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Grapefruit Fennel Salad
Grapefruit Fennel Salad
Inspired by a classic Sicilian recipe, this colorful Grapefruit Fennel Salad is the perfect combination of bright, mellow, sour, and salty.
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Did you know I love citrus fruits so much I wrote an entire cookbook AND two eBooks (one sweet, and one savory) about them? I simply love cooking and baking with citrus fruits: they’re so bright, colorful, aromatic, and versatile! I experiment with them constantly, and during my first cookbook’s recipe testing process more specifically, I tasted ALL the citrus fruits that came my way. I experimented with so many flavor combinations and some of them were real revelations! The pairing of grapefruit and parmesan is one of those. It may sound unusual, but it makes perfect sense when you taste it.
This Grapefruit Fennel Salad was inspired by a classic Sicilian recipe that usually features blood oranges instead of grapefruit. I wanted to find a way to serve this salad year-round (blood oranges are only available in winter), so I was trying to find a suitable substitute. Regular oranges are slightly less acidic than blood oranges and would make the salad too sweet. I thought of grapefruit, which I thought would kick the salad’s interest levels way high. Boy, was I right! This grapefruit fennel salad would wake up the drowsiest taste buds. The combination of zesty grapefruit, mellow parmesan, and crunchy fennel is simply irresistible.
I like to add greens to the salad to make this grapefruit fennel salad more substantial and you can play with different types, depending on whether you want to add a subtle or more assertive flavor to the dish. Mâche, pea shoots, and baby spinach play a mellow supporting role, whereas watercress and arugula add a peppery, slightly bitter taste that works really well with grapefruit.
Quick ingredient note: To make the very best version of this grapefruit fennel salad, make sure to use freshly shaved, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (as opposed to pre-grated parmesan cheese). “Parmigiano-Reggiano” is a protected designation of origin and you can recognize the cheese by its beige-yellow stamped edge. The cheese has a distinct nutty flavor and a dry, brittle texture dotted with salty, crunchy bits. Once you taste authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano, you can’t go without it! It’s a bit pricey, but it keeps for a long time well-wrapped in the fridge. Plus, with such a flavorful cheese, a little goes a long way! A simple dish like this grapefruit fennel salad is the perfect way to showcase a quality ingredient like Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Savory Citrus Delights Cookbook
Love savory citrus recipes? Then you’ll love my Savory Citrus Delights Cookbook! Discover zesty variations on timeless classics, create colorful, nutritious lunches, and expand your weeknight dinner repertoire with aromatic, creative dishes the whole family will love. Savory Citrus Delights is a 16-recipe downloadable eBook that comes in a handy, “save it everywhere” PDF format! LEARN MORE
Grapefruit Fennel Salad
Ingredients
For the Grapefruit Fennel Salad
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 pink grapefruits
- 2 handfuls of lightweight greens (baby spinach, watercress, or arugula)
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh grapefruit juice (see method below for instructions)
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, or white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp kosher salt, or fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- FOR THE SALAD: Cut the stalks and foliage off from the fennel bulb and set aside. Halve the fennel bulb, then cut out the tougher stem from the center of each fennel bulb half. Very thinly slice the fennel and transfer to a large salad bowl.
- SEGMENT THE GRAPEFRUITS: First, peel the fruit with a knife. Cut off both the top and bottom of the grapefruit. Stand the fruit on either of the flat ends. Run a very sharp paring knife along the fruit from top to bottom, removing the skin and pith, leaving the flesh bare. Rotate the grapefruit and repeat.
- To collect segments, hold the peeled grapefruit in one hand, positioning it over a bowl to catch dripping juices. Run a sharp knife alongside the membranes, leaving entirely bare pieces of fruit behind. Once you've collected all the segments from the grapefruit, squeeze the remaining membranes and bits of flesh to collect all of the remaining juice. (Save this grapefruit juice to use in the dressing.)
- Transfer the grapefruit segments to the salad bowl with the fennel. Add the greens.
- TO MAKE THE DRESSING: In a screw-top jar, add all the dressing ingredients. Close the jar and shake vigorously.
- SERVING: Drizzle about 3 tbsp (45 ml) of the dressing over the grapefruit fennel salad. Gently toss to coat. If desired, season with fleur de sel or sea salt flakes and additional freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle a bit more dressing over the salad. Generously garnish with some of the saved fennel foliage. Serve immediately.
- MAKE IT VEGAN: Omit the Parmigiano-Reggiano and substitute a sharp vegan cheese, if desired.
Did you make this?
Tell me how you liked it! Leave a comment or take a picture and tag it with @foodnouveau on Instagram.
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Author: Marie Asselin
Iam interested in doing the recipe testing. In fact i filled up the form you sent through email
The book sounds great! Wish I had time to help with the testing. One small note, I don’t think you want to use the word “notoriety” up there in regards to food bloggers. That’s famous for something bad, disreputable, like Al Capone. Maybe you “renown” is more what you’re after? Feel free to delete this if you don’t agree!
This is so interesting Gary, thank for pointing out the subtleties of “notoriety”! I certainly don’t want to be known the way Al Capone was, so changed my turn of phrase just in case ;)
congratulations on the book deal! This salad looks amazing, and perfectly summery. I’m looking forward to trying it out.