With no real signs of spring coming any time soon, I’m taking matters into my own hands. Making salads and celebrating in-season spring vegetables!
I love fennel. Absolutely love it. And I actually prefer it raw in salads because I love the texture and the crunch!
Wednesday of this week I finally emerged out of my house and into the bright, shining sun. After my laser treatment last week, I purposely stayed indoors to avoid the sun.
On Wednesday, it was sunny and gorgeous outside. 12 degrees but still sunny and beautiful. I was driving home from the grocery store, the sun beaming down on me and for a second, I felt great in that moment . . and did the unthinkable . . I rolled down the window.
Forgot where I was for a second.
Even in the 12 degree weather, it was a beautiful day and I treated myself to a salad and my Prius to a car wash. Is it just me or do you feel better when your car is clean too?
So, I got a car wash. . and remember it was freaking cold so as soon as I drove out of the car wash thing, the droplets of water on the exterior of my car froze.
Ah, Wisconsin, you gotta love it.
I got home and made this salad. And licked the plate clean.
Two things that make this salad, well, other than the fennel, are the lemon dressing and the Parmesan. You guys, I love this dressing. Do you ever make your own homemade dressing, fall in love and then proceed to drizzle it over everything?! For like a week? Well, that’s what I did here.
So, that means I’ll have another fabulous recipe coming up soon using this creamy lemon dressing.
And I love big slivers of parmesan on my salads. It’s the salty with the fresh taste, and mixed in with the sweetness from the apples. . oh baby.
This is like the easiest salad to throw together. You guys have to try this! Happy Friday!!! What are you guys doing this weekend?
- 4 ounces (about 4 packed cups) fresh arugula, washed and dried
- 1 small fennel bulb, sliced thin or shaved on a mandoline
- ½ small apple, (Gala, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Red Delicious) unpeeled and sliced thin or shaved on a mandoline
- ⅓ cup plain non-fat yogurt
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Parmesan cheese, to serve
- Combine the arugula, shaved fennel and apple slices in a serving bowl and gently toss together. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, and lemon zest, adding another glug of olive oil if you need it. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix again.
- Serve the salad and drizzle on the dressing. Serve with some big slivers of parmesan cheese and enjoy immediately.
Recipe adapted from The Kitchn. New to fennel? Check out this post to learn how to cut fennel.
Can you believe I’ve never had fennel? This looks so good, I believe it’s time for me to try! (And now I’m hearing REO Speedwagon!) Beautiful salad, Alice! Thank you!
I love fennel & this salad looks wonderful!!
This reminds me of one of my favorite salads at Jaleo, a tapas restaurant here in DC. They make the salad with fennel, green apples and manchego cheese. It’s to die for!
And so I’m dying to try yours, since these flavors are dynamite together!
So…I am sitting here thinking this would be a wonderful salad indeed – such a lovely combo of flavors united together on one plate – then I got to reading the ingredients that made up that dressing and I started drooling!!! I cannot wait to see what you use it on next!
The car washes here in Georgia shut down when temps drop down below 30 – and there’s absolutely no way I would wash my own car when temps were below 30’s either – so I am so impressed you pampered yours to a wash!
For a minute there you actually had me believing that Wisconsin really did find spring! LOL. Wishful thinking. But this salad? Holy moly, I don’t care if it’s only 10 degrees outside—this HAS to happen here asap! I’ve never tried raw fennel before but you make it look so amazing with those sweet apples and pretty parmesan slivers!
I’m definitely getting the spring itch, too! This salad looks perfect to channel the warmer weather, Alice! I love that you used apples and fennel. Such a delicious combo!
The droplets on your car froze?? Wow!! That´s crazy!
ps. love the fennel in this salad!
I love fennel and this salad sounds perfect! Will have to try it soon! I can totally relate, can’t wait for spring! It is 12 F outside, but sunny and feels great!
This is such a gorgeous salad. I too saw the sun emerge and did a small happy dance. It made me finally believe that spring really may be on its way.
