This creamy vegan fennel salad is exactly what I want to be eating in the winter. It’s rich, it’s filling, it’s perfectly wholesome and it’s absolutely delicious. I don’t often eat salads, so when I do, I need to know that it will leave me feeling completely satisfied, and this simple fennel salad definitely fits the bill!
And the best part is, this raw fennel salad looks like a lot of components, but if you pay attention to the order that you do everything, it’ll only take you about 20 minutes. Just start with tossing the tempeh in the oven, then prep the walnut cream and the dressing, chop your veg, and assemble! It doesn’t hurt that this winter fennel salad also uses bread as its main vehicle, meaning you can dip, tear, and crunch your way right into 2023.
Table of contents
- The ingredients you will need for this fennel salad with tempeh
- How to make crispy tempeh
- How to make the walnut cream
- Why are there two “dressings” for this fennel salad?
- How to assemble and serve this vegan fennel salad with tempeh
- FAQ
- What to use in a fennel salad recipe if you don’t like fennel
- Looking for other salad recipes?
The ingredients you will need for this fennel salad with tempeh
- 8 oz. pack of tempeh
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup walnut halves
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, plus more as needed
- 3-4 sprigs fresh dill, stems removed
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 lemon, for juicing
- 1 medium fennel
- 1 small red onion
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- Kosher salt & fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup torn basil and mint, optional, but really delicious
- 2-4 slices thick sourdough bread, for serving
How to make crispy tempeh
Crispy tempeh is soon going to join the ranks of crispy quinoa, I can just feel it. Not only is it packed with protein, it’s an utterly delicious topping that is a great replacement for roasted nuts in a recipe. The tempeh won’t pack quite the same crunch, but it will have some great bite to it that you can achieve in only 15 minutes!
To make it, just crumble or chop up the tempeh until it is in small crumbles. Drizzle with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and season with salt. Roast at 400°F for 15-18 minutes, or until the tempeh is golden brown.
How to make the walnut cream
Once the tempeh is in the oven, everything else is laid out in a certain order so that you’ll be done with the recipe right when the tempeh is done!
To make the walnut cream, first soak the walnuts for a few minutes. This really helps soften them up for the blending process. It’s around this time you’ll soak the cranberries too, but that’s for a different component of the recipe.
After the walnuts have soaked, drain the water (you’ll want to use fresh later) and add it to a blender with the dill, capers, and juice from one lemon. Blend until smooth and season with salt and pepper! It’s that easy!
Why are there two “dressings” for this fennel salad?
Short answer: because I’m a maximalist! Just kidding, just kidding, the real answer is that I wanted two distinct layers of flavor to this salad, and if I was already making one component, why not maximize it into two? So the walnut cream was already one of the base parts of the recipe (you can see me use walnut cream in another salad here, I just love the stuff) and whisking it in with the cranberries, honey and mustard just seemed like the right move to make the salad dressing a perfect balance of earthy and sweet. And then we have leftover walnut cream for the bread! It’s a win-win-win for this vegan fennel salad recipe.
How to assemble and serve this vegan fennel salad with tempeh
Even with two dressings, assembling this fennel salad is quick and easy. Add the fennel, fronds and red onion to the bowl and toss to coat in the dressing. You can use salad tongs for this, but clean hands are also welcome! Season with salt and pepper as needed.
If using, add the torn basil and mint. Fresh herbs are really going to add another layer of flavor with the fennel fronds. When the tempeh is out of the oven, toss half in with the salad and use the other half for topping. Spread each slice of bread with a small amount of walnut cream and pile high with the salad. Sprinkle with the remaining tempeh and serve!
FAQ
Absolutely! This salad is wonderful when you make it ahead. You can dress it ahead of time, but for optimal serving I recommend dressing it right before you want to eat it. Store all the components separately to make sure they last the week!
I like to store this fennel salad ready to assemble, but all in separate containers. This means have the fennel and onion in one airtight container, and the tempeh in another, and the dressings in their own separate holders. Store in the fridge and it should all last up to 5 days!
You absolutely don’t have to, you can sub the fennel for any other thick winter vegetable like kale, cabbage, swiss chard etc. Just make sure to thinly slice the vegetables you choose to use, and maybe include the herbs in the recipe for some extra flavor that you’ll miss from the fennel!
Absolutely not, you can sub this for any toasted crushed nuts, or even my crispy chickpea recipe (see the blog for more details!)
What to use in a fennel salad recipe if you don’t like fennel
Look, I get it, fennel is a divisive veg! I personally love it, but some people can be off-put by fennel’s very distinctive taste and even more distinctive, fibrous texture. If you are averse to fennel, I’ve found removing the stalks can remove a lot of the licorice flavor, and it’s a great starting point if you are open to trying fennel again. However, if you are strictly Team “no fennel thank you!” here are a few other vegetables I recommend:
- Kohlrabi – a bit harder to find, and just as fibrous, but a real treat if you slice it thinly.
- Kale – because you know I love it, plus it can really stand up to this dressing!
- Savoy cabbage – sliced razor thin, of course.
- Swiss chard – ditto, the thin slicing here makes all the difference.
Looking for other salad recipes?
I have a few that people are loving lately! Here are my favorites from the blog:
And that’s everything for this plant-forward fennel salad recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Fennel Salad with Tempeh & Walnut Dressing
Equipment
- 1 small blender
- 1 chef's knife
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pack of tempeh
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup walnut halves
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar plus more as needed
- 3-4 sprigs fresh dill stems removed
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 lemon for juicing
- 1 medium fennel
- 1 small red onion
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- Kosher salt & fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup torn basil and mint optional, but really delicious
- 2-4 slices thick sourdough bread for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Roughly crumble or chop up the tempeh, until no piece is bigger than the size of a pea. Scatter on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes or until the tempeh is golden brown and has some bite to it.
- While the tempeh is baking, prepare the rest of the recipe.
- In a measuring cup, pour boiling water over the walnuts. Let the hot water help them soften for 1-2 minutes.
- In a separate cup, pour the red wine vinegar over the cranberries to help soften them as well. Set aside.
- Drain the walnuts and add them to a small blender with the dill, capers, and juice from one whole lemon. Add 1/3 cup of water and blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Next, remove the fennel stalks from the bulb. Reserve 2 cups of fronds for the salad, and store away the rest of the stalks for later use. Then thinly slice the fennel bulb and thinly slice the red onion.
- In a large bowl, add the mustard, honey, cranberries and vinegar and about 1/4 cup of the walnut cream. Mix together to form a dressing.
- Add the fennel, fronds and red onion to the bowl and toss to coat in the dressing. Season with salt and pepper as needed. If using, add the torn basil and mint.
- When the tempeh is out of the oven, toss half in with the salad and use the other half for topping.
- Spread each slice of bread with a small amount of walnut cream and pile high with the salad. Sprinkle with the remaining tempeh and serve!
I wasn’t sure if you were supposed to drain the cranberries before adding them in?
I don’t drain them, but if you find your vinegar ratio to be excessive, feel free to drain about half of the amount!
So delicious and quick to make! Will be making again asap!
Such a good winter salad! The crispy tempeh was lovely, and the salad was awesome and came together super fast. Please write a cookbook!!
So crunchy and balanced!! Delicious and felt so refreshed after— Justine u never miss
Loved this recipe! I’m not sure if my lemon was just super juicy, but I found I needed to use a full cup of walnuts to get the walnut cream to the right consistency. Otherwise it was quite watery.