Bright Ina Garten Provencal Orange Salad Recipe for Sunny Days

This vibrant Provençal orange salad bursts with Mediterranean sunshine and zesty flavors that dance across your palate.

Fresh ingredients transform a simple side dish into a sensational culinary experience.

Bold citrus notes intermingle with crisp, aromatic herbs creating an elegant composition.

Delicate textures and bright colors make this salad a feast for both eyes and taste buds.

Each carefully selected ingredient contributes its unique character to the overall harmony of the dish.

A light and refreshing option perfect for warm days or as an unexpected accompaniment to any meal: dive into this tempting recipe now!

What’s Special About the Provencal Orange Salad

• Burst with Vibrant Freshness: This Provencal orange salad explodes with bright, zesty flavors that dance on your taste buds, combining the sweetness of oranges with the crisp bite of fennel and herbs.
• Elevate Simple Ingredients: Ina Garten transforms everyday produce into an elegant dish that looks and tastes like a gourmet restaurant dish, proving that minimal ingredients can create maximum impact.
• Mediterranean Escape on a Plate: The combination of oranges, herbs, and olives transports you to a sunny Provencal countryside, offering a refreshing and sophisticated culinary experience that feels like a mini-vacation.
• Effortless Elegance in Minutes: With just a few simple preparation steps and no cooking required, this salad becomes a quick yet impressive side dish perfect for summer gatherings or as a light, sophisticated starter.

Orange Salad Grocery List

• Orange: Sweet, juicy citrus fruit with bright flavor and refreshing quality.
• Fennel: Crisp vegetable with delicate anise-like taste and crunchy texture.
• Red Onion: Sharp, mild onion that adds beautiful color and light bite.
• Fresh Mint: Aromatic herb with cooling and bright flavor profile.
• Fresh Basil: Soft herb with sweet and peppery undertones.

• Kosher Salt: Classic seasoning for balancing and enhancing overall taste.
• Black Pepper: Warm, spicy seasoning that adds depth to the salad.
• Fleur de Sel: Delicate, mineral-rich finishing salt with subtle crunch.

• Olive Oil: Rich, smooth dressing base with fruity Mediterranean essence.
• Kalamata Olives: Briny, salty olives that provide Mediterranean character.

How to Build the Provencal Salad

Step 1: Tame The Onion

Grab a sharp knife and slice the onion into delicate half-moon shapes. Submerge these translucent ribbons in a bath of icy water for 15 minutes. This trick softens the sharp bite and keeps things crisp. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

Step 2: Prepare Sunny Citrus

Select ripe, vibrant oranges. With a sharp serrated knife, trim both ends to create stable bases. Stand each orange upright and carefully slice away the peel and white membrane. Create beautiful crosswise rounds about one-third inch thick, removing any pesky seeds. Arrange these juicy sunshine slices on a beautiful serving platter, allowing their natural liquid to spread.

Step 3: Build Flavor Layers

Slice fennel into paper-thin translucent pieces using a mandoline or careful knife skills.

• Drained red onion
• Briny olives
• Fresh mint leaves
• Delicate basil

Step 4: Dress With Elegance

Drizzle extra virgin olive oil generously over the salad. Sprinkle kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Gently toss ingredients to marry flavors. Finish with a light dusting of fleur de sel for a luxurious touch.

Step 5: Serve And Enjoy

Allow salad to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. This lets flavors mingle and develop a harmonious taste profile. Serve as a refreshing side or light lunch option.

Smart Tips for Balancing Citrus

• Mellow the Onion: Soak sliced onions in ice water for 10-15 minutes to reduce their sharp bite and create a gentler flavor profile in the salad.
• Harvest Fresh Herbs: Pluck mint and basil leaves just before serving to capture their most vibrant, intense aromatics and ensure maximum flavor impact.
• Master Fennel Slicing: Aim for paper-thin fennel cuts using a sharp mandoline or careful knife skills to guarantee a delicate, tender texture that complements the oranges.
• Perfect Orange Preparation: Carefully trim away all white pith when segmenting oranges to prevent any bitter undertones and create clean, jewel-like citrus pieces.
• Temperature Matters: Let the salad rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the herbs, citrus, and dressing to meld together seamlessly.

