This straightforward shaved fennel salad recipe is crisp, vivid, and refreshing. Customise it by including orange segments, apple, or a handful of recent mint.
This fennel salad recipe is the proper winter aspect salad. Transfer over, soggy lettuce and watery tomatoes—this shaved fennel salad is crisp, refreshing, and vivid, simply the factor to steadiness a hearty pasta or different comforting meal.
Recent fennel is likely one of the most underrated greens…and it additionally occurs to be one in all my favorites. It has a extremely beautiful anise taste and, when it’s uncooked, an amazing crunchy texture. If you happen to’re on the fence about fennel, or should you’ve by no means tried it earlier than, I hope you’ll make this recipe. Calling for simply 10 elements, 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 feel you’ll adore it!
What You’ll Want
Right here’s what you’ll must make this shaved fennel salad:
- Fennel, after all! You’ll want 2 medium bulbs, ideally with some fronds hooked up. Fennel first timer? Try my information to the right way 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 vivid.
- 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 readily available, I take advantage of sliced almonds as a substitute. Each are scrumptious!
- Recent parsley – For a recent final touch.
- And salt and pepper – To make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the entire recipe with measurements under.
Methods to Make a Shaved Fennel Salad
Step one on this recipe is slicing the fennel. You wish to slice it paper-thin in order that it bends and softens within the salad.
Essentially the most environment friendly method to do that is with a mandoline slicer. Consisting of a flat floor with a pointy, adjustable blade, a mandoline permits you to reduce fennel into very skinny, constant slices. I’ve this Benriner mandoline, and I extremely advocate it! I like that the blade has stayed sharp after years of use, that it’s simple to wash, and that it’s sufficiently small to stash in a kitchen drawer.
One word on utilizing a mandoline: It’s simple to chop your self on the sharp blade. A cut-resistant glove is an efficient method to defend your hand whereas utilizing one. Please use warning!
If you happen to 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 several 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. Get pleasure from!
Recipe Variations
This straightforward fennel salad recipe is scrumptious as written. However for a enjoyable variation, attempt customizing it with add-ins! Any of those can 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 aspect dish for therefore 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 wish to serve with a shaved fennel salad? Let me know within the feedback!
Extra Easy Salad Recipes
If you happen to love this fennel salad recipe, attempt one in all these easy salads subsequent:
Shaved Fennel Salad
Serves 4
This shaved fennel salad is crunchy, vivid, and refreshing! The recipe is straightforward and scrumptious as written, nevertheless it’s additionally fantastic with add-ins like orange segments, thinly sliced apples, or recent mint.
Forestall your display from going darkish
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In a big bowl, whisk collectively the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and several 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.