Moroccan Blood Orange Salad

By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: March 5, 2021

This vibrant blood orange salad blends sweet and savory Moroccan-inspired flavors. Bright, colorful, and full of contrast, it pairs beautifully with tagines, grilled meats, seafood, or other Mediterranean vegetable dishes.

Moroccan cuisine balances spice, sweet, and savory elements—often mixing preserved fruits, citrus, and fragrant herbs. This salad showcases blood oranges with salty black olives, thinly sliced red onion, and fresh herbs for a lively side dish that complements many Mediterranean meals.

The flavors work well with tagines, roasted or grilled meats, seafood, or alongside vegetable sides from the region. It’s simple, colorful, and quick to assemble—an ideal addition to your repertoire.

What’s Ahead?

Why it works?

Quick, easy and versatile. When blood oranges are in season this salad is a favorite because it assembles quickly and delivers a vivid, balanced flavor. The sweet citrus, salty olives, sharp onion and fresh herbs complement a wide range of North African, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes.

Stuff You’ll Need

This salad draws on Moroccan flavors but uses readily available ingredients. If you can’t find blood oranges, regular oranges work fine.

• Blood oranges — peeled and thinly sliced or segmented (or 2–3 regular oranges).
• Black olives — pitted; their salty, fruity notes balance the citrus. Green olives can be used instead.
• Red onion — thinly sliced for a mild sharpness.
• Herbs — parsley and fresh mint add bright fragrance.
• Dressing — extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, ground cumin, salt and pepper.

Step by Step

Assembly is straightforward. Arrange the ingredients attractively and let the flavors mingle for a short time if you wish.

1. Prepare the oranges: Trim the top and bottom, remove the skin and pith, then either segment or thinly slice.
2. Combine: In a bowl gently toss the oranges with sliced red onion, pitted black olives and chopped parsley and mint.
3. Make the dressing: Whisk lemon juice, ground cumin, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, then drizzle over the salad.
4. Serve: Lay the salad in a single layer on a platter and serve. Letting it sit 20–30 minutes helps the flavors develop but is optional.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

Serve chilled or at room temperature. The salad can be made up to a day in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature for about an hour before serving if preferred.

• Fridge: Keeps 4–5 days when well covered.
• Freezer: Not suitable for freezing.

Additions

Optional extras to vary texture and flavor:

• Cheese: Crumbled feta adds a salty contrast.
• Nuts & seeds: Toasted walnuts, almonds, pistachios, sesame or pumpkin seeds give crunch.
• Other: Warm salad potatoes or pumpkin, cooked broad beans, grated raw carrot or soaked sultanas/dried apricot for sweetness.

Ready to get started?

No cooking required — just assemble. Keep a batch in mind when blood oranges are available. The salad’s sweet-and-salty pairing is excellent alongside roast lamb or chicken and many Mediterranean meals. Enjoy!

More Moroccan and Mediterranean recipes

If you enjoyed this salad, explore other Mediterranean and Moroccan-inspired dishes for complementary flavors and menus.

• Moroccan Fava Bean Dip with Mint & Harissa (Bessara)
• Moroccan Matbucha – Tomato & Pepper Salad
• Moroccan Carrot Salad
• Moroccan Silverbeet with Rice
• Roasted Cauliflower Couscous
• Chraime Sauce with Fish
• Moroccan Kefta Tagine
• Pilpelchuma with Sweet Potatoes
• Israeli Couscous with Beetroot
• Tomato & Feta Salad
• Roasted Carrots with Tahini Sauce
• Greek Lentil Salad

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