Crunchy Carrot and Fennel Salad with Sesame Lime Dressing

Crisp, refreshing, and naturally sweet, this carrot and fennel salad is easy to make, low in calories, and rich in fiber and nutrients. It’s the kind of simple side dish that works with almost any meal — from breakfast eggs, to steak, to a hearty vegetable stew. With ribboned carrots, thinly sliced fragrant fennel, and a simple, bright sesame lime dressing, this has become one of my favorite healthy salads to make again and again.

Why I Love This Salad

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with making this carrot and fennel salad as a refreshing and nourishing vegetable side dish. This is why I love it so much:

It’s very easy to make. You just need a few carrots, a fennel bulb, and a handful of pantry ingredients you most probably already have. If not, consider this a sign to always keep some raw organic sesame oil, coconut aminos (although, if you eat soy, gluten-free soy sauce works too), and rice vinegar around. A mandolin makes it easy to thinly slice the fennel, but with a little patience, a sharp knife works too. And for the carrots, all you need is a vegetable peeler to create those beautiful ribbons — a trick I learned while making my ribbon carrot salad.

It’s delicious. The carrots and fennel are crisp, naturally sweet, and incredibly refreshing. The fennel brings that subtle anise-like flavor I love so much, while the coconut aminos add depth and umami. The lime juice brightens everything up and balances the sweetness perfectly. And the toasted sesame seeds — especially if you crush them slightly — add such a beautiful nutty flavor.

As for the garlic, that’s completely up to you. If you are someone who loves garlic on everything, go ahead and add it. It works beautifully here, both for flavor and for the added nutritional benefits. But if garlic is not your thing, or you simply don’t want to smell like garlic afterwards, you can skip it. The salad is delicious either way.

It’s low-calorie, low-carb, and high in fiber, while also fitting into so many dietary frameworks: gluten-free, lectin-free, soy-free, nut-free, and dairy-free. It’s nourishing, satisfying, and incredibly versatile. You can serve it with almost anything, at any time of the day. Sometimes I even eat it on its own as a crunchy snack.

I hope I convinced you to give this carrot and fennel salad a try. It’s truly a keeper.

Ingredients

For the Dressing

• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon raw sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 lime
• Optional: 1–2 garlic cloves, minced (only if you love garlic)

For the Salad

• 2—3 large carrots
• 1 large fennel bulb
• The prepared dressing
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 
• Sea salt flakes

How to Make Carrot and Fennel Salad

Prepare the dressing: In a small jar, combine all the dressing ingredients. Shake well until emulsified. Taste and adjust—add more garlic if you like it punchier. I usually stick with one medium clove for a subtler flavor.

Prepare the fennel: Wash and quarter the fennel bulb, removing the top, woody part with fronds. Slice each quarter using a mandolin (the thinner the better), then place the sliced fennel in a salad spinner or bowl with cold water. Set them aside. When all the rest of the ingredients are ready, just drain the water and use the spinner to dry the fennel before adding it to the salad bowl. 

Prepare the carrots: Wash and peel the carrots. Using a vegetable peeler, shave them lengthwise into thin ribbons. You won’t be able to use the entire carrot, so save the cores for a snack or to add to a soup stock bag.

Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, toss the carrot ribbons with the sliced fennel, and the dressing. Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and sea salt flakes to taste. For more intense sesame flavor, you can crush or blend half of the sesame seeds into a powder. 

Serve: Transfer to bowls, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and enjoy — I don’t know why, but chopsticks make this salad taste better. This salad makes a refreshing side dish or a satisfying crunchy snack any time of day.

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