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!

25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (1)

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:

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (2)

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.
25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (3)

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.
25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (4)

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 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (5)

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!

25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (6)

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!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (7)

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.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (8)

Italian Sausage Tomato Orzo Soup

Think of an Italian Wedding Soup with all-pork sausage meatballs. This savory, comfort soup is on the table in only 30 minutes.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (9)

Radicchio Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Radicchio Salad with Avocado, Fennel and Orange is a winter salad bursting with sweet and savory flavor and tossed in a tangy citrus vinaigrette!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (10)

Easy Spatchcock Roast Chicken

Easy Spatchcock Roast Chicken is juicy, golden brown chicken over caramelized potatoes, carrots, parsnips and fennel. It's an easy one pot dinner that's ready in one hour!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (11)

Orange, Fennel, and Pickled Onion Salad

Fresh fennel, with its faint licorice flavor, sliced very thinly and served raw, is uniquely delicious, and this orange, fennel, and pickled onion salad is absolutely stunning.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (12)

Roasted Eggplant Fennel Pizza with Whipped Garlic Feta

If you love white pizza, you’ll love this roasted eggplant fennel pizza! It has a whipped feta and ricotta base with toasted pine nuts, creamy roasted garlic cloves and an olive oil drizzle to top it off.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (13)

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

You can't beat this Roasted Beet Salad! It's packed with tangy goat cheese, juicy oranges and is tossed in a flavorful blood orange dressing!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (14)

Spring Green Risotto with Peas, Asparagus, and Fennel

Spring Green Risotto with Peas, Asparagus and Fennel ~ this healthy risotto recipe with fresh spring vegetables will have you dreaming of spring!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (15)

Creamy Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Creamy Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad is fresh, crunchy and utterly addictive! It's tossed with savory bacon, crisp apple and creamy coleslaw dressing for one delicious side dish!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (16)

Olive Oil Braised Chicken with Citrus, Fennel and Turmeric

The full flavor of olive oil paired with a bit of the chicken’s fat creates a luxurious liquid that kept the protein incredibly moist and full of intense flavors.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (17)

Italian Chopped Salad

Italian Chopped Salad is packed with salami, chickpeas, olives, parmesan, veggies and it's tossed in a zesty Italian dressing! It can be customized using what you have on hand and it's great for meal prep!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (18)

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Fennel, Lemon and Rosemary

This meltingly tender Pork Roast is flavored with fennel, lemon and rosemary. You will not believe how incredibly easy it is to slow roast a

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (19)

Golden Beet and Fennel Soup

Golden Beet and Fennel Soup is an earthy creamy healthful soup full of nutrients and fiber.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (20)

Fresh Pink Grapefruit Fennel Salad

If you love fresh, beautiful salads, this simple pink grapefruit fennel salad is and easy salad to enjoy. Juicy pink grapefruit blends with the subtle licorice flavors from the fennel to make a surprisingly delicious salad.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (21)

Red Kuri Squash and Fennel Soup with Savory Granola

Savory granola tops each bowl of warming squash and fennel soup.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (22)

Easy Crock Pot Stuffing

Crock Pot Stuffing is golden brown, full of flavor, and frees up precious oven space! It's a delicious Thanksgiving side dish that's made completely from scratch and it can be prepped entirely in advance!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (23)

Tomato Herb and Beer Poached Cod with Caramelized Fennel

This simple dish features cod that’s been poached in beer and topped with a tomato-fennel mixture.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (24)

Fennel and Apple Slaw

This Fennel and Apple Slaw is crisp, crunchy and packed with sweet and savory flavor! It's tossed in a creamy coleslaw dressing for the ultimate side dish!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (25)

Oven-Roasted Orange Chicken with Fennel

This One-Pan Roasted Chicken with Fennel is a simple and comforting way to feed your family and friends. With some advance prep, it is ready in 45 minutes.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (26)

Italian Parmesan Baked Fennel

Italian Baked Fennel is an easy side dish, made with fresh Italian parsley, Parmesan cheese and a little Olive oil. So good and good for you!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (27)

Healthy Baked Catfish

This healthy baked catfish recipe is definitely a winner! The fish cooks along with vegetables all in the same pan. An easy to make meal that’s healthy, full of flavor, and ready in minutes!

