This delicious fennel & apple salad packs in all of my favorite salad components- a fresh crunch, zesty dressing, and a touch of sweetness. It’s made of thinly sliced fennel, green apple, celery and fresh herbs and is topped with crunchy pomegranate seeds and pecans.
Everything is tossed in a simple lemon dressing and can be made a day or two before serving. I love pairing it with baked salmon and crumbling feta cheese over the top.
If you’ve never tried fennel before, it has a slight licorice taste and adds refreshing flavor to any salad. When cooked, it caramelizes and takes on a sweeter flavor profile, like in my honey za’atar chicken with fennel.
This salad is packed with fresh flavors and truly pairs well with so many different side dishes. The key is to slice the veggies very thinly for best texture. Using a mandoline is the easiest way to get thinly shaved vegetables. Otherwise, a sharp chef’s knife will do the trick!
What you’ll need to make fennel salad
This salad is made with only a few simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fennel
- Granny smith apple
- Celery
- Fresh herbs- I chose parsley & mint, but dill can also be a delicious add-on
- Pomegranate seeds
- Pecans, or nuts of choice
- Simple lemony dressing
- Thinly slice or shave the fennel & apple using a mandoline or sharp knife
- Add it to a salad bowl with thinly sliced celery, chopped herbs, pomegranate seeds and pecans
- Toss together with the lemon dressing. Top with extra nuts and pomegranate seeds
- Serve alone, with crumbled cheese or with your favorite protein
This salad is so refreshing for a lightened up lunch, and will stay fresh in the fridge for up to four days. I can’t wait for you guys to try it!
Recipes to serve with fennel salad:
Baked Salmon with Olives and Almonds
Branzino with Tomatoes & Jalapenos
Avocado Chicken Wraps with Harissa Mayo
Fennel Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 2 fennel bulbs, stems removed
- 1 Granny smith apple
- 3 celery stalks
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans, or nuts of choice
- Handful of parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
Lemon Dressing
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt & pepper
Directions
- Cut each fennel bulb in half then place them flat side down. Using a sharp chef’s knife, gently slice the fennel into thin strips. The thinner the pieces the better- you can also use a mandoline for this step.
- Slice the apple in half and remove the seeds and core. Slice into thin wedges. If you prefer smaller pieces, you can slice the apples into matchsticks.
- Line the celery sticks up horizontally and slice vertically into thin pieces.
- Add the fennel, celery and apple to a large salad bowl with the chopped parsley, mint, nuts and pomegranate seeds.
- Toss everything together with the lemon dressing. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- This salad can be prepared ahead of serving and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Great salad. Used red apple, added feta. Was delicious. Had this on a hot summer day after gardening it was so refreshing. All the ingredients compliment each other so well. Will make again
So happy to hear!
I just made this and love the freshness and crispness! I will serve it tonight as a side to roast pork tenderloins. I used Honeycrisp apples because I love them but they also added a nice extra touch of red. I will definitely make this again!
Sounds delicious, Kathleen!
My family loved this!