Name: Crispy Fennel Apple Chopped Salad with Walnuts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 36 min
Total time: 51 min
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups cucumber, (peeled, seeded and diced); sea salt; 3 tbsp olive oil, (extra virgin); 2 tbsp white wine vinegar; 1 1/4 cup fennel bulb, (halved, cored and cut in 1/4 inch dice); 2 apples, (cored and cut into 1/2 inch dice); 1/4 cup red onion (minced); 1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves, (chopped); 3 cups romaine, (chopped); 1/2 cup walnuts, (toasted and chopped); 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, (*or goat cheese)

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Up your salad game with this tasty Fennel Apple Chopped Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese. Full of Mediterranean flavours, this makes a crunchy side salad. Plan to make extra for brown bag lunches!

Fennel Apple Chopped Salad with walnuts and tarragon

Colour, crunch, and crispy juicy apples make this Fennel Apple Chopped Salad a favourite dinner salad in our house. It has all the elements of a salad that we love. Best of all, it retains its fresh crunchiness when served for lunch the following day. A win-win!

Crispy Fennel Apple Chopped Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese

I like adding a little fennel to salads, as I did in this Fennel Apple Chicken Salad with Pumpkin Spice Pecans. It adds interest and another layer of flavour. Besides, how pretty are those delicate fennel fronds on top?

Does fennel taste like licorice?

No, it doesn't. While fennel and anise are sometimes mixed up, fennel has a mild mellow flavour that is more like a quirky celery.

Which part of fennel do you use for a salad?

For this chopped salad, you'll be using the bulb and the fronds.

To cut fennel,

First slice off the stalks.
Slice the bulb in half and then in quarters.
Remove any discoloured or wilted outer layers.
Slice, shave or dice.

Sometimes I shave fennel using a vegetable peeler or a mandolin, but finely diced fennel is a perfect choice for this chopped salad. You can save the stalks to add flavour to soups or stews.

What kind of apple is best for this Chopped Salad?

This salad needs a sweet apple. While tart Granny Smith's are delicious in salads, especially with a sharp cheddar cheese, there is NO place for a Granny Smith in this Fennel Apple Salad! It needs a sweet, crisp apple, like Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji to balance the fennel and onion. I chose a Honeycrisp that had a bright red skin to provide lots of contrast in colour.

Preparing ingredients for Fennel Apple Chopped Salad with Walnuts

How to make this Fennel Apple Chopped Salad

In a colander set over a bowl, sprinkle salt over diced cucumber. Let stand and drain for 15 minutes.

Whisk oil and vinegar together. Add the drained cucumber, fennel, apples, onion and tarragon. Toss and let stand for 5 - 10 minutes.

Add chopped romaine and toasted walnuts to the bowl, toss and season with sea salt and pepper. Top with crumbled feta and serve. Keep it paleo by substituting goat cheese for the feta.

This salad has very little dressing, and it doesn't need it. If you're looking for something a little different for a side salad, try this one for a change!

📖 Recipe

Nutrition Facts

Crispy Fennel Apple Chopped Salad with Walnuts

Amount per Serving

Calories

296

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Cholesterol

Sodium

127

Potassium

575

Carbohydrates

Fiber

Sugar

Protein

Vitamin A

4990

100

Vitamin C

13.3

Calcium

139

Iron

2.5

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Looking for more chopped salad inspiration? Try these:

Asian Pear and Cranberry Chopped Salad
Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Cannellini Beans
6 Dinner Salads that will Fill you Up

This recipe was adapted from Fennel and Apple Chopped Salad in America's Test Kitchen Cookbook.

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