Fennel Apple Salad

This recipe is: dairy freeegg freegluten freevegan

Refreshing and vibrant, this fennel apple salad is made with shaved fennel, crisp apples and peppery arugula , tossed with a simple Dijon vinaigrette and topped with chopped, toasted walnuts.

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A bowl of fennel apple salad with arugula, onions and walnuts.

What I love about this fennel and apple salad

This salad is super tasty, and only requires 6 ingredients. And, in honor of my favorite television show – Gilmore Girls – I added walnuts to the fennel salad. I’m sure very few people, and only true, die-hard fans like myself would get the reference, but it’s there.

If you like this recipe, you have to try this apple parsnip soup, and this apple rosemary chicken and dumplings and this roast pork with fennel and apples.

Searching for more apple recipes? apple pie bars / maple bourbon apple tarts / cinnamon apples / apple cider sangria / apple butter pork chops

A arugula salad made with apples, walnuts and onions.

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Close up of a salad made with onions, arugula, apples and walnuts.

Ingredients & substitutions

  • Fennel – Fresh fennel bulbs are usually located in the produce section of the grocery store, usually near the other root vegetables.

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

  • Close up of a salad showing the ingredients, the crispy apples, peppery arugula and thin sliced fennel with walnuts.
  • A few plates of a salad with fennel and apples.

The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.

How to make fennel apple salad with walnuts & arugula

Spiralize the apples, fennel, and onions. The result you get with spiralizing is a very thin slicing and the texture of this really makes the salad. You could alternatively use a mandoline to slice and get very similar results. Place sliced ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Make the dressing. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside until ready to serve.

Dress the salad. Pour half of the dressing over the sliced ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir until well coated, adding more dressing as needed. Top with chopped walnuts and serve immediately after dressing.

A bowl of arugula, fennel, apples and walnuts topped with a french vinaigrette.

FAQs and tips on making this fennel and apple salad

  • What flavor goes well with fennel? Fennel has a unique and sweet taste, similar to anise or licorice. It pairs well with other sweet foods, like apples and other fruits. When paired with black pepper or fresh herbs like dill and parsley, you can really taste the full complexity of fennel.
  • What part of the fennel do you use? All parts of the fennel plant are edible. Each part – the bulb, stalk or leaves can be used in a variety of ways. When you are preparing your fennel for this recipe you will want to use the bulb, feel free to hang on to the remaining fennel for other recipe.
  • What does fennel taste like? Fennel is compared to aromatic spices like anise, licorice or tarragon. Each part of the plant has its own distinct features, that each compliment different recipes. For instance the bulb tends to have a crisp texture and a sweet, mild anise flavor – as you go further up the stalk the texture gets more tender and the anise flavor more mild.

Fennel Apple Salad

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8
Refreshing and vibrant, this fennel apple salad is made with shaved fennel, crisp apples and peppery arugula , tossed with a simple Dijon vinaigrette and topped with chopped, toasted walnuts.

Ingredients

For the salad:
  • 2 fennel bulbs thinly sliced
  • 1/2 sweet onion thinly sliced
  • 1 large apple cored and thinly sliced
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • 1/4 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
For the dressing:
  • 1 lemon juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth.
  • Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl and mix in the dressing.
  • Before serving, adjust seasoning with salt & pepper in needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 146kcal Carbohydrates: 11g Protein: 2g Fat: 12g Sodium: 187mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 6g Vitamin C: 17mg

Did you make this recipe?

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Melissa Belanger is the founder and food-obsessed visionary behind Simply Whisked, where she creates dairy free recipes with simple ingredients. She lives in Wisconsin with her milk-allergic husband and two kids. Melissa's experience in developing dairy free recipes is unparalleled and she strives to make dairy-free living accessible and enjoyable. In addition to running Simply Whisked, Melissa also manages two other publications: Another Cocktail Blog, a cocktail recipe website, and The Pasta Twins, a joint venture with her twin sister.

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14 Comments

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  2. Watching Gilmore girls as we speak and dreamt up the idea of a spiralized fennel and apple salad…. did a quick search on Pinterest and here I am! Thanks for the great recipe – and the walnuts!! ????

    Reply

    1. This comment totally made my weekend! I have since realized that there was also supposed to be goat cheese in in, but that will have to be another post. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
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    1. Just go for it. It’s going to make a bit of a mess, but just chop of the fronds and keep the base to attach it to the spiralizer.

      Reply
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  11. Hello!
    What is the walnut quantity you used? (I’m getting ready to make this; the recipe, reprinted in Pine Straw magazine last summer, inspired me to buy the Oxo Spirilizer and look up the original, sine they left off the walnuts, as well.

    For those of us new to spirilizing, could you possibly note which blade you used for each ingredient, especially when it’s not obvious?

    I can tell you used the ribbon blade on the apples, but what about the onion and the fennel? (Though I suppose it’s not critical, since I’m pretty literal with recipes, especially the first time I make them, that info would be helpful.)

    I like the idea of the goat cheese that you mentioned; I’ve got both some nice feta and some ricotta salata in the fridge, and I bet either of those could be nice, too.

    For your reader who asked about a recipe for French Vinaigrette, here’s the one I used, should others also prefer to make their own:

    Basic French Vinaigrette
    from epicurious.com

    YIELD: Makes about 1/2 cup ACTIVE TIME: 5 minutes TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

    INGREDIENTS
    2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
    2 tablespoons red- or white-wine vinegar
    1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
    2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
    4 to 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    Freshly ground black pepper to taste

    PREPARATION
    In a small bowl, whisk together the shallots, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; let the mixture stand 10 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, then add the oil in a very slow, thin, steady stream, whisking constantly until the dressing is emulsified.

    Season with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    DO AHEAD: The vinaigrette can be prepared ahead and refrigerated, in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

    Reply

  12. Tried this tonight, REALLY GOOD! Here are a couple of mods that I did. 1) grilled the fennel before slicing thin (another depth of flavor). 2) added honey to the dressing (about 2 TBSP). It just needed something sweet 3) added pecans (didn’t have walnuts) and it turned out PERFECT!!

    Reply

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