresh seasonal California produce and a handful of pantry ingredients is all you need to make this impressive salad.
Citrus – A combination of grapefruit, cara cara oranges, navel oranges and blood oranges. Use a mix of what’s available to you!
California Ripe Olives – I love to use both green and black.
Winter lettuce – Radicchio is my favorite. Arugula is also great.
Fennel – Adds unique flavor and crunchy texture. Use the fronds for garnish!
Vinaigrette – A light and simple vinaigrette made with California olive oil, champagne vinegar, dijon mustard, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Method
Preparing the citrus takes a little time and care but the results are definitely worth it! With a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom quarter inch of the fruit. Stand it up on one of the flat ends and carefully run your knife along the curve, removing the peel and the bitter pitch from all sides. The fruit should be as naked as possible. Slice it into quarter inch rounds and remove any seeds.
Remove the stalks from the bulb of fennel. Slice the bulb in half and remove the tough core. Slice it as thin as possible.
Layer citrus rounds and fennel over a bed of radicchio and top with black and green olives.
Whisk together olive oil, champagne vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and garnish with fennel fronds.
Tips for recipe success
- Citrus, fennel and vinaigrette can be prepared up to a day ahead of time and stored in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Assemble just before serving.
- Use really good California olive oil. The ingredients are super simple and you will taste the difference!
- Remove as much of the pith from the fruit as possible. The white layer underneath the citrus peel, or pith, is very bitter. Take the time and care to remove as much of it as possible for the most delicious tasting dish.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
More creative salads you will love
- Shaved Vegetable Salad
- Stone Fruit Salad with Honey, Lemon and Thyme
- Baby Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
- Golden Beet and Arugula Salad
- Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad with Burrata
Thank you California Farmers and Farmworkers
California is the largest producer of agricultural crops in the United States and California Grown is all about connecting us with the people who grow and produce our food. I’m honored to be a part of the California Grown Creators Program as understanding where my food comes from is extremely important to me.
I pay close attention to food labels and choose California Grown food to support family farmers that have been in business for generations. Special thank you to the dedicated, hardworking people who provide us with a safe, nutritious food supply.
Read more about this amazing Agritour of Monterey Bay with California Grown I got to go on and connect with real farmers out in the field.
Citrus Salad with Olives and Fennel
Ingredients
- 1 cup California Ripe Olives black and green
- 1 small Ruby red grapefruit
- 2-3 Blood oranges
- 2-3 Cara Cara oranges
- 2-3 Navel oranges
- 1 bulb fennel thinly sliced
- 1 head radicchio whole leaves
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- fennel fronds for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, champagne vinegar, honey, mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- With a sharp knife, slice off about a quarter inch from each end of the citrus fruits. Stand them up on one flat end and carefully cut downward, following the curve to remove the peel and the bitter pith from the fruit.
- Slice the naked citrus into rounds, removing seeds as you go.
- Slice the stalk end off of the fennel bulb. Cut the bulb in half and remove the core. Slice fennel as thinly as possible.
- Layer whole radicchio leaves, citrus rounds and sliced fennel onto a serving dish. Top with green and black olives. Drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with fennel fronds.
Marta
Fennel is not a huge favorite but the flavors of this salad were so intriguing that I had to give it a go. I’m so happy that I did. I realized that the fennel was complimented by the brininess of the olives and the floral, citrusy flavor of the oranges and grapefruit. Such a great recipe.