Fennel and Apple Salad with Burrata
This fresh Fennel and Apple Salad with burrata is the perfect balance of crunchy textures, fresh acidity and creamy richness. And best of all, it’s ready in just 10 minutes and you can even prepare it in advance! In this recipe, I’ll show you how to prepare this beautiful salad.
In This Article
When I plan a dinner with friends, I like to serve a salad as a starter to offer beginn with something fresh and healthy. And sometimes the simplest things are the best! This fennel and burrata salad with apples and mint is always a hit.
Why You’ll Love This Fennel Salad!
There are recipes that you make once and then come back to again and again. This salad is definitely one of them!
- Little effort, great effect: You don’t need a stove or oven, just a mandoline and preparation is done in 10 minutes.
- Healthy & refreshing: The salad is packed with vitamins and fiber – perfect if you’re looking for a light meal or side dish that won’t weigh you down.
- Ideal for guests: You can make it in advance and leave the fennel and apples to marinate (it will taste even better!) so that you can relax and be with your guests.
Recipe card
Fennel and Apple Salad with Burrata
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Ingredients
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 1 apple Granny Smith or Golden
- 2 fresh burrata cheese (about 6 oz in total)
- 1 lemon for the juice and the zest
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 handful fresh mint finely chopped (+ for decoration)
- 1 tbsp pistachios chopped
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Wash the fennel, set aside the fronds (if any), and thinly slice the bulbs using a mandoline.
- Wash the apple, core it, and slice it thinly or cut into matchsticks using a mandoline.
- Place the fennel and apple in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss everything well to combine.
- Let the salad sit in the refrigerator (or a cool place) for 30 min or 2 hours. This is important to soften the fennel and allow the flavors to fully develop.
- Just before serving, gently fold in the fresh mint. Divide the salad onto plates.
- Carefully place the burrata cheese balls in the center. Garnish with chopped pistachios, mint leaves, and fennel fronds. Drizzle with a final touch of olive oil.
Notes
Nutrition
The 5 Ingredients Explained
We don’t need many ingredients for this recipe, so quality and the right preparation are crucial!
- Fennel: It is the main ingredient of the salad! It is important that you slice the fennel very thinly. I recommend using a mandolin or a sharp knife. If the fennel is cut too thickly, it can appear a little tough.
- Apple: I love the Granny Smith variety for this recipe. It has a lot of acidity, which goes perfectly with the slightly sweet aniseed flavor of the fennel.
- Mint: I love the mixture of mint and lemon and here it also goes wonderfully with the fennel. It’s important to keep a few nice leaves for decoration at the end.
- Burrata: Make sure you take the burrata out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving. When it is at room temperature, the core (the stracciatella) is particularly creamy and the flavor develops best.
- Pistachios: They are the icing on the cake. The pistachios not only give the salad a great color, but also a nice crunch. I like to chop them coarsely to retain the texture.
My tip: If possible, plan the 2 hours infusion time if possible! During this time, the lemon juice and salt slightly break up the cell structure of the fennel. It loses its hardness, becomes tender and combines with the apple in terms of flavor.
3 Ideas for variations of the Fennel and Apple Salad
If you fancy a change, here are my suggestions:
- Nuts: Replace the pistachios with roasted walnuts or pine nuts.
- Fruit: Instead of Granny Smith apples, you can use a ripe pear or orange segments. Both options harmonize wonderfully with the freshness of the mint.
- Cheese alternative: If you can’t get burrata at the moment, the salad also tastes great with crumbled feta or fresh goat’s cheese.
More Salad Recipes
- Chicory salad with oranges and walnuts
- Broccoli and chickpea salad with tahini vinaigrette
- Cucumber salad with crème fraîche
- Salad with goat’s cheese and figs
- Salad with grilled zucchini, feta and mint
And for more, you can find my 20 delicious and modern salad recipes here!