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (28)

Arugula Salad with Fennel and Blood Oranges

Peppery arugula, crisp fennel, juicy blood oranges, and crunchy walnuts are tossed with a light vinaigrette to create an explosion of flavors that you will enjoy anytime of year.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (29)

One Pan Italian Chicken and Vegetables

This quick and easy sheet pan dinner chicken recipe results in tender Italian-spiced chicken, caramelized onions, peppers and fennel.

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25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (30)

Holiday Slow Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes

DeliciousHoliday Slow Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes and Carrots. Flavourful one pot Christmas roast or a classic roast with all the fixings!

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References:

**This post was originally published in February 2019. The post has been modified to increase readability and include more information.

posted in: Fall, Produce Guides, Recipe Roundup, Recipes, Winter // 12 comments

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    12 Comments on “25 Fennel Recipes (+ Produce Guide)”

  1. Joanne Reply

    I haven’t tried Fennel in many dishes, but I like the idea of adding it to a salad. It tastes really good raw.

    • flavorthemoments Reply

      That’s my favorite way to use it Joanne!

  2. Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness Reply

    Fennel is such an interesting veggie! I started playing around with it more a couple years back. Love all of the recipe ideas that you highlight in this post!

    • flavorthemoments Reply

      It really is! Thanks Nicole and I hope you get to try some of the recipes!

  3. Letty / Letty's Kitchen Reply

    Thank you for getting this excellent info out in the www! And thank you for including my salad recipe with Orange, Fennel, and Pickled Onions! All the other links look enticing too. Off to the store for fennel!!
    Shared all around!

    • flavorthemoments Reply

      Thank you for sharing Letty and your salad looks wonderful! 🙂

  4. Katherine | Love In My Oven Reply

    Ok, I’m SOLD! I never use fennel because you’re right, I didn’t know what to do with it. Now I’m looking forward to trying it in some dishes!

    • flavorthemoments Reply

      I never knew what to do with fennel for so long so I’m trying to make up for lost time! lol . I hope you enjoy some of these recipes!

  5. Jeff the Chef Reply

    Thanks for the interesting fennel info!

  6. Ashley@CookNourishBliss Reply

    Yup, I’m totally guilty of NEVER using fennel!! haha I just don’t ever think about it … which is such a shame! Love this round-up so I have ideas on what to use it in once I finally buy some lol

  7. Leanne | Crumb Top Baking Reply

    I always enjoy your produce of the month guides! I’ve never cooked or used fennel in a recipe, but I’m totally inspired to now! Thanks for the tips on cutting it too. I’ll be sure to consult that when I make my first fennel purchase! 😉

    • flavorthemoments Reply

      Thank you Leanne and I hope you get to try fennel soon! 🙂

25 Fennel Recipes + Produce Guide (2024)

FAQs

Why do chefs use fennel so much? ›

Though often overlooked by home cooks, this versatile ingredient is beloved by chefs for its pleasantly sweet, fresh flavor and mild aromatic character.

What pairs well with fennel? ›

Citrus: Fennel pairs well with citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and limes. Herbs: Fennel pairs well with fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, and thyme. Cheese: Fennel pairs well with cheeses such as parmesan, feta, and goat cheese. Nuts: Fennel pairs well with nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and pine nuts.

What part of the fennel do you use for recipes? ›

Most recipes that call for fennel are referring to the bulb, the swollen bottom end of the plant. The fennel bulb is enjoyed raw, where its anise flavor is most pronounced, and cooked for a sweeter, mellower version of itself. But don't pitch the rest! The entire fennel plant is not only edible but delicious.

How to prepare fennel for a meal? ›

Slice off the shoots and root and peel off the tougher outer layer (if the bulb is particularly young and tender you can leave this layer on). To cook it whole, cut out the tough central core from the bottom, leaving a cone-shaped cavity, or slice if you prefer.

