Salade de Fenouil et Oranges, Moroccan Orange Fennel Salad, Fennel Orange Salad
This moroccan fennel and orange salad recipe pairs shaved fennel with sweet orange segments, salty black olives and fresh mint, dressed with olive oil, lemon and a whisper of cinnamon. One serving is about 245 g and carries 189 calories. It is the bright, crunchy salad Moroccans serve beside tagines and grilled fish.
In Morocco, salads are not an afterthought: a spread of small salads opens the meal, and citrus salads are among the oldest of them, because Morocco grows some of the world's finest oranges. Fennel brings a cool anise crunch, orange brings sweetness, olives bring salt, and cinnamon and orange blossom water — two seasonings Morocco uses the way other kitchens use pepper — tie it together. It is the salad served beside rich tagines and grilled fish, there to cut through the richness.
Pairs well with: Mint tea or sparkling water, served cold beside a tagine or grilled fish.
Provenance
Morocco
Moroccan Citrus Salad
Middle Eastern
Time Dedication
20m
20m prep • 0m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
189 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 245 g
Technical Skill
Easy
Easy (No Cook)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Prime Metabolic Fit
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Moroccan Citrus Salad
Photo: Jonathan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)
This version keeps the classic Moroccan build — fennel, orange, olives, mint, olive oil, lemon, cinnamon and orange blossom water — with no honey and no dairy, so it is vegan as written.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Fennel, Oranges and Dressing
20 Mins • Fennel, Oranges and Dressing
Trim the fennel bulbs, halve them and shave into paper-thin slices. Peel the oranges fully, cut into segments and catch any juice in a bowl. Slice the red onion into thin half-rings, halve the pitted olives, and pick the mint leaves. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, orange blossom water, cinnamon and salt into a dressing.
Maestro Tip: Shave the fennel as thin as you can — thick slices are tough and woody, while paper-thin slices turn silky in the dressing.
8 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Trim the stalks and the tough base from the fennel bulbs, halve them, and slice as thinly as you can — a mandoline helps, but a sharp knife and a steady hand work too. Put the shavings in a large bowl and keep the feathery fronds for garnish.
Cut the fennel just before serving: it browns and softens if it sits sliced for hours.
Done when: Paper-thin, pale green shavings with no thick chunks.
5 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Cut the top and bottom off each orange, stand it up, and slice the peel away in strips, taking the white pith with it. Cut between the membranes to free the segments, letting any juice fall into a small bowl. Add the segments to the fennel.
Take all the pith off — even a little white pith makes the salad bitter.
Done when: Clean, bright orange segments with no peel or pith.
4 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, orange blossom water, cinnamon and salt together until they come together into a light dressing. Stir in a spoonful of the saved orange juice to soften the lemon's edge.
Taste the dressing before it meets the salad: it should be bright and lightly salty, with the cinnamon in the background, not the front.
Done when: A light, golden dressing that tastes bright, salty and faintly floral.
3 Mins + 15 Mins chill Chilled, about 4°C (39°F)
Pour the dressing over the fennel and oranges, add the red onion and olives, and toss gently. Chill for 15 minutes so the flavours meet, then scatter the torn mint and the fennel fronds over the top and serve cold.
Dress it close to serving: fennel dressed hours ahead goes limp, and the oranges weep juice into the bowl.
Done when: Crisp fennel, glossy orange segments, and a light dressing that coats rather than pools.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve cold, with the mint scattered over the top at the last moment — the salad is at its best within an hour of making.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
189
kcal / serving
Protein
3g
Complete AA
Carbs
22g
Complex
Fats
12g
Healthy
| Energy | 189 kcal |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fibre | 6.4 g |
| Sugar | 14.0 g |
| Sodium | 339 mg |
| Energy | 77 kcal |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g |
| Fat | 4.8 g |
| Fibre | 2.6 g |
| Sugar | 5.7 g |
| Sodium | 138 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C (orange, fennel, lemon), vitamin K (fennel, mint), folate (orange, fennel), potassium (fennel, orange), vitamin E (olive oil).
Crisp, Raw and Fresh
Nothing here is cooked, so the fennel stays crunchy and the oranges keep their vitamin C — a genuinely fresh plate.
Fibre From Fennel and Orange
Each serving carries about 6.4 g of fibre from the fennel, oranges and olives, which is a solid share of a day's fibre in one light salad.
Light But Satisfying
At about 189 calories a serving with olive oil for staying power, the salad fills the plate without weighing the meal down.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Chicken Tagine
The salad's crunch and citrus cut through a rich, slow-cooked tagine — that contrast is exactly why Moroccans serve it beside one.
Khobz Bread
Warm flatbread soaks up the citrus dressing left in the bowl, so nothing bright is wasted.
Vegetables
Grilled Sardines
Oily grilled fish and a bright fennel-orange salad are a classic Moroccan pairing: the lemon and fennel freshen the fish.
Drinks
Mint Tea
Sweet mint tea is the traditional drink with the meal, and its cool mint echoes the mint scattered over the salad.
Complete menu
Serve the salad cold as a starter or beside a chicken tagine or grilled sardines, with khobz bread and mint tea to follow.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Extra Salt in the Dressing
The olives already bring plenty of salt, and the salad carries about 339 mg of sodium per serving; more salt makes it harsh and thirsty work. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Dressing It Hours Ahead
Fennel dressed hours ahead goes limp and the oranges weep, leaving a watery bowl; dress it within 15 minutes of serving. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
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