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shaved fennel salad on an offwhite plate
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4.60 from 20 votes

Shaved Fennel Salad with Lemon Caper Vinaigrette

This beautiful shaved fennel salad couldn't be easier to make. It's full of bright, savory flavors and pairs especially well with fish and chicken.
Prep Time10 minutes
Additional Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salads + Bowls
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caper vinaigrette, shaved fennel, shaved fennel salad
Servings: 4
Calories: 80kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

  • 2 small fennel bulbs about ½ pound // (225 grams) total
  • 2 tablespoons (29 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) caper brine
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallot
  • 1 tablespoon minced capers
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Trim the fennel: Cut a thin slice off the root end of the bulb to remove any tough, dry parts. Cut off the fronds and green stems.
  • Halve the fennel bulbs: You should now have just the white part of the fennel left. Cut each bulb in half from top to bottom.
  • Use a mandoline slicer to thinly slice each half. If you don't have a mandoline, you can use a chef's knife or the slicing disk of a food processor. Cut as thinly as possible.
  • Wash the fennel slices well and dry them well. We use a salad spinner for this.
  • Arrange the fennel on a serving plate.
  • To dress the salad, sprinkle it with the oil, caper brine, lemon juice, minced shallots, minced capers, fennel fronds, lemon zest, and salt and pepper.

Video

Notes

  1. Save fennel fronds and green stems for juicing. Fronds also make a beautiful, mild-flavored garnish for a wide variety of dishes. Use them just like fresh herbs.
  2. Most fennel bulbs will have a wider dimension and a narrower one. It helps to halve each bulb across the wide side, so that you can then make nice narrow slices on the mandoline. Refer to the video accompanying this post for visual cues.
  3. Washing the fennel after slicing helps to remove any sand and grit from between the layers.
  4. The salad is ready to eat right away, but if you have time to leave it at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes to give the dressing a chance to permeate the fennel, it will be even better.
  5. Store any leftovers tightly sealed in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 74mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g