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Home » Recipes » Salads

Fennel Cucumber Salad

Published: May 15, 2023 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 8 Comments

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Fresh and light, this fennel cucumber salad combines the delicious flavors of anise and dill. It's so quick and easy to make in just 10 minutes and always a crowd-pleaser served as a summer side salad with BBQ food or picnic food!

Do have a peek at my cucumber and mango salad and cucumber pomegranate salad for more refreshing salad ideas!

fennel cucumber salad on a white plate next to dill, a blue cloth and salad servers.

Much like my apple cucumber salad and my beet and cucumber salad, this cucumber and fennel salad is just the thing for a light summer salad, whether for lunch with some toppings or as a side salad.

It's so easy to make my fennel salad with dill, with all simple steps. All we need to do is some slicing of vegetables and a stir of oil, honey, dill and apple cider vinegar to make a flavorful dill dressing. I'm sure your guests will enjoy this fennel dill salad with their summer BBQ food if you're entertaining!

Enjoy more salad ideas with my dill cucumber salad, bok choy salad and radish apple salad!

Jump to:
  • ⭐ Why this recipe is so good
  • 🥒 Ingredients
  • 📖 Swaps and variations
  • 🧀 Ideas for toppings
  • 📖 How to cut a fennel bulb for salad
  • 🔪 Step by step instructions
  • 💭 Expert recipe tips and notes
  • 📋 Frequently asked questions
  • 🍽 How to serve cucumber and fennel salad
  • 🥗 More fun salad recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

⭐ Why this recipe is so good

Light and refreshing. With hydrating cucumbers and slightly crunchy fennel, this is a light salad with moreish anise flavors and fragrant dill.

Versatile. Serve this fennel cucumber salad as a side or add some toppings for a heartier lunch recipe.

Quick and easy. No complicated steps, it all comes together in about 10 minutes!

🥒 Ingredients

individually labelled English cucumber, fennel bulb, honey, dill, olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.

Some notes on a few of them:

  • Cucumber - I suggest to use English cucumber or Perisan cucumber for this salad recipe.
  • Fennel - use fresh unbruised produce and give it a good wash as dirt often hides between the layers!
  • Dill - I suggest to use fresh dill rather than dried herbs.

📖 Swaps and variations

Add apple or radish. If you like extra crunchy vegetables and fruit, then some finely sliced apples and radish go so well with the fennel and cucumber flavors.

Add a squeeze of lemon juice. If citrus works for you, then you can add a small squeeze (likely not suitable if you're looking for low histamine diet recipes).

Swap dill for mint or parsley. If you're out of fresh dill, then mint and parsley are both good options for a summer salad!

🧀 Ideas for toppings

To make this cucumber and fennel salad more hearty and a main lunch recipe rather than a side salad, you can add:

  • Fresh mozzarella, cottage cheese or goat cheese, if they work for you, are all tasty!
  • Shredded chicken or turkey.
  • Adding crushed unsalted pistachios, pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds gives a nice flavor and crunch!
  • For a creamier salad dressing you can use a little of my dill tahini dressing as a swap for the oil-based dressing below in the recipe card.

📖 How to cut a fennel bulb for salad

For this recipe, the fennel just needs a few steps before you add to your salad:

  1. Slice off the tougher stalks and fronds of the fennel.
  2. Give it a good wash, removing any dirt between the layers and discarding any bruised or dry outer layers.
  3. Cut the fennel in half lengthways, through the root.
  4. Finely slice with a knife, or use a mandolin, going horizontally across the fennel. If your fennel is larger in size you may wish to cut into quarters first.
  5. Finely slice the fennel until you come to the tougher root at the bottom, which you can discard.

For more tips see the post by the It's a Veg World After All on preparing fennel.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Making this fennel cucumber salad recipe is very easy, and has just a few simple steps.

All the instructions are in the recipe card below, but these process shots should help guide you.

sliced fennel on a wooden chopping board labelled number one.

Step 1: Finely slice the fennel

Remove the stalks of the fennel bulb, then cut lengthways through the root. Either use a mandolin or sharp knife to cut across for thinly sliced fennel pieces (image 1).

sliced cucumber on a wooden chopping board labelled number two.

Step 2: Finely slice the cucumber

Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, then use a sharp knife to cut horizontally so you have half moon shapes (image 2). It is to preference whether you first remove the seeds or not.

olive oil dill salad dressing in a glass bowl with a spoon in it labelled number three.

Step 3: Make the dill dressing

Combine extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, finely diced dill, honey, salt and optional black pepper and stir or whisk (image 3).

cucumber and fennel salad in a glass bowl labelled number four.

Step 4: Combine the fennel salad

Add the finely sliced fennel and cucumber to a bowl and toss in the dill salad dressing (image 4).

💭 Expert recipe tips and notes

  • Slice the fennel and cucumber quite finely. If you have one, a mandolin is a good tool to slice the fennel. But a sharp knife works well too!
  • Although the apple cider vinegar will help slow down browning, I suggest to slice the fennel fairly shortly before you serve the salad.
  • It's down to preference whether to peel the cucumber or not. Personally I do not, as I like the extra crunch and it isn't necessary with English cucumber or Persian cucumber as they have edible skin.
  • Adjust the amount of dill and apple cider vinegar in the dressing to taste preference.

📋 Frequently asked questions

Can you put raw fennel in a salad?

Raw fennel is delicious in salads. Prepare the fennel by either using a mandolin or finely slicing with a sharp knife.

Do I have to use a mandolin to make a shaved fennel salad?

