Three ingredients in the dressing. Faster to throw together than finding your keys in the morning. Tastes like the kind of side dish you’d pay $18 for at a wine bar with the exposed brick and the chalkboard menu.
Fennel doing its anise-y thing, celery shaved paper thin (mandoline, trust me), cucumber for cool crunch, dill bringing the brightness. Then lemon, good olive oil, salt. That’s it. That’s the whole thing. Fancy without trying, and nobody needs to know it took you 8 minutes.
Why Fennel Makes This Salad Special
- Shave it PAPER-THIN on a mandoline (no thicker than a credit card, ideally)
- Those fronds are NOT garnish-only….toss them in for a fresh herbal kick
- Pick bulbs that feel HEAVY with tightly packed layers and feathery green tops
- Slice JUST BEFORE dressing or those paper-thin pieces oxidize in minutes
- Fennel adores lemon and peppery oil….this dressing lets both shine
Fennel’s subtle anise and serious crunch hold the whole bowl together. Skip it and you’ve basically got dressed celery (fine, but not this).
How to Shave Fennel Without a Mandoline
No mandoline? No problem. Grab your sharpest knife and a steady hand. Slice the fennel bulb in half lengthwise, then lay each half cut-side down for stability. Use a rocking motion with your knife to create paper-thin slices, working from one end to the other.
Want even more delicate shavings? A vegetable peeler works beautifully. Drag it down the length of the fennel half and you’ll get translucent ribbons that practically melt on the tongue. A box grater’s slicing side also does the trick if you want speed over precision.
Whatever method you choose, keep that fennel cold before slicing (firmer bulbs are WAY easier to shave thin) and you’ll get results that rival any mandoline. Toss those gorgeous shavings into your salad and call it a win!
Serve It Before It Gets Soggy
- Dress WITHIN MINUTES of serving…. no earlier.
- Cucumber, celery, and fennel release water once salted. Wait too long and you’ll have a soggy mess swimming in diluted vinaigrette.
- Prep everything ahead, store each ingredient separately in the fridge, then toss RIGHT before plating for that satisfying crunch.
This salad waits for no one!
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 180-220
- Protein: 2-3 g
- Fat: 13-15 g
- Carbohydrates: 14-18 g
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 3 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Lucini Premium Select for a peppery finish)
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp salt
For the salad:
- 1.25 cup fennel (shaved paper-thin with a mandoline)
- 1.25 cup celery
- 1.25 cup cucumber (peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch moons)
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
Step 1: Slice and Prep Vegetables
- 1.25 cup fennel
- 1.25 cup celery
- 1.25 cup cucumber
Using a mandoline, shave the fennel bulb paper-thin to maximize surface area for the dressing.
Chop the fennel fronds separately and set aside.
Cut the celery stalks into 1/4-inch slices on a slight bias—this creates more visual interest and helps them absorb the vinaigrette.
Peel the cucumber and slice it into 1/4-inch moons.
I find that peeling cucumber prevents any bitterness from the skin and gives the salad a more refined appearance.
Keep all vegetables separate until ready to dress, as this prevents them from releasing excess liquid too early.
Step 2: Whisk Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and salt first, allowing the salt to dissolve slightly into the acid.
Then slowly whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion—the high-quality peppery olive oil you use here really matters, as it’s the star of the dressing in such a simple recipe.
The emulsification helps the dressing coat the vegetables evenly rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Step 3: Toss and Marinate
- prepared vegetables from Step 1
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- vinaigrette from Step 2
Add all the prepared vegetables from Step 1—including the fennel fronds—and the fresh dill to the vinaigrette.
Toss gently but thoroughly to coat everything evenly.
I like to let the salad sit for just 2-3 minutes before serving so the vegetables can absorb some of the dressing while still maintaining their crisp texture.
Serve immediately for the best crunch and freshness.
Tasty Keto Celery Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Using a mandoline, shave the fennel bulb paper-thin to maximize surface area for the dressing. Chop the fennel fronds separately and set aside. Cut the celery stalks into 1/4-inch slices on a slight bias—this creates more visual interest and helps them absorb the vinaigrette. Peel the cucumber and slice it into 1/4-inch moons. I find that peeling cucumber prevents any bitterness from the skin and gives the salad a more refined appearance. Keep all vegetables separate until ready to dress, as this prevents them from releasing excess liquid too early.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and salt first, allowing the salt to dissolve slightly into the acid. Then slowly whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion—the high-quality peppery olive oil you use here really matters, as it's the star of the dressing in such a simple recipe. The emulsification helps the dressing coat the vegetables evenly rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
- Add all the prepared vegetables from Step 1—including the fennel fronds—and the fresh dill to the vinaigrette. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat everything evenly. I like to let the salad sit for just 2-3 minutes before serving so the vegetables can absorb some of the dressing while still maintaining their crisp texture. Serve immediately for the best crunch and freshness.