25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (2024)

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by Marcie //February 14, 2022 (updated 3/4/24)

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If you’re wondering how to use fennel, look no further than this collection of 25 of Fennel Recipes! You’ll find a number of recipes to inspire you, along with its nutrition benefits, how to cut fennel, and so much more!

Fennel was never an ingredient that I sought out, or even heard of when I became a stay at home mom over 20 years ago.

I first learned about it in an episode of Barefoot Contessa when Food Network had just started. Ina Garten was roasting it, and she gushed about how amazing and underutilized it was.

I tried it soon after that, but it didn’t become a staple for me until I started cooking school. We worked with it a lot in class, and it quickly became one of my favorite ingredients. It’s been a staple in my kitchen ever since!

Last month when I was working on the photos for this post, I took a poll on my Instagram stories asking people if they use fennel. 60% said they did not, which got me thinking that most people probably have no clue how to use fennel at all.

I hope the information that I’ve included here, along with the 25 Fennel Recipes at the bottom of this post will inspire you try it, or use it more often.

If you love produce, be sure to check out the following collections:

Butternut squash recipes
Cabbage recipes
Chicory recipes
Cranberry recipes
Fava bean recipes
Fig recipes
Kabocha squash recipes
Leek recipes
Persimmon recipes
Poblano pepper recipes
Rhubarb recipes
Shish*to pepper recipes
Swiss chard recipes
Tomatillo recipes
Winter fruits and vegetables

What is fennel?

Fennel is a bulbous vegetable that’s a member of the carrot family. It’s a very hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feather-like fronds, or leaves.

The bulb is in layers similar to cabbage, but the layers are thicker and harder. The fronds are very delicate and may be used as an herb would (think dill). While the stalks are edible, they’re quite tough and aren’t widely used.

The origin of fennel is the Mediterranean, and it has many culinary and medicinal uses. There are two types: Florence fennel has a white bulb, as pictured in this post, and Sweet fennel (anise) is used for seeds.

What does fennel taste like?

Fennel has a very mild, sweet anise flavor. It’s crunchy, crisp and bright when served raw, and like onions, it becomes very tender and the flavor mellows significantly when it’s cooked. It’s extremely versatile and pairs well with root vegetables, chicken, pork, lamb and fish.

Fennel fronds are aromatic, delicate and have a mild anise flavor. They’re great used as an herb or a garnish.

What is fennel good for?

Fennel is used as a vegetable in a variety of dishes. It adds a crunchy, crisp texture when it’s used raw in salads or slaw, and the fronds may be used as an herb or garnish. Fennel is also amazing cooked and makes a great addition to soups and roasted vegetables.

The seeds of the fennel plant are widely used as a spice. Fennel seed is featured in Indian, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. In fact, fennel seed is one of the 5 spices included in Chinese 5 spice.

Fennel seeds are also used to make sausages and absinthe.

What are the health benefits of fennel?

Fennel is a good source of vitamins and minerals including iron, magnesium, zinc, niacin, calcium, potassium, vitamin K and vitamin C.

It also has many medicinal uses, and is used to treat anemia, indigestion and constipation. It’s also believed to reduce heart disease, regulate blood pressure and improve brain function.

If you’d like to learn more, talk to your doctor about any conditions that you may have.

How to grow fennel

Plant by seed in midsummer, or 60 days before first frost, for nice, full bulbs. Grow in full sun and in rich soil that gets plenty of moisture and has a near neutral pH. A combination of compost and organic planting mix is ideal.

Choosing and storing fennel

Choose fennel that is firm with bright green stalks and fronds, and a bulb that’s free from discoloration.

It should be stored in the crisper drawer for up to 1 week. Remove the stalks to save space in the refrigerator if you’re not planning to use them. Just don’t forget to reserve the fronds!

I like to prep my fennel ahead and store it in an air tight container to add to my salads during the week.

How to cut fennel

(1) Place the fennel on a cutting board, and using a sharp knife, remove the stalk and the base of the fennel. If slicing the salads, remove the core. Leave the core intact if cutting into wedges for roasting. Stand the fennel upright and cut in half. (3) Slice thinly for salads, slaw and stir fries, or cut into wedges for roasting! See the video below for a full tutorial on how to cut fennel.

25 delicious fennel recipes

There are so many delicious ways to use fennel, and I hope the recipes inspire you to to try it or use it a lot. more often!

Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado

Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado is a bright, refreshing winter salad that will brighten any day! It's served with a tangy, sweet orange vinaigrette and comes together in minutes!

Spicy Fish Tacos with Fennel Slaw

Easy grilled fish tacos are topped with a bright flavored cabbage and fennel slaw in these Spicy Fish Tacos with Fennel Slaw.

25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (2024)

25 delicious fennel recipes

Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado

Spicy Fish Tacos with Fennel Slaw

Italian Sausage Tomato Orzo Soup

Radicchio Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Easy Spatchco*ck Roast Chicken

Orange, Fennel, and Pickled Onion Salad

Roasted Eggplant Fennel Pizza with Whipped Garlic Feta

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

Spring Green Risotto with Peas, Asparagus, and Fennel

Creamy Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Olive Oil Braised Chicken with Citrus, Fennel and Turmeric

Italian Chopped Salad

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Fennel, Lemon and Rosemary

Golden Beet and Fennel Soup

Fresh Pink Grapefruit Fennel Salad

Red Kuri Squash and Fennel Soup with Savory Granola

Easy Crock Pot Stuffing

Tomato Herb and Beer Poached Cod with Caramelized Fennel

Fennel and Apple Slaw

Oven-Roasted Orange Chicken with Fennel

Italian Parmesan Baked Fennel

Healthy Baked Catfish

Arugula Salad with Fennel and Blood Oranges

One Pan Italian Chicken and Vegetables

Holiday Slow Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes

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