Crisp fennel is thinly sliced and tossed with earthy toasted walnuts, salty Parmesan shavings, and a bright, creamy lemon dressing for a refreshing salad that pairs with almost anything.
Photo Credits: Andrea Gralow
Why This Fennel Salad Recipe Works
- It’s ready in about 15 minutes!
- Only has six ingredients
- Nice enough for a dinner party, but easy enough for a weeknight.
I especially love fennel served raw (although I also love it roasted or used to make fennel soup ). Simply shave or thinly slice the white bulb, which tames its crunch just enough so it’s delightfully crisp yet tender.
A lemony dressing with just a touch of cream adds the perfect amount of decadence. Salty parmesan shards add richness and an umami quality, toasty walnuts give a nice crunch, and fennel brings a welcome freshness. Pair this fennel salad recipe with classic roast chicken or baked cod for a simple yet elegant dinner that’s big on flavor and texture.
How to Make Fennel Salad
Most of the prep work can be done ahead of time. Simply store the toasted walnuts in a covered container at room temperature, and store the dressing covered in your refrigerator. Then slice the fennel and toss everything together just before serving.
- Toast the walnuts. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread 1/3 cup walnut pieces on a sheet pan. When the oven is hot, bake them for about 7 minutes, until they are fragrant and have turned a shade darker.
- Make the dressing. Zest the lemon and set the zest aside. In a small bowl wisk together 1 1/2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of heavy or light cream, salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste and add another 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice if needed.
- How to cut fennel. Trim the bottom off 2 fennel bulbs and slice off the stalks. Save the fronds to use later in this recipe and freeze the stalks to use when making homemade stock . Stand the bulb up on the cutting board. Cut it in half lengthwise from top to bottom. Make a v-cut and wedge out the core at the bottom of each half. Lay the halves cut-side down and slice them thinly into half-rounds, and place in a shallow serving bowl. If using a mandoline, set it to the thinnest setting, take one half at a time, press it into the guard, and run the fennel half up and down the blade. Repeat with the second half.
- Dress the fennel salad. Sprinkle half the toasted walnut pieces on top. Use a vegetable peeler to shave about 1/4 cup of Parmigiano cheese over the fennel. Pour over the dressing and toss well until the fennel is coated.
- Finish and serve. If your fennel includes the feathery, darker green fronds near the top, finely chop them and mix with the reserved lemon zest. Sprinkle this over the salad, then garnish with the remaining walnut pieces, more shaved cheese, and a few grindings of pepper.
Swaps and Substitutions
You can play around with this shaved fennel salad recipe, switching up the flavor to fit your tastes and what you have on hand. Here are some ideas:
- Pine nuts: Substitute the walnuts with lightly toasted pine nuts. Pine nuts have a sweet, mild flavor that goes well in this salad.
- Walnut oil: Replace half or all the olive oil with walnut oil. Its rich, buttery flavor gives the salad a luxurious touch.
- Capers or green olives: To add a briny element, sprinkle in a 1/4 cup of rinsed tiny capers or chopped green olives.
- Cheese: Swap the cheese for shaved ricotta salata for a milder option, or Pecorino for an extra sharp and salty kick. You can also go creamy with crumbled feta or chèvre.
Make it a Meal
When a salad is this crunchy and bright, it takes on the role of a condiment. Serve this shaved fennel salad alongside (rather than before) roast meat and it will feel like an essential part of every bite! Try it with classic roast chicken , roast chicken with citrus and honey , or juicy pan-seared pork chops . For a vegetarian entree, I love the crispness of the salad with a tender, meaty vegetable like stuffed portobello mushrooms .
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
- ▢ 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ▢ 1 tablespoon heavy cream or light cream (optional)
- ▢ 1 large lemon, juiced and zested
- ▢ Kosher salt
- ▢ Freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ 2 large fennel bulbs, halved, cored, and thinly sliced; plus 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
- ▢ 1/3 cup shaved parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts on a sheet pan in one layer. When the oven is hot, bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or pitcher, whisk together the olive oil, cream (if using), 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and add more lemon juice, olive oil, or salt if needed.
- Dress the salad. Place the fennel in a shallow serving bowl or deep plate. Add half of the cooled walnut pieces and half of the shaved parmesan. Just before serving, pour the dressing over and toss gently to thoroughly coat the fennel.
