Recipes › Salad › Italian Orange And Olive Salad Recipe

Italian Orange And Olive Salad Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This Italian Orange and Olive Salad is a bright, refreshing dish that balances the sweetness of citrus with the briny richness of Castelvetrano olives and creamy burrata cheese. The combination of bitter radicchio, tender arugula, and crisp fennel creates layers of texture and flavor, while a simple lemon vinaigrette ties everything together. Served as an antipasto or light side, this salad captures the essence of Mediterranean simplicity.

Ingredients

• 3 large blood or navel oranges
• 150 g (1 cup) Castelvetrano olives, pitted
• 1 small head radicchio, sliced into thin ribbons
• 100 g (3 oz) fresh arugula
• 1 fennel bulb, shaved thin with mandoline or knife
• 200 g (7 oz) burrata cheese, at room temperature
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) red wine vinegar
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 g (½ teaspoon) Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 5 g (1 tablespoon) fresh mint leaves, torn
• 5 g (1 tablespoon) fresh basil leaves, torn

Instructions

1. Slice the oranges into thin rounds, approximately 5 mm thick, removing any seeds and excess pith. Arrange the slices on a cutting board and reserve any collected juice for the vinaigrette.

2. Pit the Castelvetrano olives by crushing each one gently with the side of a knife blade, then removing the pit with your fingers. Leave the olives whole or halve them if preferred.

3. Slice the radicchio in half lengthwise, then cut into thin ribbons crosswise, separating the layers slightly to aerate them. Place in a small bowl.

4. Trim the fennel bulb by removing the stalks and fronds, then halve lengthwise and remove the core. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, shave the fennel into paper-thin slices and add to a large serving bowl with the arugula.

5. Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced shallot, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Stir in the reserved orange juice from step 1.

6. Combine the radicchio and fennel with the arugula in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with half the vinaigrette and toss gently to distribute the dressing evenly, coating all greens lightly.

7. Arrange the orange slices and pitted olives over the dressed greens in an overlapping pattern, creating a visually balanced presentation. Scatter torn mint and basil leaves across the salad.

8. Carefully tear the burrata cheese into 4 portions and place one in the center of each plate or in the middle of the shared serving bowl. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette around the cheese and vegetables.

Substitutions

• For dairy-free: substitute burrata with roasted chickpeas or crispy croutons for texture
• For gluten-free: the salad is naturally gluten-free; ensure any crouton garnish is certified
• For nut allergies: this recipe contains no tree nuts or peanuts by default
• For vegetarian: recipe is fully vegetarian; ensure olives are not packed with anchovies

Tips

• Bring burrata to room temperature 30 minutes before serving to ensure the creamy center is soft and the cheese tears easily
• Choose firm oranges with thin, fragrant skin; blood oranges add deeper flavor and striking color but any variety works
• Assemble the salad no more than 20 minutes before serving to prevent the arugula from wilting and the fennel from becoming too soft
• Use a sharp mandoline for fennel to achieve paper-thin slices that will soften slightly from the vinaigrette without becoming mushy

This salad draws inspiration from the Sicilian tradition of combining citrus with vegetables and cheese, a reflection of the island's Greek and Arab influences blended with Italian technique. The pairing of orange with olives appears frequently in southern Italian coastal regions where both ingredients grow abundantly, creating vibrant, light dishes suited to Mediterranean dining.

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