If there’s one thing I’ve learned bout cooking over the years it’s that there are a thousand ways to make a salad -maybe more! Sometimes savory and sometimes sweet, these fresh dishes add so much flavor to the table, not to mention the health benefits of all that fresh produce. This Sicilian Orange Salad (Insalata di Arance in Italian) is a dish that comes from Italy, where the freshest produce is used for each and every recipe. Fresh orange slices marry well with a few savory flavors to make this totally unique and delightful salad.

For the best salad use blood oranges for this recipe as they are one of the fruits Sicily is known for. The arancia rossa di Sicilia has protected status on the island- they must be grown there to earn the name. While many of the blood oranges you find in supermarkets outside Europe are not this exclusive island-grown produce, the intense berry-like flavor and beautiful color they lend to this salad make them a special part part of the salad.

If you cannot find blood oranges then other varieties will also work, with Cara Cara oranges being a flavorful (if less colorful) stand-in.

Slice the oranges as thinly as you can without them falling apart. This makes the salad easier to eat and gives a nice presentation.

To give this salad some crunch we’re adding in some thinly-sliced fennel. As soon as you’ve cut it, either by hand or with a mandoline, mix up the dressing and pour it over the fennel to let it begin to soften this crisp vegetable.

After you have everything chopped the only thing left to do is toss it all together. This Sicilian Orange Salad is a fun way to enjoy your fruits and veggies. With this dish you really get to savor the goodness that recipes based on wholesome ingredients can bring to the table- something Italy is famous for.