Green Salad with Orange Juice Sauce

Most salad dressings start with a glug of oil, but this one goes a different route, building all its brightness from orange juice and a squeeze of lemon. The result is a fat-free dressing that’s tangy and light, with an unexpected herbal-anise note from dried mint and fennel seed blended right in.

The salad it dresses is built to satisfy. Mixed greens are the base, but it’s the add-ins that turn it into something you’d actually want for lunch: salty feta, creamy black beans for protein and fiber, and sliced almonds for crunch.

Two things help it shine. Blend the dressing so the fennel seeds and mint actually infuse the juice rather than just floating around, and toss it on at the very last second. A citrus dressing with no oil to coat the leaves will leave delicate greens limp if it sits, so dress and serve right away.

Kitchen Tips

• Blend the dressing well so the fennel and mint flavors release into the juice instead of staying whole.
• Toast the sliced almonds in a dry pan for a few minutes to deepen their flavor and crunch.
• Dress the salad just before serving; an oil-free citrus dressing wilts greens fast if it sits.

Variations

• Swap pine nuts or toasted walnuts for the almonds.
• Add orange segments, sliced avocado, or red onion for more color and bite.
• Use goat cheese in place of feta for a milder, creamier tang.