Maniatiki Salad (Potato salad with oranges and fennel) (Μανιάτικη σαλάτα)

Perhaps your new favourite potato salad! Loaded with oranges, and lots of great flavours.

Perhaps your new favourite potato salad!

Our parents are from the Peloponnese region of Messinia, the western-most peninsula of the part of Greece that looks a little like a hand which is missing a finger. Messinia is where our heart lies in Greece, and where many of the recipes which we share originate.  However, the Peloponnese is rich with variety and this potato and orange salad is named for the middle finger of the Peloponnese, the Mani peninsula.

Perhaps your new favourite potato salad! Loaded with oranges, and lots of great flavours.

The story goes that in this land rich with olives groves and citrus fruit, farmers and shepherds would pack food staples from home and supplement this with the oranges they would pick while working.  All the goodies would be combined, and the result was this potato and citrus salad known as a Maniatiki.  There are many variations to this basic salad, and we particularly like the freshness that is added when fresh fennel is included.  We hope that you do too!

Helpful hints

We don’t specify the type of potato to use here, because really, any white or yellow fleshed potato will do.  Our parents usually choose red-skinned or yellow fleshed potatoes, but you can experiment with what you like.  Sweet potatoes however would not do.

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Although the potatoes in a Maniatiki salad are usually peeled, there is nothing to stop you from keeping the peel on if that’s what you would prefer.  Scrub the skin well of course prior to boiling your potatoes.

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The most complicated part of this salad may be segmenting your oranges.  We find that the easiest way to do this is to ensure that you have a sharp paring knife.  Cut off the top and bottom of the oranges and with your knife, remove the rest of the peel, cutting away the white pith.  When you are left with a naked, pith-less orange use your knife to cut between the membrane which is enclosing each segment.  It is best to do this over a bowl to collect any of the juices that will be released; this fresh orange juice can be used in the dressing.  If you want to watch someone do this, you can click on the link to this video which is pretty clear.  (That is not us in the video by the way!)

Perhaps your new favourite potato salad! Loaded with oranges, and lots of great flavours.

Looking for some more delicious salads, try these:

Citrus salad with fried halloumi

Zucchini salad

Chickpea salad

Perhaps your new favourite potato salad! Loaded with oranges, and lots of great flavours.

If you don’t want to bother pitting your Kalamata olives, go ahead and leave the pit in. It does make eating easier however if the pit is removed. The easiest way to remove the pit is to press down on the olive with the blade of a large knife.  The olive will have a slit in it, and the pressure will cause the pit to dislodge and you will be able to remove it relatively easily.  Whether you keep the pit in or not, using Kalamata olives is pretty essential.

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Perhaps your new favourite potato salad! Loaded with oranges, and lots of great flavours.
Perhaps your new favourite potato salad! Loaded with oranges, and lots of great flavours.

Maniatiki Salad (Potato salad with oranges and fennel)

Perhaps your new favourite potato salad!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Light meal, Lunch, Salad, Snack
Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 658kcal
Author: Mia Kouppa

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3-4 medium size potatoes (we prefer yellow flesh)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 fennel bulb, cut into slivers
  • 2 oranges, cut into segments with the pith and membrane removed
  • 1/2 cup red onion slices
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, and cut in half
  • 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp chopped up fennel fronds

For the dressing:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons orange juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Peel the potatoes and cut them in half.  Place the potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover them.   Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and boil for about 20 minutes, until you can easily pierce them with a fork.
  • Drain, and let the potatoes cool.  Once they have cooled, cut them into bite-sized cubes.
  • In a bowl large enough to hold all of your salad ingredients, combine the potatoes, fennel, oranges, red onion, capers, olives, parsley and fennel fronds.
    1 fennel bulb, cut into slivers, 2 oranges, cut into segments with the pith and membrane removed, 1/2 cup red onion slices, 1 tbsp capers, 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, and cut in half, 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped, 1 tbsp chopped up fennel fronds
  • Combine all of your dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.  Alternatively, place all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake to combine.
    1/4 cup olive oil, 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons orange juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and using a rubber spatula toss gently to ensure that all ingredients are coated with the dressing.
  • This salad is best served shortly after preparing it.
  • Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Refrigerate unused portions.
Keeps well for up to 3 days, in the fridge.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 658kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Sodium: 2182mg | Potassium: 2230mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1253IU | Vitamin C: 164mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 5mg

Thanks for sharing!

2 Comments

  1. This recipe looks amazing! I tried it with a few modifications based on ingredients available to me, and it was really very lovely and delicious. I added mixed greens and instead of parsley I used dill. The orange was quite juicy, so I didn’t add additional juice as part of the dressing. This is a keeper!

    1. miakouppa says:

      That’s super Souzana! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.. It’s one of our favourites! 🙂

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