June 9, 2026
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links which provide us a small commission when used for purchase. Please read my disclosure policy for more information. I am grateful for your support!
I learned this one from a chef friend in the summer, and it changed my mind about fennel completely. I was never a fan of the strange vegetable until I had this fennel salad. It’s quick, it’s fresh, and it tastes unlike anything else, because fennel genuinely is unlike anything else.
And if you think you don’t like the anise flavour, hear me out. Raw, thinly shaved fennel is much more delicate than you’d expect, fresh and vegetal rather than intensely liquorice, especially with a good dressing with lemon and good olive oil. People who swear they can’t stand fennel are often surprised by this one, just like I was!
Table of Contents
Where fennel salad comes from
Fennel’s been in southern France a very long time. It grows wild all over Provence, used since ancient times as both food and medicine, brought by the Romans when they settled the Mediterranean coast. It’s so embedded in the local landscape that you’ll find it growing by the roadside, in garden corners and along dry stone walls.
But the bulb variety we eat as a vegetable, wasn’t developed until the 17th century, in Italy. Which is exactly why French cooking has always leaned on fennel as a herb rather than a vegetable: the seeds go into fish dishes, the fronds get tucked into whole fish before roasting, the wild herb flavours soups and stews across Provence and Languedoc. The bulb came later and got adopted enthusiastically, particularly in the south where it grows beautifully in the heat.
These days fennel bulbs turn up at French markets from late summer through winter. If you’re ever at a market in season and spot fennel on a stall, buy it. A sun-grown local fennel is a different thing from a supermarket one, sweeter, more fragrant, and much better in a shaved fennel salad like this.
Parts of the fennel explained
Let me quickly explain some things about the parts of the fennel: the white bulb at the base is what we’re shaving here: crisp, mildly anisey and holds its texture when sliced thin. The long stems above it are edible too but tougher, better braised than raw. And the feathery green fronds at the very top are the most delicate part, they taste like a gentler more herbal version of the bulb. They’re lovely in the salad, so never throw them away!
Ingredients
- Fennel bulbs – With their fronds. Buy them firm, white and heavy, with sprightly (not wilted) fronds. Sun-grown from a market is best.
- Lemon – The backbone of the dressing. Its acidity softens the anise and keeps everything fresh and clean.
- Extra virgin olive oil – A good one, since with so few ingredients it really shows. It rounds out the sharp lemon.
- Sesame seeds – Toasted, for a nutty warmth against the anise. Not a traditional French pairing, but it works and gives the salad a texture it needs.
- Flat-leaf parsley – Roughly chopped, for a fresh green note.
- Flaky salt – Sel de Guérande, ideally. The crunch and mineral depth are part of what makes this salad.
- Black pepper – A grind of it. Freshly cracked in a pepper mill, if you can.
How to make fennel salad
1. Toast the sesame seeds
Toast the sesame seeds into a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant. Then tip them straight onto a plate, because sesame goes from golden to burnt in seconds and a hot pan keeps cooking them. So don’t wander off.
2. Shave the fennel as thin as you can
Trim any tough outer layer, halve each bulb lengthways, and slice as thinly as humanly possible, ideally on a mandoline, or with your sharpest knife and some patience. This is the appeal of this fennel salad, when it’s sliced paper-thin, the fennel is tender and delicate instead of being fibrous and a chore to eat. Reserve the fronds as you go. Aim for almost translucent.
3. Dress and serve
Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper together into a vinaigrette, pour over the shaved fennel, and toss gently. Scatter the parsley, toasted sesame and fronds over, then finish with a generous pinch of flaky salt. Serve straight away for maximum crispness. If you’d rather it a touch more tender, dress it 10 to 15 minutes ahead and let it soften slightly, your call.
Tools for this recipe
Check out my favorite kitchen essentials and cookware!
- Use a mandoline to get the fennel as thin as it needs to be, almost translucent. If you’d rather not, a sharp knife and a bit of patience does the job too.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan, watching them closely.
- A pepper mill for freshly cracked black peppercorns makes a real difference in a salad this simple.
- I serve it in a large salad bowl and finish with a good flaky salt.
Tips for success
- Slice as thinly as possible: a mandoline gives almost translucent slices that are tender rather than fibrous. No mandoline? Use your sharpest knife and take your time. The thinner the slice, the better the salad.
- Keep the fronds: the feathery green tops have a more delicate anise flavour than the bulb and make a beautiful garnish, so use them.
- Dress at the last minute for crunch: fennel doesn’t softens quickly once dressed. But for proper crispness, dress just before serving. If you prefer it slightly tender, dress 10 to 15 minutes ahead and let it macerate.
- Finish with flaky salt, not fine: the crunch and mineral flavour of flaky salt is part of what makes this salad. Fine salt works, but it’s genuinely better with the flakes!
