Grilled fennel with orange is a simple and aromatic side dish, perfect for those who enjoy serving light yet flavorful vegetables. On the blog you can already find several fennel recipes, such as Mediterranean baked fennel, baked fennel with onions, or fennel en papillote, all dishes that showcase this vegetable with different cooking methods and traditional ingredients.
This grilled version, instead, focuses on a more essential preparation: grilling enhances the delicate flavor of fennel, while the orange sauce adds a fresh, citrusy note, perfect to serve either warm or at room temperature. A simple and versatile recipe, ideal as a side for meat mains or fish, but also great on its own. Let’s go: we’ll see how to dress the grilled fennel after preparing it. Before you start, if you want to stay updated on all my recipes, you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here).
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 20 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients to make Grilled Fennel with Orange Sauce
- 2 fennel bulbs
- to taste salt
- 2 oranges (juicy)
- to taste salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- Half teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon honey
- to taste black pepper
- to taste mixed seeds (or sliced almonds)
- to taste raisins
Tools
- Pan
- Pot
- Strainer
- Whisk small
Preparation of Grilled Fennel with Orange Sauce
To make the recipe, clean the fennel bulbs by removing the base, the tougher outer layers and any damaged leaves. Rinse them under running water and dry well.
Slice the fennel lengthwise into moderately thin slices that remain firm during cooking.
Heat a grill pan or a nonstick griddle. Arrange the fennel slices without overlapping, lightly season with salt and grill over medium heat, turning them only once, until they are tender and nicely marked on both sides. As they are ready, transfer them to a plate and cover with plastic wrap to keep warm.
In a small saucepan pour the strained orange juice and dissolve the cornstarch by mixing it in cold. Add salt (and honey, if you like or if the juice is too tart) and place over low heat, stirring continuously with a whisk until the sauce thickens slightly. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Arrange the grilled fennel on a serving platter. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and spoon the orange sauce on top, using as much as you prefer.
If desired, add freshly ground black pepper and finishing ingredients such as seeds, raisins and the fennel fronds just for garnish.
Serve the grilled fennel with orange warm or at room temperature, after a few hours of resting and marinating.
Grilled fennel with orange keeps in the refrigerator for 1–2 days if stored in an airtight container. It is recommended to keep them without the sauce and dress them just before serving to preserve the texture of the slices.
This recipe is great both warm and at room temperature, and is ideal for preparing in advance. If you wish, you can lightly warm the fennel before serving and add the sauce at the last moment.
For a variation, you can flavor the sauce with grated orange zest or replace the grill with a hot griddle or a well-heated nonstick pan. The fennel can also be used as a base for a warm salad or served as a side for meat and fish dishes.
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