Dessert

Blood Orange Fennel Salad with Pickled Onion and Citrus Dressing Recipe

ByJack Voss April 5, 2026April 5, 2026

Introduction

This Blood Orange Salad is a refreshing and vibrant dish that combines the tartness of blood oranges with the crispness of fennel and a lightly pickled red onion. Perfect as a light starter or side, it offers a beautiful blend of flavors and textures that brighten any meal.

A white plate holds a layered salad starting with a base of bright red and deep maroon blood orange slices arranged in a loose circle. On top of the orange slices is a layer of thin, curly white and faint pink radish strips scattered across. Small green parsley leaves are placed evenly over the radishes, adding pops of green color. The salad is lightly dressed with a slightly shiny orange-red dressing pooled around the edges and mixing with the fruit juice. Two silver spoons rest on the right side of the plate, one partially covered with the radish strips and parsley. The setting is on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1/4 red onion, finely sliced or shaved using a mandolin (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp white sugar
6 tbsp white wine vinegar (for pickling and dressing)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher or cooking salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3 blood oranges
1 medium fennel bulb, finely sliced or shaved using a mandolin (about 4 packed cups)
1/4 cup parsley leaves

Instructions

Step 1: Lightly pickle the onion by mixing the sugar and white wine vinegar in a bowl. Add the sliced onion, making sure the vinegar just covers it, and set aside for 15 minutes. When ready, drain the onion and reserve the pickling vinegar.
Step 2: Prepare the blood oranges by cutting off the rind and slicing them into rounds. Reserve all the juice that collects on the cutting board, aiming for about 2 teaspoons. If needed, sacrifice a slice or two to get enough juice.
Step 3: Make the blood orange drizzle dressing by combining 2 teaspoons of the reserved pickling vinegar with the 2 teaspoons of blood orange juice. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Step 4: Lightly dress the fennel by tossing it with 1 tablespoon of the onion pickling juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Step 5: To assemble, place half of the orange rounds on a serving plate. Layer over two-thirds of the dressed fennel, scatter half of the pickled onion and some parsley leaves. Add the remaining orange slices, then the rest of the fennel, oranges, and onions on top. Sprinkle with parsley leaves. Just before serving, drizzle the blood orange dressing mainly over the oranges to avoid staining the fennel. Serve immediately.

Tips & Variations

Use a sharp mandolin or a very sharp knife to shave the fennel and onion thinly for the best texture.
Adjust the sugar in the pickling vinegar to balance acidity if your blood oranges are extra tart.
If blood oranges are unavailable, navel oranges or a mix of oranges and pink grapefruit work well as substitutes.
For extra crunch, add a handful of toasted almonds or walnuts before serving.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. The salad is best enjoyed fresh to maintain the crispness of the fennel and the vibrant flavor of the oranges. If needed, you can re-dress lightly before serving, but avoid extended storage after adding the dressing.

How to Serve

A white plate holds a salad made of three main layers: a base layer of deep red and dark maroon blood orange slices arranged in a loose circle, topped with a second layer of thin, white and slightly pinkish sliced onions placed in loose piles across the orange slices, and a final layer of fresh small green parsley leaves scattered evenly around the salad. Light orange dressing lightly coats some parts of the plate and salad, pooling slightly around the edges. Two silver spoons rest on the right side of the plate. The background is a white marbled texture. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I prepare this salad ahead of time?

It’s best to prepare the components separately ahead of time but assemble and dress the salad just before serving to keep the textures fresh and crunchy.