If you want very thin slices for a shaved fennel salad then a mandolin is easier, but you can also simply slice your fennel finely with a sharp knife.

Which cucumber is best for salad?

English cucumber and Persian cucumber are both good options for salads as they have thin edible skin that doesn't have to be peeled. Persian cucumbers have relatively few seeds and so are less watery than many other types of cucumber.

Do you peel and de-seed cucumbers to make salad?

If you are using English cucumber or Persian cucumbers then you don't need to peel them as they have thin skin. Whether you scoop out the seeds or not is down to preference.

Is this fennel cucumber salad vegan?

We use honey in this salad for the dressing. For a vegan option, swap the honey out for maple syrup.

🍽 How to serve cucumber and fennel salad

  • Serve as a side dish with BBQ food such as my paprika chicken kabobs or my turkey skewers for a fun dinner. Pair with my mango slaw as it's always a crowd-pleaser!
  • Refreshing salads always go so well with simple dishes such as my rosemary skillet chicken, turmeric turkey, baked fish or rice dishes.
  • Pair with other salads for a picnic lunch. My beet and broccoli salad and creamy vegetable pasta salad are great accompaniments!
fennel cucumber dill salad on a white plate next to fresh dill and a blue cloth.

🥗 More fun salad recipes

Find so many flavorful and fun ideas on my salads page, including my popular butternut squash and beetroot salad and fresh corn and mango salsa. Some recent recipes to enjoy:

  • chicken pesto pasta salad in a white bowl next to fresh basil leaves, radishes and salad servers.
    Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
  • roasted beet and carrot salad on a white plate.
    Beet and Carrot Salad
  • cucumber celery salad on a white plate next to fresh mint leaves and olive oil.
    Cucumber Celery Salad
  • beet kale salad in a light brown bowl next to fresh beets and a bottle of olive oil.
    Roasted Beet Kale 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 I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ and comment if you've tried the recipe!

📖 Recipe

fennel cucumber salad on a white plate next to wooden salad servers and fresh dill.

Fennel Cucumber Salad

Claire
This fennel and cucumber salad makes the most of light summer produce and flavorful fresh dill. Quick and easy to make, it works perfectly as a summer side salad with BBQ food or as picnic food.
5 from 9 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, British
Servings 4 servings
Calories 91 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ English cucumber finely sliced
  • 1 small fennel bulb stalks and fronds removed, finely sliced
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 tablespoon dill diced
  • pinch salt
  • pinch black pepper optional

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the fennel by slicing off the stalks and fronds. Slice lengthways through the root. Then finely slice horizontally with a sharp knife or use a mandolin.
  • Slice the cucumber lengthways, then slice into half moon shapes. If you wish, you can remove the seeds with a small spoon or peel the cucumber.
  • Combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, diced dill, honey, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir or whisk to combine.
  • Add all the salad ingredients to a bowl and toss to coat the vegetables in the dill dressing. Adjust with more salt or black pepper to taste.

Notes

  • English cucumber and Persian cucumbers have thin edible skin, so don't have to be peeled, but you can if you prefer. Scooping out the seeds is also down to preference.
  • While the apple cider vinegar will help slow browning, I suggest slicing the fennel shortly before you serve the salad.
  • If lemon juice works for you, then add a small squeeze (likely not suitable for my low histamine readers).
  • Using a mandolin will give you very finely sliced fennel, but if you don't have one a sharp knife and steady hand will work too!
  • Adjust the dressing to taste preference, with more apple cider vinegar, salt or black pepper.
  • Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
 
Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance
All ingredients score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:
  • dill scores 1, with a note, 'Small amounts not usually a problem. High salicylate content'.
  • apple cider vinegar, which scores 1. White distilled vinegar scores 0 as a swap.
  • black pepper, which scores 2.

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 32mgPotassium: 301mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 133IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @lowhistaminekitchen or tag #lowhistaminekitchen!
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Comments

  1. Pauline S says

    April 14, 2025 at 5:09 pm

    Fennel was on sale, so I searched for recipes while standing in the store. I had all the other ingredients except dried dill vs fresh.
    I used a mandolin to get thin slices.
    The dressing was not strong enough for me, so I added more ACV and salt. Perhaps my dill was old, although I hadn't had it long. Basically, the taste was not bold at all without doctoring. If you are looking for a more subtle flavor, this recipe is perfect as written. Next time I make it, I may add bell peppers.
    Thanks for posting it!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      April 14, 2025 at 5:17 pm

      Hi Pauline, it is best to use fresh dill if you have it, as it has a much better, fresher and I would suggest stronger flavor. Glad you enjoyed the salad!

      Reply
  2. CK says

    October 14, 2024 at 8:10 am

    5 stars
    Served this with pan-fried ocean trout - added some sliced avocado and lettuce to bulk it out. Absolutely delicious, thank you!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      October 14, 2024 at 12:34 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment.

      Reply
  3. Jessica Rivera says

    May 16, 2024 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    Made with dried dill because i didn't have any fresh, still came out great! Loved adding lemon as well!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      May 16, 2024 at 5:32 pm

      Oh nice to know that dried dill works too! Thanks so much for letting me know and taking the time to comment 🙂

      Reply
  4. Jules says

    May 13, 2024 at 9:46 pm

    5 stars
    Made this at the weekend to enjoy with proteins or cheese throughout this week. It’s now Monday evening and it’s down already! Husband discovered it and dove in! It’s a great salad and the honey is a lovely touch.

    Reply
    • Claire says

      May 13, 2024 at 9:51 pm

      This made me smile! So glad you both enjoy it, and keep making it as a summer salad this year!

      Reply

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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.

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