Cucumber & Fennel Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing

Cucumber and fennel salad with lemon basil dressing please! The sun has been shining in the desert and that just makes us crave a healthy, clean, delicious and cold salad. Phew! Thank goodness for the sunshine…she gets lots of credit for this one! ha ha Anyway, this salad is literally bursting with flavor. We happen to love fennel so it’s a win anytime we can incorporate it into a recipe.

We have used the lemon basil dressing in some of our other recipes like this chopped chicken salad so you might want to check that one out too because it’s just too good. Okay, back to the star of this show…this salad is so refreshing and makes a perfect side dish. Pair it with your favorite fish or some grilled chicken and you are good to go.

There’s only a few cast of characters in the recipe which makes us happy. All you need is an English cucumber (we prefer these guys because they have fewer seeds than the other cucumber guys), a fennel bulb, avocado, celery and the lemon basil dressing. You can make the dressing in advanced so this salad is even more of a cinch to throw together.

Just chop everything up and throw it into a bowl. For the fennel, you want to use the bulb and the leaves. They have so much flavor.

You can make the dressing ahead of time which makes this salad even more of a piece of cake. ha ha You wish this salad was cake! Wow. It must be late. Please don’t judge. Anyway, if you haven’t made the dressing yet, add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend it up. Add the olive oil slowly after the rest of the goods are blended.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss until it’s all nicely combined. Yum!

What to Eat with this Cucumber & Fennel Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing?

I love eating this Cucumber & Fennel Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing alongside pasta dishes like Lemon Kale Pesto Pasta with Seared Shrimp or Chicken Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna. It also makes a really nice side for heavier dinners like roasted chicken or grilled meats, This salad is really light and probably will go great with any other dishes for dinner or lunch.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 english cucumber, seeded and chopped
• ¾ C fresh fennel bulb, sliced thin and roughly chopped
• ½ C celery, chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh fennel leaves, chopped
• 1 large avocado, cut into cubes
• ½ C lemon basil dressing
• S&P; to taste
• *Optional – ½ C crumbled feta cheese

For the Lemon Basil Dressing:

• juice of 1 extra large lemon or 2 medium lemons
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1 C loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• ¼ C 0% plain greek yogurt
• 1½ Tbsp honey
• ¼ C good quality olive oil
• S & P to taste

How to Make Cucumber & Fennel Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing?

Step 1:

First, let’s make the lemon basil dressing. Take your blender and add the lemon juice, chopped garlic, basil leaves, Greek yogurt, and honey. Blend until everything looks smooth. Then, while the blender is still running, slowly add the olive oil so it mixes well and becomes creamy.

Step 2:

Now. In a large mixing bowl, add the chopped cucumber, thinly sliced fennel bulb, chopped celery, and chopped fennel leaves. Pour the lemon basil dressing over the veggies and stir everything together until it’s all coated.

Step 3:

Next, fold in the avocado cubes. If you like cheese, you can add crumbled feta at this stage too. Mix it lightly so the avocado doesn’t get squished. After of course you can enjoy it.

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowl
• Blender or immersion blender
• Spoon or spatula

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS?

Put the Fennel Salad in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. I recommend to eat it within 1-2 days. The avocado might turn a little brown, but it will still taste good.

FAQ

What does fennel taste like?

Fennel tastes a little like licorice and has a fresh, little bit sweet crunch.

Can I use regular cucumber instead of English cucumber?;

Yes.

What if I don’t have lemon basil?

Regular basil works just fine.

Is this salad vegetarian?

Yes, it’s vegetarian.

What can I use instead of Greek yogurt?

You can try sour cream.

CONCLUSION

Cucumber & Fennel Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing is a cool, crunchy dish that’s can be super enjoyable with your family at dinner

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