This beautiful and simple fresh shaved fennel salad recipe has everything you want in a light, easy plate. It’s crunchy, tangy, sweet and salty, and so freaking good!
Here it is — a beautiful fennel salad, a tasty tangle of shaved fennel, lemon zest, celery, walnuts and salty cheese. It’s all tempered by little bites of sweetness from chopped dates.
It’s a surprisingly light, bright, crunchy salad with the simple Mediterranean flair I’m known for. It might look like an unassuming, everyday fennel salad, but trust me, it’s fantastic!
This shaved fennel salad was one of the best things I’ve eaten in months. Every bite is super-refreshing and instantly crave-worthy. I make a somewhat heartier shaved Brussels sprouts salad with grapes and goat cheese that features a similar play on natural sweetness combined with saltier, acidic ingredients. It’s so good!
But here’s the thing that REALLY shocked me abou this salad: It contains celery, and I still love it.
I’m shy to admit this, but while Familystyle Food does not discriminate on the basis of produce, celery just hasn’t been A-Number One on my favorites list.
Celery has such a strong herbaceous taste that it can overwhelm the tastebuds. And I’m not the only one who feels that way, apparently.
According to my (un)official survey, lots of people have a love mostly hate relationship with celery. In fact, even some official surveys tell the story: Celery rates number 3 on the Most Hated Vegetable List.
But this salad! Who knew that adding celery to a simple fennel salad would bring new heights of deliciousness?? Mind blown.
Some of my absolute favorite recipes feature fennel — it adds a special herbal background note and fresh crunch to just about any dish.
Raw fennel in salad is a delight, especially shaved into whisper thin slices and tangled into this Winter Salad. It’s also delicious paired with arugula, which adds a nutty and slightly bitter flavor.
It’s an essential ingredient in French Red Wine Beef Stew or baked in a casserole with cheese in Roasted Fennel with Parmesan.
But Wait—Can You Put Raw Fennel in a Salad? YES! That’s what we’ve been getting at, friends! The best fennel recipe is one that involves no cooking at all—a lightly-dressed, raw fennel salad is the best way to enjoy this unusual bulb.
Ingredients for fresh fennel salad:
- Fennel bulb: Look for plump white bulbs with stalks and fronds attached.
- Cheese: Look for firm-textured young sheep or goat’s milk cheese such as Pecorino Toscano, goat Gouda, or Cacio de Roma. Otherwise, a good Parmigiano Reggiano will do the trick!
- Medjool dates: If your dates are not soft and pliable, soak in hot water for 10-15 minutes first.
- Lemon: You need the grated zest plus fresh squeezed juice.
- Celery stalks, with leaves if possible.
- Red onion
- Walnuts: Toast them (or other nuts, such as pecans or hazelnuts) for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven to bring out their natural oils and crisp them up.
- Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt.
- Extra-virgin olive oil
How to shave fennel for salad
- Cut off the stalks where they meet the bulb (you can save them to use in stocks or soup like bouillabaisse).
- Reserve any feathery fronds that look fresh and pretty, giving them a quick rinse and towel dry before using.
- Rinse the bulb, then use a handy swivel peeler to trim off the outer layer of the bulb, which can be fibrous.
- Slice the bulb in half.
- Make thin slices either by sliding the cut side on slicer (I highly recommend this mandoline), or lay cut side down on a board and use a large, sharp knife.
- Be sure to save the fennel fronds! The wispy tops can be used as a pretty garnish for your salad or for soups and pasta dishes.
Add This Is EPIC Raw Vegan Salad Recipe To Your Weekly Rotation | How To Make Fennel Salad
FAQ
Can you eat uncooked fennel?
Does fennel need to be cooked?
Can you use fennel stalks in salad?
How do you eat fennel in a salad?
Use sliced fennel bulb in marinated vegetables salads. Combine fennel with other sliced raw vegetables such as red bell pepper, scallions and carrots, add chopped herbs such as parsley and chives, then dress the salad in a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Let sit for an hour or two for the best flavor.
How can one eat fennel seeds?
Fennel seeds can be eaten on their own as a sautéed or processed snack. They can also be mixed with other seeds, in preparations or as decoration.
Can you eat fresh fennel?
Fennel can be used in a variety of recipes, from raw crunchy salads and slaws to roasted and braised dinners. Here are a few ways to use freshly cut fennel: If the stalks are still attached to your bulb of fennel, cut them away close to where they connect to the bulb.
Can fennel salad be refrigerated?
Pour the dressing over your shaved fennel and toss it all together. Add a sprinkle of fresh mint leaves and parmesan and toss it all together once more. Fin! That’s it, friends. Now, you can refrigerate the salad up to 6 hours before serving, or serve immediately—it’s delicious cold, or served at room temperature.