This fennel & apple salad is a light, refreshing dish that perfectly balances crisp textures and sweet, tangy flavours. Thinly sliced fennel and crunchy apples are tossed in a zesty lemon dressing, making it a vibrant addition to any meal. Simple yet elegant, it pairs beautifully with roasted dishes or works as a standalone starter. Fresh, crunchy, and full of flavour, it’s the perfect salad for any season!
Fresh & Crunchy Fennel & Apple Salad
With its satisfying crunch, this fennel and apple salad combines the mild licorice sweetness of fennel with the tartness of apples. Tossed in a zingy lemon vinaigrette, it is topped with walnuts and freshly chopped parsley.
This is the perfect salad if you are looking for a refreshing and tasty side dish or just a light meal. It also makes for a great addition to a picnic or barbecue.
A staple of Mediterranean cuisines, fennel is one of the most underrated vegetables and I feel that it deserves a lot more attention. It has a distinctive mild anise flavour (similar to licorice) and can be eaten raw or cooked. It is also sometimes used as seasoning. The bulb, stalks, and fronds are all edible.
Fennel pairs really well with cheeses like goat cheese, Gorgonzola, and Parmesan. It is also delicious with beans and pulses, as well as mushrooms and oranges.
What to pair this salad with
This fennel and apple salad is versatile enough to be eaten on its own or as a side to a wide range of dishes. Here are some serving suggestions:
- As a Light Lunch: Serve the salad on its own or with a slice of crusty bread.
- Alongside Grilled Proteins: Pair with grilled tofu, tempeh, or your favourite protein.
- Holiday Feasts: This salad makes an excellent addition to buffets or holiday spreads, offering a light contrast to heavier dishes.
- Mediterranean Spread: Include it in a mezze platter with hummus, olives, and pita bread for a Mediterranean-inspired feast.
Don’t hesitate to also serve this fennel and apple salad alongside my Heirloom Tomato Salad, Courgette and Feta Böreks, Veggie Tarts, Garlic & Tomato Pasta, Crustless Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice Quiche, Mediterranean Orzo Bake, vegan potato salad or Mediterranean Tomato Tart.
Common questions about this fennel and apple salad
I like to use a mix of tart and sweet apples for this salad. Varieties of tart apples include Granny Smith, Braeburn, Pink Lady and McIntosh (US). Varieties of sweet apples include Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, and Red Delicious.
Yes, you can prepare it a couple of hours in advance. The acidity of the lemon vinaigrette will prevent the apples from browning. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a day or two.
Yes you can easily customise this salad by adding rocket, watercress, shaved Parmesan, Gorgozonla or feta cheese. You can also swap the parsley for dill and the walnuts for almonds.
Absolutely, if you prefer a vegan alternative to honey, maple syrup is a great alternative to sweeten the lemon dressing.
Watch out to make this fennel and apple salad recipe
In this post
Top tip: how to cut fennel for salad
When preparing fennel for salad, you do need to trim it first to remove any hard-to-chew parts and make sure you slice it as thinly as possible
Trim the fennel
Fennel bulbs tend to have a tough bottom part, tender middle, and fibrous stalks and fronds.
You can easily remove (and discard) the tough bottom part by cutting off a thin slice from the base of the fennel bulb. The fronds also need to be trimmed off and can be reused as garnish.
The green fibrous stalks can either be trimmed or sliced very thinly with the rest of the fennel bulb so they become tendre.
Slice the fennel
Thin slices are best for salad and this can be achieved by either using a very sharp knife or a mandoline slicer. I tend to favour using a mandoline slicer as it is quicker and cuts slices of even thickness.
How to make this fennel and apple salad
Ingredients:
To make this salad, you will need: 2 small fennel bulbs, 1 tart apple (Granny Smith or similar), 1 sweet apple (red delicious, Honeycrisp or similar), some walnuts, and a handful of freshly chopped parsley.
For the lemon vinaigrette you will need some Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic clove, honey, plus salt and pepper.
Step 1: Make the dressing
Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or jar and season to taste with honey, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Step 2: Slice the fennel and apples
Using a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer, cut the fennel and apples into thin slices. Reserve the fennel fronds to decorate the salad.
Step 3: Combine all together
In a salad bowl, combine the fennel and apples with the walnuts and parsley.
Step 4: Toss in the dressing
Toss everything in the lemon vinaigrette.
Step 5: Serve
Decorate the salad with the reserved fennel fronds and serve.
I hope you enjoy this fennel and apple salad recipe as much as I do. If you do make it, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
Fennel and Apple Salad
Equipment
Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.
Ingredients
- 2 small fennel bulbs
- 1 tart apple (Granny Smith or similar)
- 1 sweet apple (red delicious, Honeycrisp or similar)
- 50 g walnuts
- 1 handful freshly chopped parsley
FOR THE LEMON VINAIGRETTE
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 lemon zest
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 Tbsp clear honey, to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or jar and season to taste with honey, salt, and pepper. Set aside.2 tsp Dijon mustard, 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/2 lemon zest, 1 garlic clove, grated, salt and pepper, to taste, 1 Tbsp clear honey, to taste
- Using a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer, cut the fennel and apples into thin slices. Reserve the fennel fronds to decorate the salad.2 small fennel bulbs, 1 tart apple (Granny Smith or similar), 1 sweet apple (red delicious, Honeycrisp or similar)
- In a salad bowl, combine the fennel and apples with the walnuts and parsley50 g walnuts, 1 handful freshly chopped parsley
- Toss everything in the lemon vinaigrette.
- Decorate the salad with the reserved fennel fronds and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Find this recipe online:
https://theflexitarian.co.uk/recipe-items/fennel-apple-salad/
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