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.

Round slices of mixed citrus fruit layered with thinly sliced fennel and topped with olives on a white plate on a wood table. — A sweet and savory citrus salad featuring California Ripe Olives.

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.

White bowls of black and green olives surrounded with radicchio, citrus and fennel. — 95% of olives produced in the US are California Grown!

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.

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!

Two bowls of olives, mixed citrus fruits, fennel and a head of radicchio on a wood table. — All you need is some fresh produce and a few pantry ingredients to make this impressive dish.

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.

Citrus salad with olives and fennel on a white plate. — Olives are full of heart healthy fats and antioxidants.

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.

Citrus with the peel and pith removed on a wood cutting board with a knife. — Remove the peel and as much pith as possible.

Sliced rounds of mixed citrus fruit on a wood cutting board with a knife. — Remove the peel and as much pith as possible.

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.

White plate of citrus salad with small bowl of vinaigrette and small bowl of black olives next to it. — Dress this simple salad with a light champagne vinaigrette.

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

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.