- Buy the best fennel you can: firm, white, heavy, with lively fronds. A tired, yellowing bulb makes a tired salad, and there’s no dressing your way out of it.
How to store it
- This is a make-and-eat-now salad, really. Fennel softens once it’s dressed, so a fully dressed salad is best within the hour, and it’ll go limp if kept overnight.
- That said, you can prep ahead. Shaved fennel keeps crisp in a glass container of cold water in the fridge for a few hours (a trick that even firms it up), then drained and dried before dressing. The toasted sesame keeps for days in a glass jar, and you can whisk the dressing ahead too. So you can have everything ready and just toss at the last minute.
- Undressed leftover shaved fennel keeps a day in the fridge in an airtight container. Once it’s dressed, though, eat it up, it won’t be the same tomorrow!
More salads recipes to try
Variations
- Add orange or grapefruit: segments of citrus with the fennel is a classic Provençal combination, sweet and juicy against the anise.
- Shave in some parmesan: a few shavings of parmesan or pecorino make it richer, more of a proper starter.
- Swap the herb: dill echoes the anise, mint takes it fresher and more summery, both lovely in place of or alongside the parsley.
- Add something crunchy: toasted hazelnuts or walnuts instead of (or with) the sesame, for a different nutty note.
- Make it a fuller salad: toss the shaved fennel through rocket or watercress to bulk it out into a bigger side or a light main.
What to serve with it
In French cooking, fennel has always gone with fish: whole fish stuffed with fronds before roasting, fennel seeds in a bouillabaisse, braised fennel beside grilled fish. The anise is considered a natural partner for seafood in the south, and this salad is no exception. It’s particularly good next to a roasted sea bream, which is a classic Provençal pairing.
It goes with plenty else, too. A simple omelette, a quiche or a piece of grilled halloumi. And it makes a lovely starter on its own with a crispy baguette, which is the simplest way to eat it, so you can mop up the lemony dressing at the end!
FAQ
Does fennel salad taste like liquorice?
Not really, no. Raw, thinly shaved fennel is much more delicate than cooked, fresh and vegetal rather than intensely aniseed, and the lemon softens it further. If you’ve disliked cooked fennel, raw fennel in a lemon dressing is a completely different, milder experience.
How do you cut fennel for a salad?
Trim any tough outer layer, halve the bulb lengthways, and slice it as thinly as possible, ideally on a mandoline, or with a very sharp knife. You want almost translucent shavings, which are tender rather than fibrous. Keep the fronds for garnish.
Can I make fennel salad ahead of time?
It’s best fresh, since fennel softens once dressed. But you can shave the fennel a few hours ahead and keep it crisp in cold water in the fridge, toast the sesame, and make the dressing in advance, then toss it all together just before serving.
Can I use the fennel fronds?
Yes, always! The feathery green fronds are the most delicate part of the plant, with a gentler, more herbal anise flavour than the bulb. They make a beautiful garnish, so scatter them over the finished salad rather than throwing them away.
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 3 minutes 
Total Time 13 minutes 
Servings 4Description
Ingredients
- 2 fennel bulbs with fronds
- 2 lemons juiced
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 handful flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
- 1 pinch flaky salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
Instructions
1. Toast the sesame seeds
- Toast the sesame in a dry frying pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant. Tip immediately onto a plate to cool.
2. Prepare and shave the fennel
- Remove the tough outer layer of each bulb if needed. Halve each lengthways, then slice as thinly as possible on a mandoline or with a sharp knife. Reserve the fronds.
3. Make the dressing
- Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
4. Dress and serve
- Put the shaved fennel in a serving bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss gently. Scatter over the parsley, sesame seeds and fronds. Finish with a generous pinch of flaky salt and serve immediately.
Notes
- Slice as thinly as possible. A mandoline gives almost translucent slices that are tender, not fibrous. No mandoline? Use your sharpest knife and take your time. The thinner, the better.
- Keep the fronds. They have a more delicate anise flavour than the bulb and make a beautiful garnish.
- Dress at the last minute. Fennel softens quickly once dressed. For crispness, dress just before serving; for a more tender result, dress 10 to 15 minutes ahead.
- Flaky salt matters. Its crunch and mineral flavour are part of the salad. Fine salt works, but flakes are better here.
Share your feedback and spread the love!
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Leave a ★★★★★ rating and your thoughts in the comments, it helps fellow French foodies discover this recipe too. Snap a photo and tag @obviously.french on Instagram. Come talk about it in our Facebook group. And don’t forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you’ll always have it handy for your next French-inspired meal!
This recipe is quickly becoming one of my favourites! The freshness of the fennel surprises me each time. I must admit I use lemon juice from a bottle (because I am lazy) but it really pays off to use freshly juiced lemons!
I’m glad you liked it! 🙂 And don’t worry about using bottled lemon juice, it will still taste refreshing for the summer!