Fennel is divided into three parts; leaves, stalks, and bulbs. Leaves are usually chopped and used as a garnish, stalks are too tough and extremely fibrous but can be used to make stock, tea, stew, broth, soups, etc. Likewise, the bulb or the base has its own use. These flavors are citrusy and like licorice.
Being used as a flavoring agent and scent, fennel has been also used as an herbal remedy for stomach conditions and poisoning. Because of these reasons, there are several fennel recipes that are appropriate for you to make use of this herb.
1. Tempered Fennel sauce (Fennel Chutney):
It is a side dish that could be used as a dip as well. The amazing part about this recipe is it can be used as a taste enhancer for any kind of main dish as per the preferences.
To make the dish, separate the leaves and cut the fennel stalks and bulbs into chunks. Add green chili, salt, Sichuan pepper, and a little garlic all together and let it come to a boil. Once done, take it out in a clean bowl and let it cool. After it cools, grind or blend it in a blender to make a sauce. It is recommended to use a stone grinder if available.
Now pour a little mustard oil in a tempering pan, once heated, add Sichuan pepper, pepper, fennel seeds, and mustard seeds all together in the oil to sizzle. Pour the sizzling oil over the sauce. Stir the tempered sauce well to mix it evenly. Enjoy it as a dip or as a sauce by adding lemon.
This salad is an easy-to-make that needs no cooking. Separate the fennel bulb from the fennel stalks. Cut the bulb in half. Trim off the inner triangle part at the bottom close to where stalks were connected through the root and once taken off slice the bulb evenly.
Take a red radish and shave a thin layer off its skin. The layer should be thin enough for it to have some redness at the edge still. Chop them across in a thin circle and then slice those chopped parts thickly but individually. This is to let each piece of the radish have a red color at the top and bottom.
Make a dressing by mixing lemon juice, oil, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix the dressing with the sliced bulb and radish. Stir it well to mix. Serve it on a plate and top it off with a parmesan garnish of fennel leaves.
3. Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel
This is a dish perfect for dinner. This easy-to-make yet tasty dish is the best choice to give a perfect ending to an exhausting day.
To make this pasta dish, boil the pasta till it cooks firmly to the bite. Keep a little water aside to use later and then strain the pasta to drain the remaining water. Cook crumbled sausage in oil until brown. Take a little fat left from the sausage for flavor and cook by adding oil, sliced carrots, and fennel bulb into the oil. Season it up well with salt and pepper. Cook it stirring until tender.
Add pasta, pasta water, cheese and sausage. Zest lemon in it and add the lemon juice. Let it simmer for a bit. Take it off of heat and let it sit to thicken. Drizzle the oil and serve it with generous garnishing of cheese, fennel leaves, lemon wedges, etc.
4. Labneh Dip with Caramelized Onions and Fennel
Labneh is known as yogurt cheese which can be used as a dip or base. It is an amazing choice for breakfast because of its beneficial probiotic bacteria, calcium, and vitamin A.
For this dip, take plain yogurt, cover it in a muslin cloth roll the excess cloth tightly, and put weight over the tightened cloth to strain all the moisture overnight. Cook onion and fennel in thyme and salt until brown then add fortified wine and Worcestershire sauce and cook till caramelized.
Add garlic and salt in labneh and spread it on a plate. Top it off with a caramelized mix and a drizzle of oil. Pair it with mashed avocado and a sprinkle of flake salt for the perfect combination.
Salad is a healthy choice to have for any meal at any time of the day. It is one of the best choices to achieve a balanced diet while still maintaining the lightness of the meal.
In order to make this dish, season celery, fennel, zucchini, beans, vinegar, and oil in a bowl with salt and pepper. Set it aside. Recommended to refrigerate it for an hour. Once done chop up almonds and mix it as a topping.
It pairs well with chicken, lamb and any white wine best wine choice would be Sauvignon Blanc. Season some more salt and pepper and enjoy with the above mentions.
6. Sausage Ragout with Fennel
The dish is great for dinner so that at the end of the day our palate gets to taste an amazingly fulfilling dish that can be made in less than half an hour. This will give a fully satisfactory but delicious ending to the exhausting day and tired body.
Cook broken sausage until browned and to this, sdd red onion, fennel, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper until the onions become translucent and the vegetables wilt. Add chicken broth and white wine and then simmer. Once done add chopped parsley.
Serve the ragout on top of a blend of quinoa or red quinoa; garnish with Parmigiano. This dish goes well with polenta, millet, oats, and buckwheat, and for wine, cava, Syrah, and Aperol Spritz is a good choice.
7. Caramelized Fennel, Celery, and Sardine Pasta
This pasta is one of the most preferable recipes for dinner and lunch because of its ease of making, high nutritional value, mouth-watering taste, and ability to keep one full for a long time.
