Blood Orange & Fennel Salad with Warm Honey Vinaigrette Recipe

Name: Blood Orange & Fennel Salad with Warm Honey Vinaigrette
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4–6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds; 1 large fennel bulb, very thinly shaved (mandoline recommended); 2 tablespoons fresh fennel fronds, finely chopped; 1/4 cup toasted pistachios, roughly chopped; Flaky sea salt, to taste; Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar; Zest of 1/2 blood orange; Pinch of kosher salt

Chef Daniel Lubin
Jan 14
2 min read

Blood orange and fennel salad with warm honey vinaigrette, featuring segmented blood oranges, shaved fennel, pistachios, and a linen napkin on a marble countertop

Bright, crisp, and quietly elegant, this winter salad is all about contrast. Sweet, jewel-toned blood oranges meet shaved fennel’s gentle anise bite, while a warm honey vinaigrette ties everything together and softens the raw edge just enough.

This is the kind of salad that feels right in January — fresh, seasonal, and intentional — without pretending it’s spring already.

Serve it as a light starter, a side for roasted fish or chicken, or on its own when you want something vibrant but grounding.

Ingredients

For the Salad

3 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds or segements
1 large fennel bulb, very thinly shaved (vegetable peeler or mandoline recommended)
2 tablespoons fresh fennel fronds, finely chopped
¼ cup toasted pistachios, roughly chopped
Flaky sea salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper

For the Warm Honey Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Zest of ½ blood orange
Pinch of kosher salt

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4–6

Instructions

Prepare the salad baseArrange the blood orange slices on a large platter or shallow bowl, slightly overlapping. Scatter the shaved fennel evenly over the top.
Make the warm vinaigretteIn a small saucepan set over low heat, add the olive oil, honey, Dijon, vinegar, orange zest, and salt.Warm gently, whisking constantly, just until the honey dissolves and the vinaigrette becomes glossy and unified. Do not boil.
Dress the saladSpoon the warm vinaigrette evenly over the oranges and fennel. The gentle heat will lightly soften the fennel while keeping its crunch.
Finish and serveSprinkle with toasted pistachios and chopped fennel fronds. Season lightly with flaky sea salt and black pepper just before serving.

Chef’s Notes

This salad is best served slightly warm or at room temperature, not chilled.
Blood oranges can be swapped for cara cara or navel oranges if needed, but the color and flavor of blood oranges really shine here.
Add shaved Parmesan or a few torn burrata pieces if serving this as a composed first course.
For extra depth, a few drops of aged balsamic added to the vinaigrette work beautifully.

This recipe was created by Chef Daniel Lubin, a Coppell-based private chef, author, and culinary educator. Chef Daniel shares handcrafted, beginner-friendly recipes daily, helping home cooks create delicious meals with ease.