What is Fennel? (And How to Cook It)

Welcome to fennel 101! This underrated veggie deserves a place on everyone's table. Read on to learn how to cut it, how to cook it, and more!

Fennel

Everyone goes crazy for kale, but if I had my way, fennel would be all the rage too. It’s one of the most underrated vegetables, and if you’re not already cooking with it, you absolutely should be. It has a fresh, aromatic anise flavor, and it can be eaten raw, sautéed, roasted, or even added to soups and sauces. If you’ve never worked with it before, this funky-looking veggie might be intimidating from the outside, but don’t let it scare you. Once you know how to approach it, it’s easy to work with.

What is fennel?

Fennel is a member of the carrot family, though it’s not a root vegetable. The base of its long stalks weave together to form a thick, crisp bulb that grows above ground. 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.

Though the stalks and leaves are edible, fennel recipes most often call for the bulb. When raw, it has a crisp texture similar to celery and a fresh licorice flavor. It caramelizes as it cooks, taking on a sweeter flavor and tender, melt-in-your mouth texture.

And did I mention that it has all sorts of health benefits too? It’s low in calories, but high in nutrients like dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, to name a few.

Shaved fennel

How to Cook Fennel

One of my favorite things about fennel is that its character changes depending on how you cut it. And with this vegetable, how you cut it and how you cook it go hand in hand.

If I’m craving raw fennel, I almost always thinly shave the bulb on my mandoline, removing any tough core pieces. Then, I marinate it in lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. This crisp, thinly sliced fennel is delicious on its own or in a larger salad. Dress it up with herbs, nuts, and shaved Parmesan cheese, toss it with greens and simple vinaigrette, or use it in one of these salad recipes:

Shaving fennel is also a great move if you want to sauté it. The thin slices will melt and brown in the pan, taking on a delicious caramelized flavor. Try this technique in my Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Recipe!

How to cut fennel

If I plan to roast fennel, I slice it 1/2-inch wedges. First, I clip off the stalks so that I’m left with the white bulb. I cut it in half vertically and then cut each half into several wedges.

How to cook fennel

To roast the wedges, spread them cut-side-down on a baking sheet with a little space between each one. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees for 25-35 minutes, until the wedges are tender and caramelized around the edges.

Roasted fennel on a baking sheet

Serve the wedges as a side dish with a squeeze of lemon or add them to a salad. You could also remove the tough core pieces and toss the roasted fennel with pasta or add it to a hearty vegetarian lasagna.

Fennel fronds

Fennel Fronds

Recipes most often call for the bulb, but don’t toss those tops! Finely mince the fronds to use as an aromatic garnish for salads, soups, pasta, and more, or save the fennel stalks and leaves to use in homemade vegetable broth. Find more ideas for using common vegetable scraps in stock in the Scrap Stock Recipe on page 106 of Love and Lemons Every Day.

Fennel bulbs

More Basic Vegetable Recipes

If you loved learning how to cook fennel, try one of these basic vegetable recipes next:

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What is Fennel? + Roasted Fennel

rate this recipe:
4.97 from 63 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Serves 2
This preparation is simple, but it's still one of my favorite fennel recipes. The wedges caramelize in the oven, taking on an irresistible sweet and savory flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 fennel bulb, fronds removed and cut into wedges
  • extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Toss the fennel wedges with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread evenly onto the baking sheet.
  • Roast 25 to 35 minutes or until the fennel wedges are tender on the inside and browned around the edges.

45 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Helen Peterson
    11.18.2023

    5 stars
    Received a beautiful fennel (bulb with ferns) yesterday. Baked the bulb mostly as you suggested, alongside some gifted peppers. Will add this veg to my repertoire.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.19.2023

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  2. Bubby
    10.31.2023

    would it be weird to combine fennel bulb with fennel seeds in a stew? we’re about to find out! 1st time cooking fennel bulb and I am mildly excited. That’s what’s so fun about cooking, lots of chances to taste, explore, modify.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.31.2023

      I love fennel so that sounds good to me!

  3. Mary
    07.29.2023

    where can I buy the fennel bulb. All I can find is the seeds.

    • Yasi
      07.30.2023

      5 stars
      Hi Mary — probably depends where you live.
      In northern California, you can get it in the grocery store or at farmers markets.
      Hopefully you can find it near where you are. It is most common in spring and summer as that is its growing season.

    • John from None
      10.28.2023

      Trader Joe’s has the best price: 2 bulbs for $3.95 Kroger and Giant Eagle also has them.

  4. Michael Green
    09.09.2022

    1st time using fennel, going to make a Sausage and Pork Cassoulet. Thanks for the 101, had NO idea what I was going to do with it, and thanks for ur comments ladies….that’s also helped.

  5. Mrs Deirdre Phillips
    08.16.2022

    Can you eat the stem ?

    • Mrs Deirdre Phillips
      08.16.2022

      Can you eat the stem ?

      • Amber Spencer
        09.15.2023

        Yes you can eat the whole thing from bulb to seeds.

    • Penny
      09.22.2022

      3 stars
      Yes, I steam it like celery for about 15 to20 minutes. Add a little cheese sauce if you like.