To make this, al dante the pasta and save 1 cup of water before draining it all. Caramelize the celery stem, fennel bulb, and garlic in a little oil till tender and deep golden. Mix it all together in a skillet and cook it well. Add fennel fronds, and celery leaves, zest the lemon and stir.
Grill the unsmoked canned sardines and fold them gently in the pasta by breaking them up into uneven pieces. Season it with salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil. Serve it with simple salad preferably green and garlic bread on the side or can be stored airtight for 3 days if refrigerated.
This summer salad is a popular choice as a dinner side or for a light lunch. It requires no cooking which also makes it easy and faster to prepare.
Dip the sliced raw fennel to soak up in olive oil and lemon juice just enough that they wilt slightly yet still tender to bite. Pour the mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and ground black pepper into sliced fennel, cucumber, and peaches.
Plate the mixture after adding feta and bind it with pesto. Drizzle it with olive oil and season it as per the taste. Serve it with a garnish of crunchy nuts and fennel fronds.
9. Maple glazed fennel
This summer, trying out the combination of maple with fennel should be on the list of "MUST DO". This mouthwatering dish is also called caramelized fennel and is a hundred percent beginner-friendly.
Cutting up the fennel bulb into 4 wedges with the root end intact is the key. Cook it in a skillet with a little oil until golden brown on both sides. Add broth, garlic, orange juice, a little vinegar, as well as maple syrup, and a season of salt and pepper. Cook it covered until tender. It will look as if the fennel is coated in a layer of sauce.
This amazing saucy-looking side dish goes well with any dish either with meat, poultry, seafood, or even salads. Serve it hot to be able to enjoy the best form of the taste of fennel.
10. Roasted Fennel Pasta with Lemon & Ricotta
This Roasted Fennel Pasta recipe is an appetizing meal to have at any time of the day. Although it needs a little skillful work, but the magic it does to the palate makes it worth the trouble and effort.
Roast the sliced and seasoned fennel in olive oil until tender and golden. Cook garlic in butter, add shallot, and a little parsley until fragrant. Mix the ricotta cheese and lemon juice together, add the breadcrumbs, and toast until browned and season again if needed.
Boil the mix of lemon zest, juice, water, and olive oil to make a sauce. Add roasted fennel, fronds, and saved pasta water in the Al Dante pasta in the sauce. Cook until it is well coated and then season it with salt and pepper. Top with breadcrumbs and ricotta in layers. Garnish and serve.
This Smoked Salmon, Avocado, and Fennel Salad is a fast and easy recipe that makes a healthy and tasty choice for a delicious lunch or light dinner. It helps to keep the appetite light and healthy.
Cut and add lettuce, fennel bulb, cucumber, smoked salmon, Fennel fronds, red onion, and sprouts in a big bowl. Coat it with a homemade dressing and mix it thoroughly. Add the seasoning of pepper and salt as per the taste.
This salad pairs best with creamy dill dressing made by whisking mayo, sour cream, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth and then adding dill and fronds to enhance the flavor. Add avocado at last to avoid oxidization. Garnish with dill and fronds again and enjoy.
12. Fennel and Chickpea Salad
This scrumptious meal can be taken as a lazy day meal which can be made without cooking and without compromising the taste buds. This dish is a preference for lunch because of its minimal way of preparation.
Make a vinaigrette by mixing salt, pepper, lemon, a drizzle of oil, a little vinegar, and Dijon mustard. To prepare this salad mix chickpea, celery, and fresh fennel altogether in the prepared vinaigrette and toss it well. Because it has no lettuce and other softening ingredients that soften after being marinated in salt, this salad stays crunchy the whole day even if it is packed in the morning to have it for lunch.
In fact, it can be stored in the refrigerator, airtight then it can be stored for three days. It is the appropriate dish for the potluck because of the preparation method and validity. The salad would go well with Aperol Spritz or wines like Sauvignon Blanc.
13. Pasta with Roasted Fennel
This pasta with roasted fennel gives an irresistible sweetness when combined with white wine, lemon, heavy cream, and a little chili flake. This simple-looking dish that takes a little cooking time will definitely make the dinner look luxurious.
Roast the sliced fennel bulb in olive oil, a pinch of sugar, and a little salt till it caramelizes. Boil the pasta Al Dante and save a cup of salty pasta water before straining. Make a sauce by simmering olive oil, pepper, and a little pasta water together. Add the pasta and cheese and add water gradually till it thickens creamy.
Serve it hot, however, magic can be expected when this pasta is served with Garlic Bread. Add more salt and pepper if needed for the taste.
This in-hand recipe is easy and a no-stress kind. The maker will have to do just a little effort and a lot of waiting for this to be made. This dish is the best meal for either breakfast or dinner.
