Fennel Slaw with Mint Vinaigrette

Fennel slaw salad with thinly sliced fennel bulb and a fresh mint vinaigrette. Great with seafood!

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated March 30, 2022
Elise Bauer
Fennel Slaw
Elise Bauer

If you are firing up the grill this summer with fish or seafood, consider this fennel slaw as a fresh alternative to regular cabbage coleslaw to serve as a side.

Even my father, who runs from fennel as if it were carrying plague, thoroughly enjoys this salad.

Oddly, the naturally pronounced licorice taste of fennel is strongly muted by the vinaigrette, so only a hint comes through, and it is well balanced with the mint, shallots, and mustard.

Fennel Slaw with Mint Vinaigrette

Prep Time 10 mins
Marinating 60 mins
Total Time 70 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

The sugar helps bring out the natural sweetness of the fennel, don't leave out!

Ingredients

  • 1 large fennel bulb (or 2 medium bulbs)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

  • 2 teaspoons shallot or onion, minced

Method

  1. Make the vinaigrette:

    Put the lemon juice, shallot, mustard, salt, sugar and mint in a blender and pulse briefly to combine. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until it is well combined.

  2. Shave the fennel into thin slices:

    Using a mandoline, shave the fennel into 1/8 inch slices starting from the bottom of the bulb. Don't worry about coring the fennel bulb, it's unnecessary. If you don’t have a mandoline, slice the bulb as thin as you can. Chop some of the fennel fronds as well to toss in with the salad.

  3. Marinate fennel with vinaigrette:

    Toss with the fennel and marinate for at least an hour. Serve this salad either cold or at room temperature.

Links:

Beet and fennel salad from Lydia of The Perfect Pantry

Warm beef and shaved fennel salad from Marc of No Recipes

Fennel Slaw
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
90 Calories
9g Fat
3g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 90
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 197mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 72mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.