Fennel, Rocket and Feta Salad
This Fennel and Rocket Salad is fresh, crisp and full of contrast, with shaved fennel, creamy feta, fresh mint and toasted walnuts tossed through a bright lemon dressing. It’s wonderfully simple, but feels special enough for entertaining and sits beautifully alongside grilled meats, seafood or just about any meal.
About this Fennel, Rocket and Feta Salad
When fennel is in season, this is such a lovely way to use the whole bulb, including those delicate fronds that are often trimmed off and forgotten. The fennel is crisp and lightly sweet with that gentle anise flavour, the rocket brings a peppery bite, the feta adds creamy saltiness, and the toasted walnuts give the salad richness and crunch. Fresh mint lifts everything, while the lemon dressing keeps it bright and fresh.
It’s also one of those wonderfully useful salads that seems to go with almost anything - grilled meats, seafood, roast chicken or a larger Mediterranean-style spread.
And it’s a great salad to take when you’re asked to bring something. Simply prepare the fennel, rocket, herbs, feta and walnuts and place everything in your serving bowl. Take the dressing separately, then pour it over and toss just before serving so the leaves stay fresh and crisp.
Watch How to Make this Salad
Helpful Tips for Making this Salad
Shave the fennel very finely. Thinly sliced fennel has a much more delicate texture and absorbs the lemon dressing beautifully. A mandoline is ideal, but a sharp knife works well too.
Dress the fennel first. Let the shaved fennel sit in the dressing for a few minutes before adding the rocket and herbs. This lightly softens the fennel while keeping the rest of the salad fresh.
Toast the walnuts (optional). A few minutes in a dry frying pan brings out the flavour of the walnuts and gives the salad a deeper, nuttier crunch. Allow them to cool before adding.
Season at the end. Feta already brings plenty of saltiness, so taste the salad once everything is combined before adding any extra salt.
What to Serve with this Fennel, Rocket and Feta Salad
Fennel, Rocket and Feta Salad
Serves: 4–6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Recipe Category: Salad, Side Dish
Recipe Cuisine: Mediterranean
INGREDIENTS
Salad
1 large fennel bulb
Fennel fronds from the bulb, roughly picked
3 spring onions, finely sliced
100 g baby rocket
1 cup fresh mint leaves
150 g Greek feta, crumbled
1 cup (100 g) walnuts, roughly chopped (optional to dry roast in a pan)
Lemon Dressing
60 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
40 ml (2-3 tablespoons) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 heaped tablespoon runny honey
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Make the Dressing and Marinate the Fennel
In a large serving bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and honey. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
2. Prepare the Fennel
Trim the fennel bulb, reserving the delicate fronds. Cut the bulb in half and shave as thinly as possible using a sharp knife or mandoline. Add the shaved fennel directly to the dressing and toss well to coat.
3. Assemble the Salad
Add the baby rocket, spring onions, fennel fronds, and mint leaves to the bowl along with the feta and toasted walnuts, then give the salad a gentle toss.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Finish with more freshly cracked black pepper and a little extra drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
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Margaret Pahos @CreateCookShare
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