On Tuesday, I drive to school/work, but my mom takes me to and picks me up from dance. I came home after dance, showered, and got ready to leave for my flute lesson- my car had entirely frozen over in an hour and a half!!! And I live in Maryland!! I was shocked and grumpily took my mom’s car to my lesson. What a winter. Love this salad, I’ve never had fennel, but it looks great 🙂
I am craving sunny skies and warm weather! We got hit with more snow just a day ago. It was so bad they closed down the main highway and called in the National Guard because people were stranded. This salad looks so refreshing. It’s a reminder that spring is close by. I’ve never had fennel before. Looks like I’m missing out!
It is feeling quite Spring like here in the UK today, so this salad is perfectly timed. I ave only recently starting liking fennel, so I am looking for new ways to try it.
I’ve never had fennel, but this dish looks delicious. I’m looking forward to the spring to say the least. 🙂
Ok, this dressing sounds delicious! I have never thought to add yogurt to a dressing. I’ve done mayo before, but yogurt is probably much healthier and creamier. And I love fennel too, such a great anise flavor. Can’t wait to make this!
Our driveway is full of ice and it seems like my husband has been shoveling non-stop all winter so I am totally on board with anything to channel warmer weather 🙂 This salad looks so pretty and refreshing! I adore fennel and it sounds perfect with the apple and arugula! Love the creamy lemon yogurt dressing too!
I was JUST about to take my car through the car wash on Tuesday too, but then I figured I might as well wait until it’s 40 tomorrow (WOO!)! The fennel and apples in this pretty salad make me think of spring, which I am so desperately waiting for. Enjoy the warmer temps, hopefully we can meet up sometime now that we know we are close-ish to each other!
I’m so ready for Spring! And the weather is very strange – we had ice on the ground this morning and now the sun is shining, robins singing, daffodils blooming and an all around could-of-fooled-me-it’s-not-spring day! I’m not hard to please – I will take what slice of sun I can get!
And this salad…mercy! I would love to have a huge bowl of this gorgeous salad!
Sometimes it feels like spring will be here before you know it, but in reality? We’ve probably got a couple more months of cold! Love how fresh and bright this salad is!
wow you guys are awesome to live in so much snow! that’s crazy! It has been very bright and nice in Seattle, temp in 60s so for me it feels like spring is already here. The salad looks gorgeous, I love that lemon dressing, sounds delish!
Lol I really really really hope spring comes to you soon! The whole water droplets immediately freezing thing is totally not my bag – I don’t know how you’ve survived your long cold winter! Eating delicious, spring-timey salads like this probably helped a bit. This looks so refreshing and that dressing sounds delicious!
When my sister made me a fennel salad dressed simply with olive oil and lemon juice, I was skeptical. But it was fabulous! And now I want yours and that creamy lemon dressing, too!!
P.S. We started in the single digits this morning, and by afternoon 22º felt tropical!!!
What a fresh and crunchy salad, the perfect way to bring on spring!
Love this salad. Raw fennel and apples together is one of my favorite combinations! And I just got my car washed yesterday because it was over 25 degrees (finally!) and I feel like I won the lottery! Ha ha! Have a great weekend, Alice!
Hi Alice, I love fennel, I love apples and Parmesan. Your salad is just made for me 🙂 Thanks for sharing. Have a nice day!
I love fennel SO much — it’s amazing raw and crunchy in salads! This looks so fresh and delicious, and that creamy dressing and parmesan sound like a great way to top this off!
What a nice salad to bring spring inside. And that dressing sounds pretty fabulous!
I absolutely love fennel – raw, roasted, in soups, whatever. And mixing it with apples AND cheese is right up my alley. 🙂 Fabulous, Alice!!
You’ve got a beautiful salad here, Alice. I really need to get on board with fennel, and this recipe is a great jumping off point. Thanks for the inspiration!
What a wonderful spring salad! I love the combination of arugula and fruits, and the yogurt lemon sauce just sounds lovely. I can finish a big bowl of this for dinner, and nothing else 🙂
This is how I love fennel too! Shaved fennel is the BEST. You know what, I have never tried it with apple and yet it is totally a classic flavour combo, I can’t think why I haven’t! I love this, new salad idea, thank you Alice! 🙂
I was going to wash our car last week too, but couldn’t because of those crazy low temps. We had 70s yesterday (I know right??) and I totally agree, lunch and a car wash make the day so much better! I’ve never had fennel … and I’m really regretting it. It sounds SO good with the apples!
Hi! I’ve been following your blog for a while now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Houston Tx! Just wanted to mention keep up the great job!