This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.
Looking to shake up your salad game? This shaved asparagus salad with fennel is fresh, vibrant, and packed with flavor and texture. Crisp fennel, peppery arugula, nutty farro, and crunchy almonds come together in a zesty lemon vinaigrette that brightens every bite. Spring asparagus adds its signature snap, while radishes and fresh herbs keep things extra lively. It’s light, satisfying, and just fancy enough to impress at lunch or dinner. Bonus: it holds up beautifully for leftovers!
Fresh fennel, asparagus, radishes, arugula and herbs team up with farro, crunchy almonds and pine nuts, plus a tangy lemon vinaigrette to make this flavorful salad.
You might also like this lemon and parmesan chopped salad, panzanella (Italian tomato and bread salad), or perhaps an easy Asian chicken salad.
Why You’ll Love It
Such great flavors: Fresh veggies, crunchy nuts, tender farro, peppery arugula, and more combine to make this flavorful salad recipe.
Easy to prepare: Once you’ve cooked your farro and prepared your vegetables, you simply have to toss everything together with lemon vinaigrette.
A versatile dish: You can enjoy this fennel salad as an appetizer, as a side dish or as a main course, topped with your preferred protein.
Shaved Asparagus Salad Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Fennel: Its fresh, slightly licorice-like taste adds depth without being overpowering.
Asparagus: Fresh asparagus pairs wonderfully with the fennel, adding its distinctive flavor to the dish.
Radishes: Adds a crisp, peppery and slightly spicy flavor.
Baby arugula: For a bold, peppery taste.
Farro: A delicious grain to make the salad satisfying.
Nuts: I like to add roasted almonds and toasted pine nuts.
Fresh herbs: Any combination you like. Try mint, basil, parsley, chives, or a combination of several.
Panko breadcrumbs: For crunch.
Whole lemon vinaigrette: This bright and tangy lemon and olive oil based dressing goes so well with the other flavors in the salad. Try my whole lemon vinaigrette!
How to Make Fennel Asparagus Salad
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the vegetables: Trim the fennel stems with a sharp knife, keeping some fronds for a garnish. Cut the fennel in half lengthwise and thinly slice it. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and shave it into thin ribbons (this mandoline makes slicing quick and easy!) Cut the radishes into very thin slices.
Combine the ingredients: Add the fennel, asparagus, radishes, arugula, farro, and half the almonds and fresh herbs to a large bowl. Lightly toss with the fresh lemon vinaigrette and serve immediately, garnished with the rest of the almonds, herbs, panko, pine nuts, and fennel fronds.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free: Swap the farro for a gluten-free alternative such as rice, millet or quinoa,
Bulk it up: To turn this salad into a full meal, add cooked lentils or a can of drained white beans. Both options provide extra protein and make the salad more filling while complementing the other flavors.
Roasted almonds: Substitute slivered almonds or crushed pistachios.
Pine nuts: Toasting pine nuts gives them a richer, nuttier taste. Pine nuts toast quickly, so stir them frequently over low heat and keep a close eye on them to prevent burning. They add a delicate, buttery flavor that makes the salad extra special. If needed, you can swap them for sunflower seeds, which provide a similar crunch, or simply omit them if you prefer a nut-free option.
Farro: Farro gives the salad a hearty, chewy texture, but you can swap it for other grains depending on what you have on hand, perhaps bulgur or quinoa. If you prefer a lighter salad, you can even omit the grain entirely and add extra arugula or vegetables.
Arugula: If you aren’t a fan of arugula’s peppery flavor, you can substitute another type of salad leaf.
A touch of spice: Add crushed red pepper flakes.
Serving Suggestions
As an appetizer: Enjoy this asparagus and fennel bulb salad as a light appetizer before any kind of main dish, such as a reuben sandwich with onion rings, or perhaps chicken vesuvio.
As a side dish: This is one of the best salads to serve with anything from a roasted chicken to Italian steaks.
How to Store Fennel and Asparagus Salad
Store: This salad is best served fresh, otherwise the dressing will make the arugula wilt and the breadcrumbs soften. If you know you’re going to have leftovers, keep the unused salad and the vinaigrette in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator, and combine them just before serving.
