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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Published: Apr 28, 2022 · Modified: May 10, 2022 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · Leave a Comment

    Pear and fennel salad

    This pear and fennel salad is fresh and light, with a flavourful mint dressing. Perfect as a summer side salad for BBQs, picnics and potlucks, it's a vegan, gluten free and low histamine recipe.

    pear and fennel salad on a white plate with a gold rim next to pears.

    I love combining fruit with vegetables for a summer salad as it adds such a lovely sweetness. Apples, pears and fresh summer peaches are always a go-to for me! For some other ideas you may also like to see my stone fruit caprese salad, tropical mango coleslaw and apple, fennel and radish salad. All full of fruity flavour!

    This fennel salad recipe combines crisp fruit and vegetables with a mint dressing. It's very quick and easy to make, and a lovely complement to BBQ food or summer spreads of many dishes.

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe is so good
    • Ingredients
    • Variations to the recipe
    • Step by step instructions
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Equipment needed
    • More salads to enjoy
    • Recipe

    Why this recipe is so good

    Fresh and crisp. Finely sliced fruit and vegetables have a lightness that goes so well with other dishes, and are perfect as a spring or summer salad.

    Balance of flavours. Sweet pears balance out the aniseed flavour of fennel, and the fragrant mint.

    Quick and easy to make. A very simple salad to make, taking just ten minutes (or less!).

    Salad without mayo! For those of us who either don't like mayo or find that it is isn't suitable for dietary requirements, this mint dressing focuses on olive oil as it's base.

    Ingredients

    all the ingredients to make pear and fennel salad.

    This pear fennel salad combines fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs and pantry staples for the dressing. All the ingredients you will need are detailed below in the recipe card, but a few notes on some of them:

    • Pears - any variety of pears works well. I suggest using them when they are ripe but still crisp. Too ripe and they will be a bit too soft.
    • Fennel - a flavourful aniseed taste, this is best sliced very finely. Too thick and the flavour can be a little overpowering.
    • Pistachios - while fennel salad often uses walnuts, I find that pistachios work well and are better for some dietary requirements. Be sure to use unsalted pistachios, and ones that have not been roasted.
    • Olive oil - I suggest using extra virgin olive for its depth of flavour (and health benefits too!).

    Variations to the recipe

    Swap pistachios for walnuts or pumpkin seeds. If you prefer walnuts, these work well, although I suggest my low histamine readers would want to stick with pistachios. Nut free? Pumpkin seeds give a good crunch too!

    Swap arugula for another salad leaf. Lamb's lettuce would also be lovely!

    Omit the freshly ground black pepper. While the pepper does add a nice touch of heat to the salad, this is optional if it's not suitable for you.

    Swap apple cider vinegar for white distilled vinegar. For those on a low histamine diet, white distilled vinegar scores 0 on the SIGHI list. Alternatively, leave out if vinegar isn't suitable for you.

    pear and fennel on a white plate with a gold rim next to pears and salad servers.

    Step by step instructions

    Making this summer salad is very easy with just a few steps.

    Step 1

    Make the mint dressing. Combine the ingredients for the dressing and stir well to combine (image 1). I find that dicing the mint works well as it is, but you can add all the ingredients to a blender if you wish.

    Step 2

    Crush the pistachios. If your pistachios are whole, then I suggest crushing into smaller pieces using the back of a spoon (or whizz for a few seconds in a blender) (image 2).

    salad dressing in a glass bowl.
    a spoon crushing pistachios on a wooden board.

    Step 3

    Finely dice the fruit and vegetables. Either slice using a knife, or use a mandolin if you have one, for very thin slices (especially the fennel) (image 3).

    Step 4

    Combine all the ingredients. Add the fruit and vegetables, along with the arugula and nuts to a bowl and then drizzle over the dressing (image 4).

    Recipe tip: slice the fruit and vegetables just before serving as they can brown very quickly. Then combine as soon as possible with the dressing, as the vinegar will help prevent browning.

    sliced pears and fennel on a wooden board with a knife.
    pear and fennel salad in a glass bowl with a spoon in it.

    Frequently asked questions

    Do I need to use ripe pears for a salad?

    It's best to use ripe pears for their sweetness, but not too ripe otherwise they won't be crisp.

    What can I use instead of a mint dressing?

    A honey dressing, such as the one in my apple, fennel and radish salad, would work well (note that this would make the salad vegetarian, rather than vegan).

    What are alternatives to apple cider vinegar for a salad dressing?

    If you want a lower histamine option, then white distilled vinegar may be more suitable. For those not on a low histamine diet, lemon juice can also be used.

    Equipment needed

    Sharp knife - to finely slice the fruit and vegetables.

    Mandolin - for those who wish to have a very fine dice of the ingredients, then a mandolin is your best option. Careful with fingers when using it!

    pear and fennel salad on a white plate with a gold rim on a grey and white cloth.

    More salads to enjoy

    You will find lots of spring and summer salads on my salads page, but here are some tasty recent recipes to try out:

    • Kale apple slaw
    • Turkey pasta salad (without mayo)
    • Broccolini slaw
    • Kale wild rice salad

    I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes. And please do leave a star rating if you tried the recipe!

    Recipe

    pear and fennel salad on a white plate with a gold rim next to pears and salad servers.

    Pear and fennel salad

    Claire
    This pear and fennel salad combines fresh, crisp fruit and vegetables for a light side salad perfect for summer BBQs and picnics. A vegan, gluten free and low histamine recipe. Serves 3-4 as a side dish.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, British
    Servings 4 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 small pears finely sliced
    • 1 fennel bulb finely sliced
    • 1 celery stick finely diced
    • handful arugula
    • ¼ cup pistachios crushed

    For the mint dressing

    • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoon mint leaves diced, more to taste preference
    • pinch salt
    • pinch black pepper optional

    Instructions
     

    • Make the mint dressing by combining all the ingredients and stirring well. Alternatively, add to a blender and blend.
    • Crush the pistachios with the back of a spoon.
    • Finely slice the pears, fennel and celery.
    • Combine all the ingredients in your bowl and drizzle over the dressing. Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Dice the fruit and vegetables, particularly the fennel, as finely as you can.
    • Prepare the fruit and vegetables last, just before serving, as they can brown quickly.
    • Make sure to use unsalted pistachios!
    • You can use whole pistachios if you prefer, but I suggest crushed is a little better and easier to eat in the salad.
     
    Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI) food compatibility list for histamine
    All ingredients score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:
    • pears, which score 1.
    • arugula isn't rated on the SIGHI list. Swap out for another salad leaf if preferred.
    • apple cider vinegar, which scores 1.
    • black pepper, which scores 2.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Hi, I’m Claire. After a diagnosis of MCAS I began to follow a low histamine diet, which has helped me manage my symptoms. Here I hope to show that a restrictive diet can still be full of flavourful meals, and help you enjoy being creative in the kitchen.

    More about me →

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    Please see my disclaimer. I am not a doctor or healthcare professional. All posts are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice in any way.

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