This crunchy Fennel Salad with Dill is absolutely addicting with delicious Parmesan cheese mixed into the dressing. It’s super easy to make and will become a family favorite in no time!
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OK, I have to admit that this is not my recipe idea. I got this idea from my mom, who got it from her friend. I actually remember the day my mom called me to tell me about the amazing Fennel Salad with Dill that she had at her friend’s house – she called me just to tell me about this salad. However, I did not rush out to make this salad right away because I (wrongly!) thought I didn’t like fennel. Only after my mom made it for me did I realize how right she was and what I was missing.
If you’ve never had fennel, it smells a bit like anise and licorice which can be a bit off-putting – I am not a fan of those flavors, usually. But something amazing happens when you mix fennel with mayonnaise and dill – the fennel loses its strong flavor and just tastes so fresh, mild, and crunchy! Fennel is in season during the winter so it is easy to find in stores right now.
I’ve mentioned before that I prefer crunchy salads, such as coleslaw, over leafy salads, so this salad was right up my crunchy salad alley. After trying this salad at my mom’s house, this became a staple at my house because of the simple ingredients, 5 minutes of prep-time, and fresh dill-fennel-Parmesan flavors. Aldo and I usually devour most of this salad in one sitting, although the recipe below is probably more suitable for 4 people.
This crunchy Fennel Salad with Dill is absolutely addicting with delicious Parmesan cheese mixed into the dressing. It’s super easy to make and will become a family favorite in no time!
- 2 small fennel bulbs (about 8 oz each with stalks, 5 oz each without stalks)
- 1/4 cup dill leaves , chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise , to taste
- Optional: 8-10 slivers of shaved Parmesan for garnish , salt & pepper to taste
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Remove the stalks off the fennel. Cut the fennel bulb into quarters. Use a mandolin or a knife to slice the fennel into thin pieces, about the size of cabbage for coleslaw.
This salad can be chilled for 5-30 minutes after mixing before serving, to allow you to finish preparing other dishes for dinner.
If using a mandolin to slice the fennel, please always always wear cut-proof gloves. Mandolin injuries are no joke!
What an interesting salad! We actually never tried adding a fennel bulb in a salad. Here in Greece we mostly use fennel fronds and add them in stews (especially the ones that contain avgolemono sauce). Panos loves fennel fronds with fresh broad beans, it’s one of his favorite ladera (cooked in olive oil) dishes. We totally get what you mentioned about its strong flavor, but you’re right, it’ll probably be much milder when combined with the mayo and the dill. Do you guys eat octopus? If yes, we’d like to suggest a recipe on the blog with fennel bulb and olives both.
We’ll definitely give this a try very soon!
Thank you for another delicious idea!
Have a FANTASTIC 2017 guys!
xoxoxo