Freeze: This is not a freezer-friendly recipe.
Top Tips
Shaving the asparagus: Hold each spear by the tip and shave downward along the stem with a vegetable peeler. This technique creates delicate ribbons that blend beautifully with the other ingredients. When you can’t shave any more, snap off the remaining tip and toss it into the salad for extra texture. If the asparagus spears are particularly thick, you can also halve them lengthwise before shaving for thinner, more even pieces.
Prepping the fennel: You’ll get about 2 cups of sliced fennel once it’s trimmed and shaved. If using a small mandoline, quarter the bulb first to make slicing easier and safer.
Toasting the almonds: Even if you buy pre-roasted almonds, a quick re-toast can make a big difference to their aroma and flavor. Heat them in a dry skillet over a medium heat or in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes until fragrant. This intensifies their nutty flavor and gives them a crispier texture, which adds more crunch to the salad. Let them cool slightly before chopping—if they’re still warm, they can lose their crunch.
Prepping the panko: Toasting panko breadcrumbs in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, makes them golden and crispy, enhancing their texture and flavor. Let them cool completely before adding them to the salad so they stay crunchy. Sprinkle them over just before serving. If making extra, store the toasted panko in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.
Don’t dress the salad until serving: If you’re serving a crowd, consider setting out the dressing on the side so guests can add it themselves.
Shaved Fennel Asparagus Salad FAQs
If making this salad in advance, toss the shaved fennel, asparagus and radish with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. This keeps the veggies fresh and crisp for up to 2 hours before serving. Store them covered in the fridge, then add the arugula, farro, dressing, and toppings just before serving to maintain the best texture.
Not a fan of lemon vinaigrette or out of some of the ingredients? This salad would also be good with French dressing, ranch dressing or a simple yogurt-based dressing.
Shaved Fennel Asparagus Salad Recipe
Shaved Asparagus Salad with Fennel
Equipment
- Mandoline Optional
Ingredients
- 1 Bulb fennel, large, fronds attached
- 6 Spears asparagus, thick
- 2 or 3 radishes
- 3 Cups baby arugula
- 1 Cup farro, cooked, from ⅓ to ½ Cup uncooked
- 1/3 Cup almonds, roasted, finely chopped
- ¼ Cup fresh herbs, chopped, any combination of mint, basil, chives, or parsley
- ¼ Cup panko breadcrumbs, toasted
- 2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- whole lemon vinaigrette
Instructions
- Trim the fennel stems and reserve ¼ cup of the fronds for garnish.
- Halve the fennel bulb lengthwise and, if liked, remove a portion of the inner core. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice the fennel.
- Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus into thin ribbons.
- Use a mandoline or sharp knife to thinly slice the radishes.
- In a large bowl, combine the shaved fennel, asparagus, radishes, arugula, farro, half of the almonds, and fresh herbs.
- Just before serving, lightly toss the salad with the vinaigrette to coat evenly.
- Garnish with the remaining almonds, herbs, panko breadcrumbs, pine nuts, and reserved fennel fronds.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Toasting the almonds: Even if you buy pre-roasted almonds, a quick re-toast can make a big difference to their aroma and flavor. Heat them in a dry skillet over a medium heat or in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes until fragrant. This intensifies their nutty flavor and gives them a crispier texture, which adds more crunch to the salad. Let them cool slightly before chopping—if they’re still warm, they can lose their crunch.
Prepping the panko: Toasting panko breadcrumbs in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, makes them golden and crispy, enhancing their texture and flavor. Let them cool completely before adding them to the salad so they stay crunchy. Sprinkle them over just before serving. If making extra, store the toasted panko in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.
Don’t dress the salad until serving: If you’re serving a crowd, consider setting out the dressing on the side so guests can add it themselves.
Nutrition
Shaved asparagus salad with fennel makes a delicious appetizer or side dish. It’s easy to whip up and definitely the kind of springtime salad you’ll crave often. The paper-thin sliced and mandoline-shaved vegetables make it easier for their individual flavors to mingle and meld. The veggies are paired with cooked farro for heartiness, fresh herbs, panko and toasted nuts for crunch, and a zingy Dijon mustard and lemon juice vinaigrette for the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
