Fennel is in season throughout the fall and winter, and while this aniseed-flavored delicacy may not be one of the most popular vegetables, teeth It’s one of the most versatile choices. Need proof? We’ve rounded up 20 fennel recipes that span all seasons, using different parts of the aromatic vegetable—from the hearty bulb to the delicate leaves. Our favorite fennel recipes include fennel, where the bulb is cored and sliced before being sprinkled with Parmesan and baked in the oven, leek and wild mushroom gratin, and salami and fennel pizza, which uses very thin fennel slices. and Fennel fronds can be used as a flavorful topping. Read on for more dishes that show just how amazing fennel is.
Sheet Pan Pork with Fennel and Apples
A perfect weeknight dinner for chilly fall evenings, it can be ready in about 40 minutes. This delicious meal features pork tenderloin roasted with apples and fennel and smothered in an orange-infused honey-mustard glaze. Roast everything first to create a golden crust on the pork, then turn up the heat and sear it to seal in the glaze.
Fennel, leek and wild mushroom gratin
Victor Protacio
Fennel is rarely the main ingredient in a dish, but it certainly is in this heartwarming side dish. Here, the aniseed-flavored veggie is sprinkled with Parmesan and roasted in the oven before being added to flavorful mushrooms and leeks. It’s then topped with Gruyere cheese and served with rich cream, Dijon mustard and warm nutmeg. Yummy!
Crispy honey mustard chicken and fries
Fred Hardy
What’s not to love about a crispy chicken dinner? Especially when it’s smeared with honey mustard and breaded. Plus, the chicken is served with a tangy coleslaw made with fennel, cabbage, and apples, and a generous serving of French fries, which are always good.
Avocado Grain Bowl with Beetroot Ginger Dressing
This hearty vegetarian recipe is one you’ll want to make again and again. A combination of rice, lentils and quinoa forms the base of this dish, topped with thinly sliced fennel and creamy avocado, and a bold dressing made with beetroot, ginger and kefir completes this healthy meal.
Salami and fennel pizza
This pizza is ready in just 35 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight treat. It starts with a classic base of tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella, then takes it up a notch with sliced fennel, spicy cherry peppers, and salty salami. Finally, top the pie hot out of the oven with lemony ricotta for a creamy treat. Pizza night has never tasted so good!
Sicilian-style sardine pasta
Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors-Hall
If you want to change things up with pasta, try this Sicilian-inspired dish packed with bold ingredients. In addition to fusilli pasta, it’s packed with cured sardines, golden raisins, crisp fennel, buttery pine nuts, and cruciferous kale leaves. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a tangy vinaigrette made with anchovies, garlic, and lemon. The great thing about this recipe is that it can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold.
Salmon with creamy cucumber and fennel salad
This recipe pairs fatty salmon with a crisp cucumber and fennel salad for a balanced and fresh meal. Believe it or not, this dish only takes 20 minutes to prepare, making it the perfect weeknight meal. Another great thing about this dish is that it uses fennel bulbs. and Having some fondo ready will reduce the amount of food waste that will be left over after dinner is over.
Smoked sardines on toast with lemon mayonnaise and fennel salad
Don’t forget the delicious toast: this recipe features sardine fillets on toasted bread smothered in a homemade lemony garlic mayonnaise and topped with a fresh fennel and radish salad. Pro tip: If you don’t like the fishy smell of sardines, use canned tuna instead.
Flavorful Seeded Granola
Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Granola is typically sweet, but this recipe proves that it can be savory (and delicious) too. Here, the oats are seasoned with nutty tahini, aromatic fennel and coriander seeds, and spicy crushed red pepper. Use the crunchy granola as a topping for avocado toast, soups, salads, and more.
Cod and clam chowder with smoky oyster crackers
What I love about this hearty soup is that it elevates the traditional chowder recipe with beautiful clam shells and tender chunks of cod, along with scallions and fennel. And because any soup is better with crackers, don’t forget the oyster crackers seasoned with smoked paprika and garlic powder.
Labneh with Pink Pepper, Coriander and Fennel Seeds
This classic Mediterranean appetizer is an easy make-ahead recipe that’s perfect for multi-course meals. This creamy dip is made from whole-milk yogurt strained overnight and seasoned with toasted, crushed pink peppercorns, coriander, fennel seeds, and olive oil. Serve this dip with raw vegetables or toast.
Pork fillet and gnocchi ragout
As you’ll see in this recipe, pork tenderloin is a popular meat because it cooks quickly. Here, the pork is seared on the stovetop and then cooked in the oven. Then, while the pork is cooking, the gnocchi is cooked in the pork fat left in the skillet, which adds flavor to the gnocchi. A hearty sauce made with plump grape tomatoes, fragrant fennel, and creamy butter brings the whole meal together.
Caramelized vegetables with poppy seed dressing
Simply take some of the brightest, crunchy veggies like beets, rainbow carrots, parsnips, and fennel, roast them, and you have yourself a fantastic side dish. The magic of this dish, which pairs well with any meat dish, is in the punchy poppy seed dressing made with tahini, lemon, olive oil, and of course, poppy seeds.
One Tray Maple Pork Chops
Don’t feel like washing dishes? We’ve got the perfect recipe for you! In this one-pan dish, pork chops are smothered in a spicy maple mustard glaze and baked with savory-sweet parsnips, fennel, and apples. An assortment of fruits and vegetables pairs perfectly with the juicy meat with a caramelized crust. And what we love most about this dish is that it’s ready in just 25 minutes.
Farro Bowl with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Caitlin Bensel
When it comes to grain bowls, this is one of our favorites. It’s also vegetarian-friendly. It’s made with a nutty farro base and is topped with caramelized sweet potatoes, crunchy fennel, and salty feta. It’s delicious on its own, but the pomegranate vinaigrette that’s drizzled on top of everything is so tasty you’ll want to slather it on everything.
Spicy fennel fried shrimp and celery
If you love shrimp, you’ll love fried shrimp. This recipe adds protein and herbal flavor from celery, fennel, and aniseed. When cooking shrimp, be careful not to turn them too many times, or they will char nicely.
Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Greg Dupree
For those nights when you crave comfort food, try this 30-minute dinner. This easy meal is packed with fluffy gnocchi, tender fennel, meaty sausage, and delightfully bitter broccoli rabe. But the real star of this meal is the rich ricotta. Serve topped with freshly ground black pepper for flavor contrast.
Crispy cod with orange and fennel
This recipe features crispy cod fillets, roasted fennel wedges, and orange halves served on the same baking sheet. The couscous is cooked separately, but the addition of roasted orange juice and spikes of coriander complete the flavorful base for this delicious meal.
Farro salad with tuna
This recipe uses fennel seeds as a base for a flavorful dressing that also includes sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil, which is then drizzled over a salad made with farro, slices of Bosc pear, radicchio, lots of arugula, and tender bottled tuna tossed in oil. Though the fennel is only in the dressing, it’s flavorful nonetheless.
Crispy pork cutlet with fennel and chickpea slaw
Thin, crispy slices of pork and a crunchy, flavorful salad (chickpeas, sliced fennel, celery, red onion, and an easy lemon dressing) bring the perfect balance to this 30-minute dinner. While the thin pork cutlets are baking in the oven, you’ll have plenty of time to prepare the salad to finish off the meal.
