Fennel Green Apple Salad
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Crunchy, bright salad. Fennel swapped for celery root for earthier tone. Apple variation to granny smith-tartness tweaked with honeycrisp for balance. Dressing adjusted with 20 ml olive oil, 5 ml apple cider vinegar, 10 ml maple syrup. Simple salad that relies on crisp textures and sharp-sweet contrasts, good for light starters or side. Tossing and seasoning key; prevents sogginess. Pea shoots substituted with micro arugula for slight peppery bite and color pop. Quick prep, focus on knife skills and dressing harmony. No nuts, no gluten, vegan, allergen-friendly, easy to swap ingredients.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
12 min
Servings:
4 servings
#vegan
#gluten-free
#quick salad
#French-inspired
#vegetable salad
Crunch. Tartness. Snap. Used to love fennel raw but sometimes it’s too sweet, too anise-y. Switched celery root here—darker notes, crisp bite. Apples? Cut out granny smith, brought honeycrisp; sweeter, subtle acid. Dressing ratio tweaked; more oil, less vinegar, maple syrup bumped for rounder glaze. Dived into balancing sharpness and sweetness. Pea shoots tossed for peppery arugula instead—greens should sing, not wilt into mush. Seen salads liquefy from overdressing; don’t drown crisp veggies. Quick mix, off plate fast, bite by bite, texture retained. Learned from past mistakes—the dressing needs to coat, not flood. A salad that demands attention to timing, knife skills; mandoline thin to keep crunch, but not paper thin or limp mush. Salad’s alive, plays on tongue, refreshing yet grounded. Goes great next to beans or grains; no heavy cream or cheese, leaves space on plate, light crunch with every forkful.
Ingredients
- 20 ml olive oil
- 5 ml apple cider vinegar
- 10 ml maple syrup
- 1 medium celery root, shaved thin on mandoline
- 1 medium honeycrisp apple, shaved thin on mandoline
- Micro arugula, to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
About the ingredients
Celery root: harder to slice but adds earthiness missing from fennel. Use mandoline with guard or sharp knife, shaved thin but not so thin it turns into string. Honeycrisp apple adds natural sweetness, texture contrast; if unavailable, gala or pink lady work but adjust syrup down. Olive oil matters—use good-quality, fruity to highlight salad. Apple cider vinegar can be swapped with white wine vinegar if too sharp. Maple syrup flavors deep, low heat extraction, better than honey here because no floral notes clash with celery root. Micro arugula swaps out for tender pea shoots adds pepper punch and visual pop but dress last to avoid wilting. Season generously with salt—dulls bitterness, lifts flavors. Keep salad chilled if possible but bring to room temp just before serving to open aromatics.
Method
- 1 Mix olive oil, cider vinegar, maple syrup in large bowl; season with salt pepper. Taste often; balsamic balance shifts acidity and sweetness.
- 2 Add shaved celery root and honeycrisp apple immediately. Toss gently but thoroughly before greens go limp.
- 3 Add micro arugula last, fold quick, keep leaves fresh and vibrant. Adjust seasoning as you go; acidity dims once mixed.
- 4 Serve cold or room temp. Crispness key; if salad sits, toss lightly again before plating.
- 5 Optional: sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch, or shaved fennel fronds for aromatics if available.
Cooking tips
Start with dressing; whisk or shake vigorously. Taste before adding veggies; should hit sweet/sour balance but not overpower. Add shaved celery root and apple immediately to vinaigrette, toss gently; prevents steaming or bruising delicate slices. Add micro arugula just before serving to prevent limpness. Use mandoline or a very sharp knife for even, thin slices—uneven cuts throw off mouthfeel. If lacking mandoline, peel blade of a vegetable peeler works. Avoid over-salting initially, accommodate final seasoning after mixing all—all veggies respond differently to salt absorption. Serve quickly to enjoy crisp texture; if prepared ahead, keep dressing separate or toss freshly just before serving. Adding toasted seeds or shaved herbs is optional but adds texture and aroma. Don’t overdress; less is more. Salad’s freshness defines it, listen to sight and feel, not just clock. Crunch fades with time—plate and eat fast.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Use mandoline with guard or sharp knife for thin celery root slices but avoid going paper thin, turns limp not crisp. Thickness controls texture crunch. Timing matters; toss quickly after slicing prevents steam buildup and sogginess. Apple choice influences sweetness balance; honeycrisp preferred for subtle acid. Gala or pink lady work in pinch; cut maple syrup if sugar rises.
- 💡 Start with dressing mix—olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup. Whisk vigorously to marry flavors, then pause to taste. Adjust salt carefully; overdress kills crisp, so salt lightly first, final seasoning after all veggies combined. Toss apple and celery root immediately in dressing, coats but doesn’t drown. Micro arugula folds in last; adds peppery snap but wilts fast if early.
- 💡 Keep salad chilled till seconds before serving for fresh aromatics and crunch. Room temp opens flavors but avoid long waits, salad loses crisp in minutes. Toss gently not shredded, better to see greens with dressing clinging thin. If prepping ahead, keep dressing separate; toss freshly each serve. Toasted pumpkin seeds boost crunch; fennel fronds add aroma. Optional but lifts texture dimension.
- 💡 Salt brings out earthiness in celery root, dulls natural bitterness. Use plenty but layering salt is key. Salt too early absorbs weirdly; wait till combined layers for even flavor. Vinegar acid dims after mixing, so taste repeatedly and adjust vinegar last. Maple syrup deepens dressing without floral notes—better than honey here. Olive oil quality matters; fruity oils balance sweet and sharp tones.
- 💡 Knife skills central; uneven cuts wreck mouthfeel. Mandoline best for celery root and apple. If no mandoline, use peeled vegetable peeler blade for thin shavings. Micro arugula delicate—fold carefully, no crushing. Toss fast to coat dressing but keep slices distinct. Salad goes well with beans or grains for bite and fullness without heaviness. Timing and texture dominate, not just ingredients.
Common questions
Can I swap celery root for fennel?
Yes but celery root adds earthier, denser texture. Fennel brings anise aroma, lighter crisp. Use fennel fronds as garnish if you want some. Celery root harder to shave but texture worth it. Adjust sweetness accordingly.
What if I lack honeycrisp apples?
Gala and pink lady close substitutes. Pink lady less tart, so reduce maple syrup in dressing. Gala more neutral; balance with extra vinegar or a squeeze lemon to prevent flat taste. Cut apples thin to keep bite similar. Avoid softer apples; they turn mushy fast.
Salad turns soggy quickly, why?
Dressing timing critical; toss shaved celery root and apple right after mixing dressing, not too much oil or vinegar. Salad keeps crisp if served quickly or kept chilled. Micro arugula added last to avoid wilting. If prepping ahead, store components separately and toss right before serving.
How to store leftovers?
Best eaten fresh but if needed stash in airtight container. Dressing separate preferred to avoid sogginess. Keep salad chilled; apple and celery root work well 24 hours but greens limp fast. Re-toss lightly before serve to redistribute dressing and freshen texture. Avoid freezing or long storage.
