Brighten Your Plate With This Vibrant Fennel and Grapefruit Salad
Savor the seasonal flavors.
A burst of citrusy sweet grapefruits adds a colorful touch to this savory fennel salad. Served over a bed of watercress and spritzed with a citrus olive oil dressing, this salad is full of flavor.
Fennel is the perfect ingredient to star in your salads this time of year. Its season runs through early spring meaning it’s ideal for transitioning from winter. Its crunchy texture will add a refreshing bite to your salads.
Fennel Salad Nutrition
Fennel is also a great source of vitamin C, fiber, potassium, folate, copper, calcium, and iron. It is antioxidant rich due to its phytonutrients; rutin, quercetin, and anethole. These nutrients and its vitamin C content make it great for boosting the immune system and warding off spring viruses.
Grapefruit does more than add color to fennel salad. Grapefruit is a nutrient powerhouse with a wide range of health benefits. Grapefruit is rich in vitamin C, copper, vitamin A, fiber, potassium, biotin, and vitamin B1. Its lycopene content also has linked it to decreased cancer risk and increased cardiovascular health.
Serving as the perfect bed on which to serve fennel and grapefruit, is watercress. Watercress has a lightly peppery taste, if purchased in its young state. I like to buy packaged watercress with the roots attached for the freshest flavor. The mustardy notes of watercress stimulate digestion and taste buds making it perfect for enriching the flavors of this spring salad.
Recipe Tips
When chopping fennel, save the leaves for garnish. They are completely edible and add an elegant touch and flavor to the salad. You can also save the fennel stalks for use in soup or homemade vegetable broth. You’ll limit your food waste and maximize your use out of the versatile vegetable.
This light and refreshing fennel salad pairs well with a citrusy pasta such as this lemon asparagus fettuccine recipe. Serve the meal alongside a white wine such as sauvignon blanc to keep the tones bright and fruity.
If making your own salad dressing just isn’t your thing or you don’t have the time, try our healthy recommendations for store bought salad dressings, there are five! . Note that using store bought dressings will change the flavor profile and nutrition value of the recipe.
Ingredients
Preparation
- After removing stems, place watercress in a large bowl. Slice fennel in half and then slice each half into thin pieces. Add sliced fennel to the bowl.
- Chop grapefruit into bite sized pieces and add to the bowl along with sliced radishes. Toss together until all ingredients are well dispersed.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, grapefruit juice, agave, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt. Pour dressing over salad and then divide salad between two bowls. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
