There's just something so elegant about this salad. Deeply caramelized, roasted fennel and candied pancetta are the stars here... they add so much flavor, and it makes for a beautiful presentation too. Your house will smell incredible after making this.

I like to save some of the fennel fronds to sprinkle on top after the salad has been tossed together - it's a really nice visual touch!

Caramelized Pancetta and Fennel Salad
star

Caramelized Pancetta And Fennel Salad

Category

Salad Side Dish

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Image of Caramelized Pancetta And Fennel Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 bulb fennel, (halved and cut into 1/2-inch wedges)
  • 5 slices pancetta
  • 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, (such as Fratepietro)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 ounces about 6 to 7 cups mixed salad greens
  • Red Wine Vinaigrette, (recipe follows)

    • For The Red Wine Vinaigrette:

  • 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss together fennel, pancetta, garlic, brown sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the ingredients on the baking sheet in a single layer. Cook until the pancetta is crisp and the fennel is caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, place the salad greens, crumbled pancetta, and caramelized fennel. Toss the salad with the Red Wine Vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

  1. Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Gradually blend in the oil while mixing with a fork or whisk until fully combined. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.
dairy free
gluten free
nut free