This grilled fennel salad is an ideal summer side—simple to prepare and a great match for grilled meats. Below you’ll find clear step-by-step instructions and photos showing how to trim and slice fennel for the grill.
Fennel is versatile: use it cooked, as in this recipe, or raw for a crunchy salad such as an orange and fennel salad.
For this Italian-style grilled fennel salad you’ll need fennel bulbs, oil-cured black olives, lemons, Parmigiano Reggiano (or a similar hard cheese), olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley.
How to make grilled fennel salad
- Ingredients shown: lemons, fennel, a block of Parmigiano Reggiano, and oil-cured black olives. Rinsing the olives under cold water helps reduce their saltiness.
- Trim the stalks from the fennel. Save the feathery fronds for garnish or another salad.
- Remove any brown or rough spots from the base with a vegetable peeler and trim about 1/4″ from the bottom.
- Slice each fennel bulb into roughly 1/2″ thick pieces so they hold together while grilling.
- In a bowl or bag, toss the fennel slices with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- Grill the fennel over medium to medium-high heat until well charred on both sides—about 5 minutes per side. Brush with a little extra oil if pieces start to stick.
- After roughly 10 minutes on the grill, transfer the fennel to a large platter.
- Grill the lemon halves, flesh-side down, for 3–5 minutes until nicely charred. Grilling makes lemons juicier and mellows their acidity.
Once plated, shave a generous amount of Parmigiano Reggiano over the warm fennel. Scatter the oil-cured black olives on top and drizzle 1/4 cup (or more to taste) of extra virgin olive oil over everything. Finish with chopped fresh parsley and a light sprinkle of coarse sea salt if needed. Serve each portion with a grilled lemon half for squeezing.
How to prepare and cut fennel for grilling
- Trim the stalks and reserve the fronds for garnish.
- Peel away any discolored spots with a vegetable peeler if necessary.
- Trim about 1/4″ off the base and slice the bulb into 1/2″ thick pieces for grilling.
- For raw preparations you can shave or thinly slice fennel with a mandoline or peeler.
- The entire bulb is edible, including the core; choose the cut that works for your dish.
What does fennel taste like
- Fennel has a mild licorice or anise-like flavor.
- Raw fennel is crisp and bright, great for salads; cooked fennel softens and develops a sweeter, more mellow profile while retaining its characteristic flavor.
Substitutions and additions
- Capers – Add 1–2 tablespoons, rinsed, for a briny contrast.
- Roasted red peppers – Provide color and sweetness that complements the fennel.
- Cheese – Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, or crumbled feta work well; omit cheese to make this a vegan side.
- Anchovies – Mince 1–2 anchovies into the extra virgin olive oil for a savory boost.
- Herbs – Fresh basil or thyme are nice alternatives to parsley.
Recipe details
Grilled Fennel Salad With Shaved Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 medium fennel bulbs sliced into ~1/2″ pieces
- 4 large lemons halved
- 1 block Parmigiano Reggiano for shaving
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup oil-cured olives pitted
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup parsley
Instructions
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Trim the fennel stalks. Remove any brown spots with a vegetable peeler, then trim about 1/4″ from the base. Slice the fennel into 1/2″ thick pieces.
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Toss the fennel with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley and halve the lemons.
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Grill the fennel 5 minutes per side over medium to medium-high heat until nicely charred. Grill lemon halves flesh-side down for 3–5 minutes until charred.
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Arrange fennel and lemons on a platter. Scatter the oil-cured olives on top, shave Parmigiano Reggiano generously over the salad, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with parsley. Taste and finish with coarse sea salt if desired. Serve with grilled lemon halves to squeeze over each portion.
Notes
- Oil-cured olives are salty—rinsing them will reduce the salt level.
- The whole fennel bulb is edible; this recipe favors larger slices for the grill.
- Good quality Parmigiano Reggiano can be substituted with Grana Padano if preferred.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 9 g
| Protein: 5.5 g
| Fat: 28.8 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
If you enjoyed this grilled fennel salad, please leave a rating and share your results—we’d love to hear how it turned out.