20 Fennel Recipes That Are Packed With Flavor
Because fennel is fantastic.
Greg Dupree
Fennel is typically in season in the fall and winter, and while this anise-flavored food may not be one of the most popular vegetables around, it is one of the more versatile choices. Need proof? We’ve put together a roundup of 20 fennel recipes that span all seasons and use various parts of the aromatic veggie—from the hearty bulb to the delicate fronds. Some of our favorite fennel recipes include Fennel, Leek, and Wild Mushroom Gratin, which calls for the bulb to be cored and sliced before being sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and roasted in the oven, and Salami and Fennel Pizza, which uses very thin fennel slices and the fronds as flavor-packed toppings. Keep reading for more dishes that illustrate just how fantastic fennel can be!
Related: How to Make Antioxidant-Rich Fennel Tea (and 5 Reasons to Try It)
Sheet Pan Pork With Fennel and Apples
This weeknight dinner, which is perfect for a chilly fall evening, is ready in about 40 minutes. For this tasty meal, pork tenderloin is roasted with apples and fennel, all of which get bathed in an orange-scented, honey-mustard glaze. To ensure a golden-brown crust on the pork, start by roasting everything, then crank it up to broil to seal the glaze.
Fennel, Leek, and Wild Mushroom Gratin
Victor Protasio
Fennel isn’t often the main ingredient in a dish, but it’s certainly the star of this cozy side! Here, the anise-flavored vegetable is dusted with Parmesan cheese and roasted in the oven before being joined by savory mushrooms and leeks. The whole thing is then topped with Gruyère cheese and paired with rich heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and warming nutmeg. Yum!
Crispy Honey Mustard Chicken With Fries
Fred Hardy
There’s nothing not to love about a crispy chicken dinner, especially when the chicken is slathered with honey mustard and coated in panko. What’s more? The chicken is served alongside a zingy slaw made with fennel, cabbage, and apple, plus a nice helping of fries, because fries are never a bad idea.
Avocado Grain Bowl With Beet Ginger Dressing
This hearty vegetarian recipe is likely one you’ll want to make over and over again. A combination of rice, lentils, and quinoa form the base of this dish, while a topping of shaved fennel and creamy avocado, plus a bold dressing made from beets, ginger, and kefir, round out the healthy meal.
Salami and Fennel Pizza
Since this pizza is ready in just 35 minutes, it's an ideal weeknight meal. You'll start with a familiar base of tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella, then take things up a notch with thinly sliced fennel, spicy cherry peppers, and salty salami. Lastly, you'll top the piping-hot pie fresh out of the oven with lemon-spiked ricotta for irresistible creaminess. Pizza night never tasted so good!
Sicilian-Inspired Pasta With Sardines
Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall
If you’re looking to change up your pasta game, try this Sicilian-inspired dish that’s packed with bold ingredients. In addition to fusilli pasta, you’ll find briney sardines, golden raisins, crisp fennel, buttery pine nuts, and cruciferous kale leaves. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a pungent vinaigrette made with anchovies, garlic, and lemon. What we love about this recipe is that you can serve it warm, at room temperature, or even cold.
Salmon With Creamy Cucumber-Fennel Salad
In this recipe, rich fatty salmon pairs with a crunchy cucumber-fennel salad for a balanced and fresh meal. And, believe it or not, the whole thing comes together in 20 minutes, making it a solid weeknight option. Another thing we love about this dish is that it calls for the fennel bulb and some fonds, meaning you’ll be left with less food waste once dinner is done.
Smoked Sardine Toasts With Lemon Mayo and Fennel Salad
Don’t sleep on savory toast! In this recipe, sardine fillets are nestled into a homemade lemony garlic mayo on toasted bread, and topped with a fresh fennel-radish salad. Pro tip: If fishy sardines aren’t for you, use canned tuna instead.
Savory Seedy Granola
Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
While granola is usually sweet, this recipe proves that it can be savory (and tasty) too. Here, oats are flavored with nutty tahini, aromatic fennel and coriander seeds, and spicy crushed red pepper. Use the crunchy finished product to top avocado toast, soup, salads, and more.