  6. MK
    05.30.2022

    Question: I DO NOT like black licorice candy! Is there any chance that I might still like fennel? I’d like to like it, but people say it tastes like black licorice, so it seems like it might be a waste for me…Unless there is, maybe, a huge difference between the candy version & the fennel version, like there is between REAL maple syrup & grocery store maple syrup.
    Thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.31.2022

      Hi MK, I absolutely cannot stand licorice candy but I love fennel. It might be a personal preference though, so it’s hard to say.

      • MK
        05.31.2022

        Oh, thank you! That’s all the answer I need to cause me to try fennel – someone else who hates licorice candy but loves fennel. Now I know there is at least a chance that I might like fennel, too…
        If you had said “oh, it’s just like eating Good-n-Plentys” I would skip it alrogether. 😄

    • Cyndy Jackson
      06.25.2022

      I also hate black licorice but absolutely love fennel. I might never have tried it but a friend ordered it in an Italian restaurant. One bite and I was hooked.

      • MK
        06.26.2022

        👍🏼 I’m gonna give it a try!

      • Kellly
        08.03.2022

        Two large fennel bulbs with voluminous feathery tops have arrived this morning in the CSA box. I am determined to roast them and add the tops to salads and stock. I have seen them growing wild on some of my walks through the local estuary and they smell divine. Can’t wait to try these recipes!

    • Debbie
      07.17.2022

      I hate black licorice also, but using fennel seeds in my cooking is delicious. I love sausage which has fennel in it, but can’t eat it anymore. So I add the seeds to my sauteed vegetables or if you add it to tomato sauce it tastes like there is sausage in it. My friend tricked me on that one. Lol. I put it in soup, in my broths…it really doesn’t overwhelm you with the licorice taste. Actually it just gives a hint of flavor along with whatever spices you put it in. I’m 68, have had cancer three times so I’m always on the lookout for foods that are “overall body healthy”. I can’t wait to try the roasted bulb.

  7. tasia
    04.01.2022

    5 stars
    These leaves on the fennel that looks like dill are good to put in a juicer to cleanse the body.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.02.2022

      what a great idea for using them!

  8. yvonne
    10.16.2021

    5 stars
    never new what it was or how to use, thank you

  9. tiffany
    09.23.2021

    5 stars
    love fennel, very delicious for making dumpling

  10. Jim
    09.04.2021

    I have used fennel before. I juiced it with carrots and it was like drinking licorice but good for you. Today I am making yam gnocchi with a fennel based sauce.

    • Andrea
      01.17.2024

      5 stars
      yam gnocchi with fennel-based sauce sounds like it belongs in a five-star restaurant! sounds really good

  11. Janet
    07.31.2021

    I’ve never used fennel before but having read your posts I look forward to trying it. Thanks

  12. Sharon
    07.30.2021

    I have always wondered about fennel and today I learned a lot.I really am fascinated and plan to start cooking with fennel.

  13. Charlotte Kesich
    07.21.2021

    I never coooked or ate fennel, but a friend gave me a bulb and I want to try it raw and cooked. Sounds great. Thanks.

  14. Jo Fink
    05.08.2021

    5 stars
    I made your roasted fennel bulb today. Followed your recipe exactly. I am glad I set a timer to check them in 30 minutes. Which was still l about 5 minutes too long. I loved loved this dish. Will be placing them around a half of salmon. Using the fronds for color and decoration. I’m hoping the fennel doesn’t over cook While salmon is baking. When using this way next time I’ll pull them out a little sooner so they don’t over cook with the salmon. My new favorite dish I will make again. Thanks for a simple and delicious new treat.

  15. Jennifer Bosco
    12.16.2020

    I have a recipe that I need minced fennel . How do I do that.?Can I mince dry seeds?

    • Deb T
      12.30.2020

      Most likely it’s the minced bulb, not the seeds.

  16. Pattie
    09.21.2020

    I want to put fennel in a green tomato pie.

  17. Delayna Garrett
    08.26.2020

    Can i chop it smaller n put in spaghetti sauce?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.30.2020

      yep, it would be delicious in spaghetti sauce.

    • Sue Simms
      10.20.2020

      I make all my home canned pasta sauce with fennel. So good

      • Penny Shipley
        04.11.2021

        Can I have your recipe? I have fresh fennel bulb and stalks and leaves. First time for me.

        • Skacie
          05.20.2021

          I have never tried fennel didnt know it was so easy to fix. Thank you for sharing and I also used the greens in my veggie soup. This is my first time trying fennel. It was delicious.

  18. Sandra
    03.11.2020

    Another lovely salad is to slice fennel on a mandoline and add orange slices. Toss a good extra vergine olive oil and sprinkle some non salted pistachio nuts on top. Enjoy!

  19. Alex
    03.11.2020

    You can use the Greens for a fantastic pesto too!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.11.2020

      I love that idea! Thanks!

  20. Sabrina from newkitchenlife.com
    03.10.2020

    another great how-to, thank you, and nice tip to about using the fronds as a garnish and stocks for soup!

    • Chuck
      03.11.2020

      Seeds are a prime ingredient in Italian sausage!

      • Geoff
        07.04.2022

        Can you freeze fennel after you dice it

        • Jeanine Donofrio
          07.04.2022

          You can if you’d like.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.