Fennel Pear Radicchio Salad with Toasted Walnut Ginger Dressing
Bitter radicchio, sweet and crisp pear, and crunchy fennel get tossed in a warm ginger dressing for a simple yet elevated side salad. The ginger, fennel, and radicchio are great digestion boosters, making it a nourishing addition to any hearty holiday dinner spread.
Ingredient highlight
Fennel! This flowering bulb is a member of the carrot family, surprisingly. It has a slightly sweet, licorice flavor and very pleasant refreshing crunch. I love cooking or roasting fennel because it brings out it’s natural sweetness.
Fennel is a good source of fiber, potassium, vitamins A + C, calcium, iron, and many other minerals. I love fennel for it’s heart-healthy nutrients and digestive supporting fiber and carminative properties.
Servings 6 – 8
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 5 minutes Ingredients
- 1 medium-large or 2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- ¼ cup apple cider or rice vinegar, divided
- ¾ tsp kosher salt, divided
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup raw walnuts
- 2-3 tsp grated ginger*
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 4-5 cups thinly sliced radicchio (1 small head or ½ small-medium)
- 2 crisp pears, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)(I used Bosc)
- Chopped parsley, for topping
- *I like this with the full tablespoon (3 teaspoons), but Dean found it too gingery. You can decide how gingery you want it to be!
- Prep- ahead option! ~ Prep the fennel and radicchio ahead, the pear will brown if you slice it ahead. Make the dressing ahead. To assemble, simply warm the dressing in the microwave until just warm and shake it up. Then assemble the salad!
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the fennel, 2 tablespoons vinegar and ½ teaspoon salt and toss to coat.
- In a small-medium skillet, add the olive oil and walnuts over low heat. Toast the walnuts in the oil until just fragrant, about 3-5 minutes, stirring/swirling the pan occasionally. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer the walnuts to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the oil behind.
- To the skillet over low heat, stir in the ginger for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, mustard, maple, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. To emulsify it better, transfer it to a heat-proof jar with a lid, let it cool off so it’s not super hot, then place the lid on and shake vigorously to emulsify.
- To the large bowl, add the radicchio and pears. Pour the warm dressing over top and toss to coat.
- Transfer to a serving platter or wide shallow salad bowl. Roughly chop the walnuts and scatter them on top along with the parsley, pepper, and a drizzle of good olive oil.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Grate ginger and make the ginger dressing
- Thinly slice 1 medium-large or 2 small fennel bulbs (about 4 cups)
- Thinly slice 4-5 cups radicchio
- Chop parsley, for topping
Substitutions:
- You could sub the radicchio for thinly sliced kale or arugula or use a mix.
- Replace the pear with crisp apples.
- Replace the fennel with celery, kohlrabi, or use a mix.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Eat the salad straight from the fridge or let it sit out to come to room temp for better flavor. Top with a squeeze of lemon, herbs, nuts, pepper, etc!
- Serve or toss with cooked farro and top with a couple fried eggs.
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