Related: Need Avocado Toast Ideas? Try These 8 Upgrades to Make the Meal Even Better
Cod and Clam Chowder With Smoky Oyster Crackers
What we love about this cozy soup is that it’s a traditional chowder recipe that’s been elevated with beautiful in-shell littleneck clams and chunks of tender cod, as well as a base of leeks and fennel. Since any soup is made better with crackers, don’t skip out on the jazzed up oyster crackers, which are flavored with smoked paprika, garlic powder, and more.
Labneh With Pink Peppercorns, Coriander, and Fennel Seeds
This classic Mediterranean appetizer is an easy make-ahead recipe, so you have less to juggle if you’re whipping up multiple courses. The creamy dip, made by straining whole-milk yogurt overnight, is flavored with toasted and crushed pink peppercorns, coriander, and fennel seeds, plus a drizzle of olive oil. Pair this dip with crudités or toast, and enjoy.
Pork Tenderloin and Gnocchi Ragù
Pork tenderloin is a popular cut of meat because it cooks quickly, as seen in this recipe. Here, the pork is seared on the stovetop and then cooked in the oven. Then, while the pork continues cooking, you’ll cook the gnocchi in the pork fat left in the pan, which infuses it with an added layer of flavor. A hearty sauce made with plump grape tomatoes, aromatic fennel, and creamy butter ties the whole meal together.
Caramelized Veggies With Poppy Seed Dressing
Grab some of your brightest, crunchiest veggies—beets, rainbow carrots, parsnips, and fennel—and simply roast them to yield this stunner of a side. The magic of this dish, which goes with any meaty main, is in the punchy poppy seed dressing made with tahini, lemon, olive oil, and, of course, poppy seeds.
One-Tray Maple Pork Chops
Not in the mood to do dishes? We’ve got the recipe for you! In this one-pan wonder, you’ll coat pork chops with a spicy maple-mustard glaze, then broil them alongside savory-sweet parsnips, fennel, and apples. The fruit and vegetable medley plays perfectly off the juicy meat with a caramelized crust. Still, our favorite thing about this meal is that it’s ready in just 25 minutes.
Farro Bowl With Pomegranate Vinaigrette
CAITLIN BENSEL
As far as grain bowls go, this is one of our favorites. It also happens to be vegetarian. You’ll find a base of nutty farro, alongside caramelized sweet potato, crisp fennel, and salty feta. While that quartet would be delicious enough in its own right, all of the ingredients are topped with a pomegranate vinaigrette that’s so tasty you’ll want to slather it on everything.
Spicy Fennel Fried Shrimp and Celery
If you like shrimp, you’re going to love fried shrimp. In this recipe, the protein is joined by celery as well as fennel and anise seeds, which add an herbal depth. When you’re cooking the shrimp, be sure not to turn them too often, or else they won’t get a good browning.
Skillet Gnocchi With Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Greg DuPree
For nights when you’re craving comfort food, this 30-minute dinner is the one to make. In this easy meal you’ll find pillowy gnocchi, tender fennel, meaty sausage, and pleasantly bitter broccoli rabe. The standout, however, is the dollop of rich ricotta that rounds out the meal. Top with freshly ground black pepper for a contrasting bite, and dig in.
Crispy Cod With Blistered Orange and Fennel
This recipe serves up crispy cod fillets with roasted fennel wedges and orange halves, all on the same baking sheet. The couscous is cooked separately, but benefits from a blast of juice from one of those roasted oranges and a spike of coriander, providing a flavorful base for this tasty meal.
Related: 18 Healthy Fish and Shrimp Recipes for Any Night of the Week
Farro Salad With Tuna
In this recipe, you’ll use fennel seeds to form the base of a savory dressing that also includes sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. That dressing then tops a salad made with farro, Bosc pear slices, radicchio, and plenty of arugula, as well as tender pieces of oil-slicked jarred tuna. While fennel only appears in the dressing, it still makes quite the flavorful impression!
Crispy Pork Cutlets With Fennel-Chickpea Slaw
Thin, crispy slices of pork and a crunchy, zesty salad—chickpeas, sliced fennel, celery, red onion, and a quick lemon dressing—provide a great balance to this 30-minute dinner. While the thin pork cutlets bake in the oven, there's plenty of time to prepare the salad to complete the meal.
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