25 Fennel Recipes (+ Produce Guide)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

(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.