Roasted Fennel and Citrus Salad (Printable)

Golden roasted fennel paired with sweet citrus segments, fresh herbs, and a tangy honey-mustard dressing.

# List of ingredients:

→ Vegetables and Fruit

01 - 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 2 large oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
06 - 1 pink grapefruit, peeled and segmented

→ Herbs & Garnishes

07 - 1/4 cup fresh dill fronds, roughly chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons toasted pistachios or almonds, roughly chopped

→ Dressing

11 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
02 - Arrange fennel wedges on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, and toss to coat evenly.
03 - Roast fennel for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until golden and caramelized at the edges. Let cool slightly.
04 - Meanwhile, prepare oranges and grapefruit by removing all peel and pith, then slicing into rounds or segmenting.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
06 - On a large serving platter, layer roasted fennel, orange slices, and grapefruit segments.
07 - Drizzle with dressing, then scatter over dill, mint, parsley, and toasted nuts if using.
08 - Serve immediately, or let stand 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted fennel becomes candy-sweet while the citrus keeps everything bright and alive
  • It looks like something from a fancy bistro but comes together in under 40 minutes
  • The herb hit at the end makes each forkful feel like a surprise
02 -
  • Don't crowd your fennel on the baking sheet or they'll steam instead of roast, and you'll miss out on those caramelized edges
  • The dressing tastes completely different once it hits the warm fennel, so don't season it too heavily before plating
  • This salad actually holds up pretty well for a couple hours, but the herbs will start to wilt if it sits overnight
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to remove citrus peel, it's faster and wastes less fruit than a knife
  • The leftover fennel fronds make a beautiful garnish, don't toss them
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and add it just before serving

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