Description
A refreshing and vibrant Grapefruit & Goat Cheese Fennel Salad combining crisp fennel, juicy grapefruit, tangy goat cheese, and briny Kalamata olives, dressed in a zesty lemon and za’atar vinaigrette and finished with toasted pine nuts for a delightful crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 medium shallot, minced
- 1 tsp. za’atar or dried oregano
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
- 2 medium bulbs fennel, halved and thinly sliced, reserving some fronds
- 1 medium grapefruit, cut into segments or peeled and cut into rounds
- 1/3 cup (about 15) Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped or torn
- 2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
- 2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced shallot, and za’atar or dried oregano until well combined. Season the dressing with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Toss the fennel: Add the thinly sliced fennel to the bowl with the dressing. Toss thoroughly to coat the fennel evenly with the dressing. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Assemble the salad: Top the dressed fennel with the grapefruit segments, chopped Kalamata olives, crumbled goat cheese, and toasted pine nuts.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle reserved fennel fronds over the salad for a fresh herbal touch and serve immediately as a light and flavorful starter or side dish.
Notes
- Za’atar can be substituted with dried oregano for a different but equally delicious flavor.
- Make sure to reserve some fennel fronds for garnish to add color and aroma.
- To toast pine nuts, heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- This salad is best served fresh to maintain the crispness of the fennel and juiciness of the grapefruit.
- For a nuttier flavor, you can replace pine nuts with toasted walnuts or almonds.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: fennel salad, grapefruit salad, goat cheese salad, Mediterranean salad, za'atar dressing, healthy salad, easy salad recipe
