Ingredients

¼ cup orange juice (freshly juiced or store-bought)

⅓ cup olive oil

1 ½ tablespoon stone ground mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 bulb fennel (trimmed and finely sliced)

1 shallot (thinly sliced)

1 persimmon (halved and thinly sliced)

1 apple (thinly sliced)

¼ cup pumpkin seeds

¼ cup pecans (chopped)

¼ cup dried cranberries

½ cup Manchego cheese (shaved)

2 cups arugula

Flaky sea salt (to taste)

Instructions

Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, olive oil, stone ground mustard, honey, and kosher salt to make the mustard orange vinaigrette. Set aside.

Step 2: Trim and thinly slice the fennel bulb. Place it in a large mixing bowl.

Step 3: Trim and clean the shallot, then cut it in half and slice thinly. Rinse the shallot slices in warm water to mellow the onion flavor, then add to the fennel.

Step 4: Pour half of the vinaigrette over the fennel and shallot mixture and gently massage it in to soften and infuse flavor.

Step 5: Thinly slice the persimmon and apple, then set aside.

Step 6: Add the pumpkin seeds, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, shaved Manchego, and arugula to the bowl with the fennel mixture.

Step 7: Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss all the ingredients together to combine evenly.

Step 8: Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Arrange the apple and persimmon slices in groups on top, sprinkle with flaky sea salt to taste, and serve immediately.

Tips & Variations

For a nut-free option, substitute pumpkin seeds and pecans with toasted sunflower seeds or omit nuts altogether.

Use a crisp apple variety like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith for added tartness and crunch.

Add a handful of cooked quinoa or farro to make this salad more filling as a main dish.

Try swapping Manchego for shaved Parmesan or feta cheese for a different flavor profile.

Storage

Store any leftover salad covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. To prevent sogginess, keep the persimmon and apple slices separate and add them fresh before serving. The vinaigrette can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days. Gently toss the salad again before serving if it sits for a while.

FAQs

Can I prepare the salad in advance?

You can prep the vinaigrette and slice the fennel and shallot ahead of time, but it’s best to toss the salad and add the delicate apple and persimmon slices just before serving to maintain freshness and texture.

What if I can’t find persimmons?

If persimmons are unavailable, ripe pears make a wonderful substitute, offering a similar sweet, juicy element that pairs well with the other ingredients.