Storing This Bright Salad

• Cold Storage: Seal the salad in an airtight glass container, preventing flavor absorption from other foods. Refrigerate immediately after serving to maintain crisp textures and vibrant citrus notes.
• Ingredient Separation: Keep orange segments and herbs separate from dressing before initial serving. Store components individually in sealed containers to prevent sogginess and preserve each ingredient's fresh quality.
• Consumption Window: Enjoy the salad within 24-36 hours for optimal taste and texture. After this period, orange segments might lose their bright flavor and herbs could wilt, compromising the salad's delightful Mediterranean essence.

Flavor Switch-Ups for Orange Salad

• Citrus Herb Fusion: Replace mint and basil with fresh rosemary and thyme for an aromatic Mediterranean-inspired salad that heightens the orange's natural sweetness.
• Spicy Provencal Blend: Add thinly sliced jalapeños or red chili flakes to introduce a subtle heat that complements the citrus and fennel's coolness.
• Nutty Mediterranean Version: Sprinkle toasted pine nuts or chopped almonds over the salad for a crunchy texture and rich, earthy undertone that elevates the original recipe's freshness.
• Goat Cheese Accent: Crumble soft French goat cheese on top to create a creamy element that balances the bright orange and crisp fennel, adding complexity to the traditional Provencal profile.

Salad Sign-Off You’ll Love

Provencal Orange Salad emerges as culinary poetry, blending Mediterranean flavors with elegant simplicity.

Orange slices gleam like sunlight across pristine plates, revealing French countryside charm.

Fresh herbs whisper delicate notes through crisp fennel and tangy red onion layers.

Complex flavors harmonize with subtle olive undertones, creating sensory symphonies.

Mediterranean essence radiates from each carefully constructed bite, connecting palates with southern French landscapes.

Passionate cooks: share this recipe, comment below, spread deliciousness across social networks – let delightful conversations bloom from this culinary masterpiece.

Ina Garten Provencal Orange Salad Recipe

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4.6 from 15 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Provence-inspired orange salad brings Mediterranean zest to your table. Crisp citrus, delicate herbs, and smooth olive oil dance together, creating a refreshing side dish that transports you to Southern French landscapes.

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Ingredients

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Fruits:

• 3 seedless oranges, such as Cara Cara or navel
• 3 blood oranges

Vegetables and Herbs:

• ½ small red onion
• ½ fennel bulb, top and core removed
• 1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 milliliters) julienned fresh mint leaves
• 1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 milliliters) julienned fresh basil leaves

Olives, Oil, and Seasonings:

• 10 large green olives, such as picholine or Castelvetrano, pitted
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fleur de sel or sea salt, for serving

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Instructions

1. Thinly slice the red onion into delicate half-moons, submerging them in ice water for 15 minutes to mellow their sharp bite. Drain thoroughly and set aside to crisp.
2. Using a serrated knife, trim both ends of the oranges. Standing each fruit upright, carefully remove the peel and white pith by slicing downward. Cut the oranges into ⅓-inch (0.8 centimeters) rounds, discarding any seeds. Artfully arrange the orange slices on a serving platter, allowing their natural juices to pool.
3. Prepare the fennel by slicing it paper-thin, either with a sharp knife or a mandoline. Distribute the translucent fennel layers evenly across the orange base.
4. Scatter the drained red onion pieces, scatter briny olives, and sprinkle fresh mint and basil leaves over the salad, creating a vibrant mosaic of colors and textures.
5. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil generously, seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss the ingredients to ensure even distribution of flavors.
6. Allow the salad to rest at ambient temperature for 10-15 minutes, letting the ingredients meld and develop a harmonious taste profile. Finish with a delicate dusting of fleur de sel just before serving.

Notes

• Rescue bland ingredients by soaking raw onions in ice water, transforming their sharp bite into a mellow, pleasant crunch that complements the salad’s delicate flavors.
• Chop herbs moments before mixing to capture their most vibrant essential oils, ensuring each bite bursts with fresh, aromatic Mediterranean-inspired notes.
• Slice fennel paper-thin using a mandoline, creating translucent ribbons that melt seamlessly into the salad’s texture without overwhelming other delicate components.
• Meticulously remove every trace of bitter white pith from oranges, revealing pure, juicy segments that add sweet brightness and stunning visual appeal.
• Let the salad rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving, allowing ingredients to harmonize and develop a complex, interconnected flavor profile.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup (113g)
• Calories: 79
• Sugar: 9.5g
• Sodium: 84mg
• Fat: 2.9g
• Saturated Fat: 0.4g
• Carbohydrates: 14g
• Fiber: 2.9g
• Protein: 1.1g
• Cholesterol: 0mg