Fresh Fennel Salad

Try this fresh salad today!

Yield 2 Cups

Prep time

20 Min

Total time

20 Min

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Fresh Fennel Salad

This three ingredient fennel salad is bright in flavor, delicious, crunchy, and perfect served alongside grilled meat and fish, braised dishes and even pasta. Just 10 minutes is all it takes to throw this together—but you can also prep it ahead of time and pull it out whenever you’re ready.

Ingredients

• Fresh fennel bulb
• Fennel fronds (acting as my herb)
• Lemon (use both the zest and the juice)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Trim the fennel bulb (save the fronds!) and very thinly slice the fennel bulb (use a sharp Chef’s Knife or a mandoline).
2. Add some olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the fennel and give it a good toss.
3. Chop the fennel fronds, add to the salad; then season with a good amount of cracked black pepper and kosher salt.
4. Let the salad rest for 15 minutes or so (this helps soften the fennel) and enjoy!

Notes

Can you make fennel salad ahead of time?

This is one of the best salads to make ahead of time! I might even argue it does better if it is made ahead of time. The benefit of making this salad ahead is that the fennel has a chance to soften a bit from the acid and salt. How far in advance can you make it? Two days is about as far ahead as you can make it—any longer and it loses a bit of its vibrancy and flavor. If you do end up making it ahead of time, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Fennel Salad Variations

Orange: use orange juice and zest in place of the lemon for a slightly sweeter take.

Add some nuts: toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts would be delicious in this.

Add an herb: fresh parsley, basil, tarragon or chives would pair well with this salad.

Cheese: crumbled feta cheese or Parmesan would add a wonderful dose of savoriness.

Add something briny: sliced green olives or capers do well in this salad as well.

What if my fennel bulb is trimmed without the fronds?

Many grocery store (including Trader Joe’s) sell fennel bulbs without the fronds. (Such a crime). If these are the only fennel bulbs you can find I recommend grabbing a bunch of parsley, tarragon or chives and adding that in place of the fennel fronds.

Source: Zestful Kitchen.com

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