Salatet Besbas bel Chermoula
This fresh Moroccan salad combines crisp shaved fennel, juicy orange, briny olives, and coriander in a bright chermoula dressing. It is crunchy, citrusy, lightly spiced, and refreshing, with the kind of bold contrast that makes simple ingredients taste vivid and elegant.
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 medium (about 500 g)fennel bulbs, trimmed
- 2 medium (about 300 g peeled segments)oranges
- 60 gblack olives, pitted
- 20 gfresh coriander leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
Chermoula dressing
- 30 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 20 mllemon juice
- 1 small clove (about 3 g)garlic, finely grated
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1/2 tspsweet paprika
- 1/4 tspchili flakes
- 1/2 tspsea salt
- 1/4 tspground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Trim the fennel bulbs, reserving any feathery fronds for garnish. Slice the bulbs as thinly as possible with a sharp knife or mandoline for the best delicate texture. Peel the oranges, removing all bitter white pith, then cut into neat segments or bite-size pieces. Halve the olives if large, and roughly chop the coriander.
- 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, cumin, paprika, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper until slightly thickened. Whisking well helps the spices bloom evenly in the dressing.
- 3
Add the sliced fennel to the bowl with the chermoula and toss thoroughly for 1 minute. Lightly massaging the fennel with the dressing softens it slightly and helps it absorb flavor quickly.
- 4
Fold in the orange segments, olives, and chopped coriander gently so the oranges stay intact. Taste and adjust with a little more lemon or salt if needed; the salad should be bright, savory, and lightly spicy.
- 5
Transfer to a serving plate or shallow bowl, scatter over any reserved fennel fronds, and serve immediately. The fennel should still be crisp, and the dressing should lightly coat everything rather than pool at the bottom.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For the best texture, slice the fennel very thinly; a mandoline makes this quick and beginner-friendly.
- •If your oranges are very sweet, add an extra 5 ml lemon juice to sharpen the dressing.
- •Green olives can be used instead of black olives for a saltier, sharper finish.
- •This salad pairs well with couscous, grilled vegetables, or warm flatbread.
Background
Fennel and orange salads are common across North Africa and the Mediterranean, where sharp, aromatic vegetables are often balanced with citrus. In Morocco, chermoula is a classic herb-and-spice seasoning used for fish, vegetables, and salads, bringing cumin, paprika, garlic, and lemon into a vivid, savory dressing.
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