This Orange Fennel Pecan Salad is light, bright, refreshing, and packed with textures and flavours.
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Meteorological Spring
Hello everyone! Happy Monday. Could you believe it’s March already? Also, can you believe it’s less than 3 weeks until spring (19 days, to be specific)? In fact, today meteorological spring begins. Now, I’ve just checked the situation outside, and it looks that something has gone wrong with our meteorological spring. Snow, rain, and strong winds? Daisy disapproves this spring! Hopefully, it gets better very soon.
Perhaps, some of you are already developing spring recipes. I think about them too, but I still have some winter ideas to share with you. Comforting soup, including tomato, hearty stews, and citrus recipes. So many good things! So without further ado, let’s talk about this tasty Orange Fennel Pecan Salad.
Orange Fennel Pecan Salad
As I promised, this salad offers you a variety of textures and flavours.
- Oranges. I used Cara Cara oranges as I love them for being sweet and tart and so luscious. Feel free to use any other variety or even different citrus fruit.
- Charred fennel. This makes fennel so delicious, lightly smoky and caramelized. You can also find this fennel in the recipe for this Blood Orange Scallop Salad.
- Caramelized savoury pecans with honey, butter, salt, smoked paprika, and chipotle powder. So delicious in a salad or just as a snack! You might also like this Persimmon Pecan Cheddar Salad with candied pecans.
- Optional additions – cheese (Such as creamy Asiago). You can use any other cheese of your choice.
While Daisy wasn’t much impressed with this salad (You can tell that by her indifferent look), we really enjoyed its refreshing and bright flavour profile. I hope you will try and like it, too!
Cheers for now.
Orange Fennel Pecan Salad
Course: Salads2
5
minutes15
minutesThis Orange Fennel Pecan Salad is light, bright, refreshing, and packed with textures and flavours.
Ingredients
- Candied Pecans:
1 cup pecans
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. honey
a good pinch of salt and smoked paprika, each
a small pinch of chipotle powder
1/8 tsp. Italian seasonings
- Fennel:
1/3 to 1/2 fennel bulb, shredded
1 tbsp. olive oil
a pinch of salt
- Orange Fennel Pecan Salad:
2-3 Cara Cara oranges, peeled and sliced (juices collected)
2 handfuls of spinach
1/4 cup of candied pecans, roughly chopped
Asiago cheese or other cheese of your choice (optional)
Directions
- Candied Pecans:
- Place the pecans onto try pan and toast over medium heat, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the butter, honey, and seasonings, and toast, occasionally stirring, for about 5 minutes, until well toasted. Off heat. Transfer onto a plate or board and let it cool. You will need about 1/4 cup of nuts for the salad.
- Fennel:
- Add the shredded fennel into a dry pan and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes at medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low medium, add the olive oil and salt and cook for about 5 minutes or until the desired caramelization. Keep it warm.
- Orange Fennel Pecan Salad:
- In a bowl combine the spinach, orange (With all collected juices), and warm fennel. Divide between pates and sprinkle with the nuts. Enjoy!
Hi – I’m Ben, a blogger, recipe developer, and food photographer. I’m glad you’re here! I hope you will enjoy hundreds of delicious recipes and a pinch of havoc in the kitchen.
Ohhhh my goodness! Ben, you are the master of AMAZING salads and flavor combos. This sounds so good, not to mention looks gorgeous! I am so intrigued by your charred fennel, that just sounds delicious. Definitely make this, yum!
Thank you Shannon!
Such a fabulous salad, Ben! So love cara cara oranges too and they are literally always in my fridge when in season. Pairing them with caramelized fennel is a brilliant combination and I can honestly pop candied pecans all day long. :)
Thank you Kim!
Those candied pecans indeed don’t have many chances to get in the salad :)
Those caramelized pecans with the fennel and the sweet and tart oranges sound amazing in your salad. Super yum!! Pinning!
Thank you Kim!
Oh man, this salad sounds delicious, Ben! I love all of the different flavors and textures you’ve got going on in there. Orange + pecan is a great combo, and I know would love this salad – in fact, I bet I would love it more than Daisy! You can go ahead and send her portion down to me. Thanks!
David @ Spiced recently posted…Seafood Gumbo
Thank you David!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Orange Fennel Pecan Salad
The orange and pecan combo is delightful my friend! And those candied pecans? I would have to make a double batch because I would definitely eat them all before even getting around to that salad.
You’re so right Katherine – it’s always better to make a double batch as they’re irresistible!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Orange Fennel Pecan Salad
It took some time for me to get used to fennel. But once I began to like it, I love all kinds of fennel recipes. This salad looks fabulous. I love the combination of fennel and orange. The candied pecans will add the just right amount of sweetness and the crunchy bite. Lovely salad!
Thank you Holly!
Fennel is one of my favourite winter ingredient.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Orange Fennel Pecan Salad