This easy shaved fennel salad recipe is crisp, shiny, and refreshing. Customise it by including orange segments, apple, or a handful of recent mint.
This fennel salad recipe is the proper winter facet salad. Transfer over, soggy lettuce and watery tomatoes—this shaved fennel salad is crisp, refreshing, and shiny, simply the factor to steadiness a hearty pasta or different comforting meal.
Recent fennel is among the most underrated greens…and it additionally occurs to be one among my favorites. It has a extremely pretty anise taste and, when it’s uncooked, an important crunchy texture. In the event you’re on the fence about fennel, or when you’ve by no means tried it earlier than, I hope you’ll make this recipe. Calling for simply 10 components, it’s fast and straightforward to toss collectively, and you may even customise it with add-ins like recent herbs or fruit. It’s a scrumptious introduction to this tasty vegetable. I believe you’ll find it irresistible!
What You’ll Want
Right here’s what you’ll have to make this shaved fennel salad:
- Fennel, in fact! You’ll want 2 medium bulbs, ideally with some fronds connected. Fennel first timer? Take a look at my information to find out how to prepare dinner fennel to study extra about making ready it!
- Additional-virgin olive oil – It offers the dressing richness and physique.
- Lemon juice and zest – They make the salad zingy and shiny.
- Honey – Its sweetness mellows the tart lemon juice.
- Dijon mustard – For tangy, peppery taste.
- Parmesan cheese – For salty, nutty taste. Pecorino is nice right here too.
- Toasted pine nuts – They add crunch to the salad and amplify the nuttiness of the cheese. After I don’t have pine nuts available, I exploit sliced almonds as a substitute. Each are scrumptious!
- Recent parsley – For a recent of entirety.
- And salt and pepper – To make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the whole recipe with measurements beneath.
How one can Make a Shaved Fennel Salad
Step one on this recipe is slicing the fennel. You need to slice it paper-thin in order that it bends and softens within the salad.
Probably the most environment friendly means to do that is with a mandoline slicer. Consisting of a flat floor with a pointy, adjustable blade, a mandoline means that you can lower fennel into very skinny, constant slices. I’ve this Benriner mandoline, and I extremely suggest it! I really like that the blade has stayed sharp after years of use, that it’s straightforward to wash, and that it’s sufficiently small to stash in a kitchen drawer. In the event you’re interested in different good choices, try my information to the greatest mandoline slicers.
One observe on utilizing a mandoline: It’s straightforward to chop your self on the sharp blade. A cut-resistant glove is an efficient option to shield your hand whereas utilizing one. Please use warning!
In the event you don’t have a mandoline, thinly slice the fennel with a pointy knife.
Subsequent, make the dressing. Whisk collectively the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and a number of other grinds of pepper in a big bowl.
Then, assemble the salad. Add the thinly sliced fennel to the bowl and toss to coat within the dressing. Sprinkle in just a few tablespoons of the chopped fronds, the cheese, pine nuts, and parsley. Toss gently to mix.
Lastly, season to style and serve. Take pleasure in!
Recipe Variations
This easy fennel salad recipe is scrumptious as written. However for a enjoyable variation, attempt customizing it with add-ins! Any of those could be nice:
- Recent fruit. Add orange, grapefruit, or mandarin slices, or toss in some thinly sliced apple.
- Herbs. Add recent mint leaves or chopped recent dill.
- Different nuts. Swap out the pine nuts or almonds for toasted walnuts or pecans.
My favourite model of this salad has recent orange segments and plenty of mint. Let me know yours within the feedback!
What to Serve with Fennel Salad
This fennel salad is an ideal facet dish for thus many meals! Pair it with a merely cooked protein or Italian-inspired dishes like pasta, pizza, and polenta. Strive serving it with any of those recipes:
What do you prefer to serve with a shaved fennel salad? Let me know within the feedback!
Extra Easy Salad Recipes
In the event you love this fennel salad recipe, attempt one among these easy salads subsequent:

Shaved Fennel Salad
Serves 4
This shaved fennel salad is crunchy, shiny, and refreshing! The recipe is easy and scrumptious as written, however it’s additionally great with add-ins like orange segments, thinly sliced apples, or recent mint.
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In a big bowl, whisk collectively the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and a number of other grinds of pepper. Add the fennel and toss to coat.
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Add the fennel fronds, cheese, pine nuts, and parsley and gently toss. Season to style and serve.