Summer Fennel Salad with Feta, Watermelon & Pecans

There's a place on the Florida Space Coast where you can dine on the rocks. Literally. I've got a picture below to prove it. But you won't be roughing it.

While watching dolphins, seabirds, and boats go by, you can enjoy a fancy green salad packed with goodies like shaved fennel, candied pecans, finely diced watermelon, and crumbled feta cheese. Orange blossom honey mustard vinaigrette is drizzled over the top.

It's a green salad with a unique combination of flavors I would never have dreamed up. Thank you, River Rocks!

I enjoy this copycat version when I can't make it to the restaurant. It's equally perfect for special occasion dinners and potlucks.

If you look closely, you can see a very long bar running along the rocks. From here, you can look out over the water and enjoy this salad and lots of other tasty things.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this show-stopping summer fennel salad:

For the base salad:

• Tender salad greens - We used butter lettuce. Most bib lettuces are delicate and have a mild flavor. That said, any lettuce will work in this recipe, including romaine, mixed field greens, and even arugula.
• Pecans, butter, and brown sugar to make candied pecans. If you want to save a few calories, toast and chop the pecans.
• Fennel - Read more about fennel in the section below.
• Watermelon - This ingredient really gives a summery vibe. It's also delicious with orange segments instead.
• Feta cheese - Goat cheese can be used instead.

For the orange blossom honey mustard dressing:

• Canola oil or other mild oil, such as avocado oil.
• Dijon mustard
• Honey (Orange Blossom honey is obviously the best choice!)
• Orange juice
• White wine vinegar
• Shallots
• Salt
• Pepper

Please refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions.

Fennel FAQ

If you have yet to enjoy fennel, you may have a few questions!

Directions with Pictures

Several ingredients for this summer fennel salad require prep. Below, you'll see the steps with pictures.

When you're done, toss everything in a big bowl or plate individually and drizzle with orange honey mustard vinaigrette.

Candied Pecans

To candy the pecans, add butter and brown sugar to a skillet or pot. Melt and stir the mixture over medium heat. Stir in the pecans and coat them with the sugar mixture.

Remove pecans to wax paper and allow them to cool and set while preparing the rest of the salad ingredients.

Shaved Fennel

The best way to serve fennel raw in a salad is papery thin! Here's how to do it.

1. Remove the roots from the fennel bulb if not already removed.
2. Cut off the green fronds. You will be using only the white bulb in this recipe. Save the other parts for another recipe.
3. Cut the bulb in half and cut out the hard middle part.
4. Use a mandoline or knife to shave the bulb into very thin pieces; the thinner, the better!

Diced Watermelon

Another surprising ingredient in this summery salad is diced watermelon. It adds a pretty pink color and sweet flavor, which nicely complements fennel and other ingredients.

Cut the watermelon into long, skinny rectangular pieces and then into smaller diced squares.

Orange Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

This summer fennel salad is only complete with orange honey mustard vinaigrette. Unfortunately, I don't have River Rocks' secret salad dressing recipe, but this one is delicious. Simply mix all of the ingredients together in a glass jar and shake well!

Make-Ahead Tips

This salad is best plated and served fresh. However, the dressing and candied pecans, can be made in advance. Store the dressing for up to a week in the refrigerator.