What are the disadvantages of fennel? ›

There isn't enough reliable information to know whether fennel is safe when used long-term. Although rare, side effects might include stomach upset and seizures. When applied to the skin: Fennel is possibly safe. Fennel can make skin extra sensitive to the sun and make it easier to get a sunburn.

Is it OK to eat fennel everyday? ›

In most cases, a teaspoon of fennel seed a day will not result in any serious complications or reactions. The risk of stomach pain, vomiting and having an allergic reaction is much higher when taken in oil, extract or supplement form.

Is fennel a laxative? ›

Fennel. Fennel is a traditional folk remedy for digestive symptoms, including gas, bloating, and constipation. A small 2022 study of 50 older adults found that those who drank tea containing fennel and rose had improved constipation symptoms after 4 weeks.

What Cannot be planted with fennel? ›

Examples of Plants That Should Not Be Grown Together
AsparagusFennel, Garlic, Onions, Potatoes
DillCarrots, Tomatoes, Onions, Lettuce, Cabbage
FennelAsparagus, Beans, Cilantro, Corn, Cucumber, Peppers
GarlicAsparagus, Beans, Peas, Sage, Strawberries
HyssopRadishes
21 more rows

Is fennel good for your stomach? ›

In many parts of the world, it's common to eat a little bit of fennel after a meal to aid with digestion and relieve gassiness. Fennel has been shown to help with digestion by reducing inflammation in the bowels and decreasing bacteria that cause gassiness.

What part of fennel can you not eat? ›

Technically speaking, all parts of the plant are edible, but most people will find the stalks too tough and fibrous to eat. The leaves can be chopped and used to flavor salads, dressings, marinades and sauces. They tend to have a slightly more citrusy flavor than the base. The base (or bulb) is delicious raw or cooked.

What are the most common uses for fennel? ›

The fennel bulb can be eaten raw, sliced wafer-thin and added to salads; or it can be steamed, baked, braised or roasted and is commonly used in Italian and French cuisine. Just make sure to cut out the tough inner stalk before slicing or cutting into wedges.

Can you eat fennel fronds raw? ›

Above the bulb, at the tip of the stalks, it has light, feathery leaves that resemble dill. When it goes to seed, fennel also produces small yellow flowers among the leaves. Every part of it is edible, from the bulb to the flowers, and it can be eaten raw or cooked.

Why do you soak fennel in water? ›

If you're especially sensitive to licorice flavor, you may even find raw fennel to be too pungent for your tastes. To tone down the flavor, Chowhound suggests slicing or chopping fennel and soaking it in water for half an hour.

Is it better to eat fennel raw or cooked? ›

Raw or cooked: how should you eat them? Eating fennel, however you prefer, is like eating a multivitamin (or even better, really!).

Why is fennel so popular? ›

Fennel has a long history in the Mediterranean region, where it has been used in cooking and medicines. It's common in Italian and Greek cuisines. You can also find it often in Indian, Middle Eastern, and other cuisines around the world. Fennel has a sweet, earthy flavor, which is similar to licorice but much milder.

Why is fennel used in cooking? ›

With a flavor profile that's distinctive and herbaceous, fennel seed is a versatile spice that can be used as a seasoning for fish fillets, like our Poached Salmon with Fennel & Lemon, and for pizzas, like our Garlic, Sausage & Kale Naan Pizzas.

What culture uses fennel the most? ›

Many cultures in India, Afghanistan, Iran, and the Middle East use fennel fruits in cooking. In Iraq, fennel seeds are used as an ingredient in nigella-flavored breads. It is one of the most important spices in Kashmiri cuisine and Gujarati cooking.

What is the point of fennel? ›

Fennel contains beta-carotene (which is converted to vitamin A in the body) and vitamin C, a nutrient important for collagen production and tissue repair. Both these nutrients play an important role in maintaining the health of the skin, as well as the mucous membranes that protect organs like the respiratory tract.

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