This bright and fresh Fennel Asparagus Salad tastes like Spring in a bowl! Inspired by the simple salads of the Italian countryside, this dish showcases spring asparagus at its best. Paired with crunchy fennel, Parmesan cheese, and a light lemon dressing, this is a delicious way to enjoy the season’s best Asparagus. This is a favorite Spring salad!

Want more tasty ways to eat asparagus? Try this crowd-pleasing Bacon Wrapped Asparagus. And if you want something heartier, you’ll love this Fresh Asparagus Pea Lemon Pasta. Or if you looking for a gorgeous spring side then try our Creamy Sugar Snap Peas with Bacon or this main, Italian Easter Pie would go great. Lastly, keep with tradition with our Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce – Julia Child’s Recipe.

Overhead of Fennel Asparagus Salad with fresh lemon slices

Doesn’t this asparagus salad just scream Spring? It’s just a handful of simple ingredients, but the flavor combination is spectacular!

HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE

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OXO Swivel Vegetable Peeler

Organic Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Porcelain Serving Bowl Set with Handles, 3 Packs

What Goes into Fennel Asparagus Salad

I’m convinced that the best salads are the simplest. I didn’t want to overshadow the asparagus in this recipe, so there are only a handful of ingredients, each picked to highlight fresh spring asparagus.

All of these ingredients were easy to find in my everyday grocery store! Asparagus season is here now. This salad is lovely and light and gluten-free too. For all the nutritional information, see our recipe card.

INGREDIENTS

fennel bulbs

one bunch of asparagus

shaved Parmesan cheese

lemons

extra virgin olive oil

fresh thyme

salt and pepper

slivered almonds (optional)

Can Asparagus be Eaten Raw in a Salad?

Not only can asparagus be eaten raw in a salad, but it’s also actually delicious! In this salad, there is no need to cook the asparagus to enjoy its bright flavor and crunchy texture.

To make sure the asparagus is enjoyable to eat raw and cold, it’s peeled and then sliced into bite-size pieces.

How to Make Fennel Asparagus Salad

Fennel bulb sliced in half, one half with the core removed.

How to Cut Fennel

To begin, cut the greenery off the fennel bulbs. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the bulbs in half and then cut out the triangular-shaped core in each half. Using a knife or a mandolin, thinly slice the fennel.

Thinly sliced fennel on a cutting board.

How do you cut Asparagus for salad?

First, for this asparagus salad recipe, take a potato or vegetable peeler and peel from the bottom of the asparagus stalk upwards to the tip and peel off a few thin ribbons of asparagus.

When it gets too thin to peel (after approximately 2 to 4 peels, depending on the thickness of the asparagus), cut the tip off the asparagus and cut the stem into 2-inch pieces, discarding the bottom piece if it’s too woody.

Look how pretty that shaved asparagus is. This alone can be dressed up and put on top of a chicken breast, salmon fillet, or even a steak to give a spring meal that extra oomph.

Add all the ribbons, tips, and 2-inch pieces to the salad. See how easy that is! No need to bring a large pot of water to boil or use a cold water ice bath. Eating asparagus fresh like this is amazing and gives you much more flavor for this great recipe without going near any boiling water at all.

On a platter or in a large bowl combine the sliced fennel, the prepared asparagus, and the Parmesan cheese.

In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice (from one fresh lemon – about 1/4 cup), fresh thyme, and salt and pepper. Then drizzle over the fennel, asparagus, and Parmesan. Toss to evenly distribute the dressing.

Garnish with fresh slices of lemon and slivered almonds, and then you’re ready to enjoy this delicious Fennel Asparagus Salad!

Overhead of the partial bowl of Fennel Asparagus Salad, lemon slices on the side.

What Goes Well With Asparagus?

This Fennel Asparagus Salad makes an excellent spring side dish. If you’re wondering what to serve it with, the following are excellent with asparagus:

Hard-Boiled Eggs or Deviled Eggs – eggs and asparagus go lovely together like in this dish for Eggs and Asparagus in Mornay Sauce.

Salmon – Salmon is so lovely in the spring.

Roasted Potato – Roasted potatoes are great year-round but give asparagus a “rich” friend to hang out with.

Grilled Chicken – BBQ is a spring joy after being locked away in the house for meals for so long.

Pasta – Whether it is a hot cream pasta or a cold pasta salad, either would go great with a side of this Fennel Asparagus Salad.

Quiche – A gorgeous and healthy spring quiche would marry well with this salad too.

Roasted Ham – And lastly, a ham at Easter would be lovely to accompany this salad. They could be friends for life!!

Any of these dishes paired with this asparagus salad make a crowd-pleasing Spring menu. Bonus points if it’s warm enough to actually eat it outside!

Fennel Asparagus Salad in a bowl, overhead.

Square photo, overhead of Fennel Asparagus Salad

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