Baked fennel is an easy and quick recipe. A light and diet-friendly side dish with very little fat, perfect to prepare in advance. Discover the properties of fennel.
FENNEL SEASONALITY – it’s available all year round except during the hottest summer months.
RECIPES with fennel:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 83.38 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 2.81 (g) of which sugars 2.81 (g)
- Proteins 2.25 (g)
- Fat 6.25 (g) of which saturated 1.06 (g)of which unsaturated 4.89 (g)
- Fibers 4.13 (g)
- Sodium 201.99 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 96 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Baked Fennel
- 2 fennel
- to taste wild fennel (or: oregano, chili pepper, rosemary, sage, thyme…)
- to taste fine salt
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
Tools
- Cutting Board
- Knife smooth sharp blade
- Baking Tray large oven tray
Baked Fennel
Preheat the oven to 392°F (or fan-assisted to 356°F).
Clean and wash the fennel, then with the help of a smooth sharp knife, cut them into regular wedges no more than 1 cm (0.4 inches) thick.
Spread them evenly on the baking tray in a single layer. Sprinkle your preferred crumbled herbs on top (I used dried wild fennel fronds), salt and drizzle with a bit of oil.
Bake in the oven already heated at 392°F for about 20 minutes or until reaching the desired consistency (for a crunchier vegetable side dish, cook for less time).
To make the fennel crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, cook for the first 10 minutes on a low oven rack and for the remaining time on a high rack with the grill function, being careful not to burn them.
Serve the baked fennel as a light side dish with your favorite main course.
STORAGE of baked fennel
Store covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days, before consuming, gently reheat them in the oven or microwave.
What’s the difference between male and female fennel?
FEMALE fennel is elongated and flattened in shape, tending to be more woody, therefore recommended to be consumed cooked.
Commonly referred to as MALE, fennel with a round and wide shape is excellent raw.
In reality, there are no male or female fennel in nature, they are simply different varieties traditionally called: female or male based on their shape.
VEGETARIAN alternatives
– in the last few minutes of cooking, place a slice of mozzarella (or other stringy cheese) on top of each fennel wedge
– sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano before baking
– and/or a tablespoon of breadcrumbs
