This Heirloom Tomato Fennel Salad is the perfect combination of crisp, juicy, sweet, and savory. With layers of ripe heirloom tomatoes, crunchy shaved fennel, and sweet orange slices, this salad brings out the best of summer produce. It’s finished with briny Castelvetrano olives, shaved Parmesan, and a bright citrus vinaigrette with a subtle kick from crushed red pepper.
Why You Will Love This Heirloom Tomato Fennel Salad
- Bright and Flavorful: The citrus vinaigrette enhances the sweetness of the tomatoes and oranges, while balancing the licorice notes of the fennel.
- Seasonal Ingredients: Heirloom tomatoes and fennel are at their best in warm-weather months. This salad highlights them beautifully.
- Textural Balance: Crisp fennel, juicy tomatoes, and creamy shaved Parmesan, make every bite interesting.
- Elegant and Easy: It looks impressive on the table, but comes together in about 20 minutes.
What Does Fennel Taste Like?
Fennel has a crisp texture and a fresh, slightly sweet flavor with a mild licorice or anise-like taste. When eaten raw, as in this salad, it adds a refreshing crunch and bright herbal note. The flavor mellows when roasted or sautéed, but here, it provides the perfect contrast to the juicy tomatoes and sweet citrus.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Heirloom Tomatoes → Use any ripe tomatoes, such as vine-ripened or beefsteak. Cherry tomatoes halved also work in a pinch.
- Fennel → Try shaved celery for crunch, though it won’t have the same licorice note.
- Orange → Blood oranges, mandarins, or even grapefruit will work beautifully.
- Grainy Mustard → Use Dijon if you don’t have grainy, or omit altogether and add more vinegar.
- Golden or White Balsamic Vinegar → Replace with white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar. You may need a touch of sugar or honey to balance for sweetness.
- Shaved Parmesan → Try Pecorino Romano or crumbled goat cheese.
- Castelvetrano Olives → Substitute with green olives, kalamata olives (for more saltiness), capers, or omit if needed.
- Basil → Flat-leaf parsley or mint also complement the citrus and fennel.
- Nuts or Seeds → Although this recipe does not call for nuts or seeds, add toasted pine nuts, almond slivers, walnuts or sunflower seeds, for added crunch.
How to Serve and Store
- Serving suggestions: Serve this Heirloom Tomato Fennel Salad chilled, or at room temperature, as a starter or side. It pairs beautifully with grilled fish, roast chicken, or crusty bread.
- Storing leftovers: Best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day. If making ahead, wait to add the dressing, basil, pine nuts, and cheese, until just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make this salad ahead of time? Yes, you can prep the components a few hours in advance, just store everything separately. Wait to slice the tomatoes, add basil, cheese, nuts, and dressing, until just before serving for best texture.
- Can I slice the fennel and onion in advance? Absolutely. Store them submerged in cold water in the fridge to keep them crisp. Drain and pat dry before assembling.
- Do I need to supreme the orange? Not necessarily. You can either slice into thin rounds or cut between the membranes for clean segments (known as supreming), if you prefer a more elegant look.
- Is this salad vegetarian or vegan? It’s vegetarian as written. To make it vegan, omit the Parmesan or use a vegan cheese alternative.
- Can I double this for a crowd? Definitely! It scales beautifully and looks stunning layered on a large platter.
- What to do with leftover fennel? If you do not use all of the fennel in this tomato salad, easily roast in the oven until browned and caramelized, or quick pickle the fennel and use on sandwiches or in a salad.
More Heirloom Tomato Recipes to Love
- Heirloom Tomato Salad
- Southern Heirloom Tomato Pie
- Heirloom Tomato Crustless Quiche
- Grilled Heirloom Tomato Flatbread
- Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio Salad
Heirloom Tomato Fennel Salad with Citrus Fennel Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
Description
This Heirloom Tomato Fennel Salad is the perfect combination of crisp, juicy, sweet, and savory. With layers of ripe heirloom tomatoes, crunchy shaved fennel, and sweet orange slices, this salad brings out the best of summer produce.
Ingredients
- 2–3 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced into rounds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced (use a mandoline, if possible)
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 orange, peeled and sliced into rounds or supremed
- 1/4 cup Castelvetrano olives, halved
- 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- reserved fennel fronds, for garnish
- cracked black pepper, for finishing
For the Citrus Fennel Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- juice and zest from 1/2 orange
- 2 tablespoon golden or white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grainy mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, orange zest, golden balsamic vinegar, grainy mustard, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
- Arrange the sliced tomatoes onto a platter. Sprinkle with salt and allow them to sit for about 5 minutes to draw out their natural juices.
- Arrange the orange slices on top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle the fennel and tuck in the olives.
- Drizzle with the vinaigrette.
- Top with shaved Parmesan and torn basil.
- Finish with cracked black pepper and a few fennel fronds.
- Serve immediately.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- Use a mandoline for super thin fennel and red onion slices.
- Choose ripe, colorful heirloom tomatoes for the best flavor and presentation.
- Orange slices can be cut into rounds or supremed for a cleaner look.
- Add the vinaigrette just before serving to keep the salad fresh and crisp.
- Shave Parmesan with a vegetable peeler for nice wide curls.
- Torn basil should be added last to prevent bruising.
- Reserve a few fennel fronds to garnish the salad.
- Adjust seasoning to taste after dressing—flaky sea salt is a great finishing touch.
- Store leftovers up to a day, but the salad is best enjoyed fresh.
- Scale easily for a crowd—just use a large platter and layer the ingredients.
- Roast or pickle leftover fennel.
- Prep Time: 17 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side dish, Lunch
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: American
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