To make this dish, cut the fennel bulb and unpeeled potatoes into thick wedges. Pour water into a pan with the potatoes, olive oil, fennel bulb, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together to boil. The water should be just enough to cover the potatoes. Boil the potatoes well without making them mushy. Heat the liquid up until only olive oil remains in the pan.
Add the potatoes back to the oil, season it with salt and pepper, and then toss it well to coat all over evenly. Plate it and serve after garnishing it with the fennel frond. Serve immediately as this dish tastes better when served hot.
15. Braised Fish with Fennel and Tomato
Braised Fish with Fennel and Tomato is a savory dish that brings a delightful harmony between the tender white fish that is infused with the aromatic flavor of fennel and sweet cherry tomatoes. This dish is a great treat for summer nights and makes it feel like heaven during winter nights.
Prepare braising liquid by boiling oil and water in a pan with wine, fennel, garlic, tomatoes, salt pepper, and lemon slices until the fennel softens and the tomatoes begin to peel apart. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper and half-submerge them in the saucy liquid to simmer.
When done, plate it by putting a little braising sauce into the dish and then top it up with fish. Drizzle a little olive oil, and sprinkle more pepper if needed. Enjoy it with a glass of wine.
16. Farro Salad with Fennel, Golden Raisins, and Radicchio
Farro salad with fennel, golden raisins, and radicchio is a rich fiber-packed salad, which is extremely healthy and very good for the gut and digestive system. If it is ensured that the meal has plenty of veggies, protein, and healthy fats, then this dish can be an option for the meal at any time of the day..
Take lemon juice, shallot, honey, salt, pepper, and oil together and whisk well. Add the whisked mix to the golden raisins and sliced fennel. Boil the overnight soaked farro with seasonings and set aside to cool once done.
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl with mint, radicchio, and fennel fronds. Season it again with salt and pepper if desired and serve. The dish goes well with legumes to provide the complete nutritional package of amino acids and proteins.
Seafood is considered a staple meal and Seafood in Fennel Broth is a nutritious choice to make to start the day healthy and filling. These can taste even better and are extremely fulfilling during the winter. Although can be eaten at any meal, it is better to have these either during breakfast or at dinner.
For this dish, mix oil, butter, salt, fennel, shallots, and garlic and roast them until the vegetables turn golden on the sides then add paprika, coriander, cumin, and vermouth together and roast again till it cooks to a thin sauce. Pour clam stock with clams and beans, over the sauce and let clams cook until open, after done take the clams out of the mix.
Stir fry the fish until just cooked and the shrimp till opaque and mix it all in the broth with the clams. Garnish with lemon, parsley, and fennel fronds, and enjoy it piping hot with salads or mashed potatoes.
18. Orange-Fennel-Olive Relish
This Orange-Fennel-Olive Relish is a very quick and easy dish to make that requires little to no cooking, this dish can make anybody's day. It is great to have it as an option for either a light breakfast or a light lunch.
Grate the zest of orange and then remove the pith. Cut between the individual membranes and remove them into separate segments. Cut some of the membranes into bite-size pieces and squeeze some for the juice. Mix these pieces of orange with fennel, mint leaves, olives, salt and pepper, and a drizzle of oil.
Toss all the mixture together for the evenly coated seasoning and serve. This bright orange relish is perfect to pair up with a salad made of cooked grains and feta. It goes well with pan-seared salmon, as well as grilled chicken cutlets.
19. Roasted Fennel and Artichoke Hearts
These sweet and savory tastes of Roasted Fennel and Artichoke Hearts can make the lunch memorable. This dish is easy to make and beginner friendly so can be on the learning list of many.
To make Roasted Fennel and Artichoke Hearts, arrange a fennel bulb and canned artichokes to add a subtle flavor to this meal. Season them with salt and pepper and keep them roast with a drizzle of oil. Roast them until they caramelize golden brown on both sides.
Drizzle with the remaining oil and the lemon juice. Garnishing it with aromatic herbs such as fennel fronds, thyme, parsley, basil, and Roman mint hints as light menthol counterbalance to the bitterness. The dish tastes amazing with lamb, chicken, or eggs.
Author
Editor
Naveen Maharjan
Naveen Maharjan is the Head Chef at Porterhouse Hospitality Group, bringing years of culinary expertise and a passion for fine dining. With a diverse background in renowned establishments, Naveen has previously served as Chef de Partie and Commis Chef at Hyatt Regency Kathmandu, and as a Pizza Maker/Cook at Fire And Ice Pizzeria in Kathmandu. Additionally, Naveen has honed skills at the Radisson Hotel, where he worked in various culinary capacities.
A graduate of Silver Mountain School of Hotel Management, where he studied Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, and SMSH:DICA, Naveen has built a strong foundation in the culinary arts, which continues to shape his creative approach to cooking.
Now based in Tamworth, New South Wales, Naveen combines his rich experiences with a commitment to delivering high-quality dishes, making him a respected figure in the hospitality industry.