- Finish and serve. In a small bowl, mix the chopped fennel fronds with the lemon zest and sprinkle over the salad. Garnish with the remaining walnut pieces and parmesan shavings and grind a touch more pepper on top. Let the salad rest just a minute or two before serving.
Notes
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils , honey , jams , and spices .
- Heavy cream adds an extra luxurious quality, but you can swap in a tablespoon of olive oil in its place.
- There’s some confusion about fennel and anise. While the two plants are related, they are not the same. Anise is primarily grown for its seeds, which are used as a spice. Nearly all of the fennel plant is edible, from its fat white bulb to the feathery fronds. Here are a few more fun fennel facts! What does fennel taste like? Raw fennel bulb has a satisfying crunch and a bright sweet, mildly anise-like flavor. The plant’s seeds have a more robust licorice taste and are used to season sausages and salami, as well as cookies and cakes. Can you eat raw fennel? You can enjoy fennel raw or cooked—in Italy, it’s used as a palate cleanser and is thought to aid digestion. Fennel is also great roasted ; the sugars in the vegetable caramelize and make it even sweeter. The heat also tames the licorice flavor. What to do with fennel stalks? Fennel stalks are usually too tough and fibrous to eat, but they have loads of flavor. I like to add them to vegetable, chicken , or fish broth. What to do with fennel fronds? Fennel fronds are the green, feather-like wisps at the top of the fennel stalks. Don’t toss them! Chop them finely and use them as a garnish to scatter on salads, stews, or grilled meats or vegetables. How to prevent fennel from turning brown? Like apples or artichokes , fennel tends to discolor once it’s cut. Plan on serving (or cooking) it soon after you slice it. If it needs to sit around for a few minutes, place it in a bowl of water with lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
Nutrition
More Recipes with Fennel
Sides and Small Plates
Roasted Fennel
Italian
Cioppino Recipe (Seafood Stew)
Salads
Fresh Fennel Orange Salad
Soups and Stews
Fennel Soup
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Lemony Fennel Salad with Shaved Parmesan and Toasted Walnuts
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or light cream (optional)
- 1 large lemon, juiced and zested
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large fennel bulbs, halved, cored, and thinly sliced; plus 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
- 1/3 cup shaved parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts on a sheet pan in one layer. When the oven is hot, bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or pitcher, whisk together the olive oil, cream (if using), 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and add more lemon juice, olive oil, or salt if needed.
- Dress the salad. Place the fennel in a shallow serving bowl or deep plate. Add half of the cooled walnut pieces and half of the shaved parmesan. Just before serving, pour the dressing over and toss gently to thoroughly coat the fennel.
- Finish and serve. In a small bowl, mix the chopped fennel fronds with the lemon zest and sprinkle over the salad. Garnish with the remaining walnut pieces and parmesan shavings and grind a touch more pepper on top. Let the salad rest just a minute or two before serving.
Notes
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils , honey , jams , and spices .
- Heavy cream adds an extra luxurious quality, but you can swap in a tablespoon of olive oil in its place.
- There’s some confusion about fennel and anise. While the two plants are related, they are not the same. Anise is primarily grown for its seeds, which are used as a spice. Nearly all of the fennel plant is edible, from its fat white bulb to the feathery fronds. Here are a few more fun fennel facts! What does fennel taste like? Raw fennel bulb has a satisfying crunch and a bright sweet, mildly anise-like flavor. The plant’s seeds have a more robust licorice taste and are used to season sausages and salami, as well as cookies and cakes. Can you eat raw fennel? You can enjoy fennel raw or cooked—in Italy, it’s used as a palate cleanser and is thought to aid digestion. Fennel is also great roasted ; the sugars in the vegetable caramelize and make it even sweeter. The heat also tames the licorice flavor. What to do with fennel stalks? Fennel stalks are usually too tough and fibrous to eat, but they have loads of flavor. I like to add them to vegetable, chicken , or fish broth. What to do with fennel fronds? Fennel fronds are the green, feather-like wisps at the top of the fennel stalks. Don’t toss them! Chop them finely and use them as a garnish to scatter on salads, stews, or grilled meats or vegetables. How to prevent fennel from turning brown? Like apples or artichokes , fennel tends to discolor once it’s cut. Plan on serving (or cooking) it soon after you slice it. If it needs to sit around for a few minutes, place it in a bowl of water with lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
Nutrition
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