Fennel and Peach Salad

This summer salad has all my favorite ingredients: fresh herbs, crisp fennel & juicy peaches. Pistachios, pesto & feta give it tangy, rich pops of flavor.

Fennel and Peach salad

I think fennel is way too underrated. It’s one of my absolute favorite vegetables and I’m just waiting for the day that it becomes “the new” kale so that everyone will love fennel salad as much as I do. The wisps of raw fennel soak up olive oil and lemon juice just enough that they wilt slightly, but still keep a tender bite. To complement them, I like to add something juicy (peaches!), something creamy (feta and/or pesto), and something crunchy (pistachios).

My Fennel Peach Salad Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what’s in this delicious summer salad:

Peach salad recipe ingredients

  • Shaved fennel, for a crisp, flavorful base. If you have a mandoline, now is the time to use it. It’s the perfect tool for getting uniform, paper-thin slices of fennel that will soften in the bright lemon dressing.
  • Lemon, to make the fennel soften & sing
  • Cucumbers, to match the cool crispness of the fennel
  • Peaches, for bites of soft, juicy sweetness
  • Pesto, for bright, nutty richness
  • Feta, for creamy texture & tangy flavor
  • Pistachios, for crunch!

Of course, I tossed on a handful of mint and basil for good measure.

This is a great side dish, or add some roasted chickpeas to make it more of a meal. It keeps well in the fridge for about 2 days, so I like to have it with dinner on the first night and for lunch the next day.

Fennel, Peach, and Pesto Summer Salad

If you love this recipe…

Try this roasted cherry tomato salad, this tomato basil salad, this peach panzanella, or this pasta salad next, or check out my 51 best salad recipes!

5.0 from 7 reviews

Fennel, Peach, and Pesto Salad

 
Prep time
Total time
 
Crisp fennel contrasts perfectly with juicy peaches & creamy pesto and feta in this late summer salad. Serve it as a dinner side or pack it up for a light lunch.
Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 4 as a side
Ingredients
  • 2 medium fennel bulbs, sliced paper thin
  • 2 Persian cucumbers, very thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more for to taste
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 peaches, pitted and sliced
  • â…“ cup mixed basil and mint
  • 2 tablespoons toasted and crushed pistachios
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese*
  • Scoops of pesto (recipe below)
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, toss together the fennel, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and several grinds of black pepper.
  2. Arrange the fennel mixture on a platter along with the peaches, herbs, pistachios, feta, and scoops of pesto. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste as desired.
Notes
*Note: Make the salad vegan by skipping the feta and adding extra scoops of pesto.

Pesto
½ cup pepitas
1 small garlic clove
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups fresh basil
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a small food processor, combine the pepitas, garlic, salt, and several grinds of black pepper and pulse until combined. Add the lemon juice and basil and pulse again. With the blade running, drizzle in the olive oil.

 

15 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Liz
    08.19.2022

    What a beautiful and delicious salad, perfect for a summer gathering with friends. Several people commented that they don’t care for fennel but loved this salad and asked for the recipe. It’s such a fresh and bright combination of flavors and textures that come together so well. Light and full of flavor, especially with the pesto that was so good. I used vegan feta so it was 100% vegan.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.19.2022

      Oh I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it!

  2. Brian
    09.01.2021

    Excellent. I’d only cooked fennel before. This is so good we will be making it again.

  3. Amy
    08.01.2020

    Crazy fresh and flavorful! Perfect introduction to fennel and a new standby by for the indoctrinated.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.30.2020

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad 🙂

  4. Angelique
    07.09.2020

    This salad is EVERYTHING! My husband and I tried it for the first time last night and then we made it again tonight. SO GOOD!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.10.2020

      Hi Angelique, I’m so glad you loved it!

  5. Doreen
    06.21.2020

    I’m wondering how much a scoop of pesto is? Maybe a Tablespoon? Thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.21.2020

      I put maybe 1/2 teaspoon scoops all around so that when you scoop the salad, every portion would have a some.

  6. Amy
    08.26.2018

    What part of the fennel do you use/cut?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.29.2018

      The white/light bulb part, cut it paper thin (it’s easiest if you have a mandoline). Hope that helps!

    • Colene Ruggiero
      09.25.2019

      at Still trying to make hummus. Tahini out
      at stores must be popular still looking
      healthy ideas the BEST.

  7. Gaby Dalkin
    08.25.2018

    WOW, this salad looks unreal!

  8. Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite
    08.24.2018

    This salad just looks so refreshing!! 🙂

  9. sabrina from newkitchenlife.com
    08.24.2018

    another creative choice of salad ingredients, thank you, I love how you balance the different flavors, peaches, mint, pesto, wonderful!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.