Braised fennel with cannellini beans is a simple and tasty recipe, perfect when you want to bring a wholesome dish to the table with few ingredients. The fennel, cut into wedges and gently sautéed in a pan with a bit of chopped onion, becomes tender and fragrant. The cannellini beans, with their creamy texture and delicate flavor, make the dish heartier and more complete.
This preparation is easy and quick, ideal both as a rich side dish to accompany meat or fish, and as a light vegetarian main course. With a few steps you’ll get a balanced and very tasty dish, perfect for everyday cooking. Try it and you’ll see it become one of your favorite combinations!
Here are more simple ideas with fennel:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Winter, Spring
- Energy 110.05 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 15.49 (g) of which sugars 3.65 (g)
- Proteins 6.42 (g)
- Fat 1.90 (g) of which saturated 0.29 (g)of which unsaturated 0.25 (g)
- Fibers 7.67 (g)
- Sodium 331.43 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 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
Ingredients
- 1 fennel bulb
- 3/4 cup canned cannellini beans
- Half onion
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Tools
- Skillet
- Cutting board
Preparation
Clean the fennel, removing the green parts (do not throw away the fronds, you’ll need them later), wash it well and cut it into wedges.
Heat a skillet with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, add the fennel, preferably without overlapping, season with salt and pepper (1).
Let them sauté on both sides, then pour a little hot water into the pan and let them cook for 8-10 minutes, until they are tender enough.
Chop the onion and add it to the fennel (2). Drain the beans and add them to the skillet, together with the fennel fronds (3).
Let them cook for another 5 minutes, stirring gently so as not to break the fennel too much.
The braised fennel with cannellini beans is ready; you can serve it hot or warm, as a hearty side dish or as a vegetarian main course.
Tips and notes
Adjust the cooking times according to the size of the wedges and your personal preference.
You can omit the onion or replace it with a clove of garlic.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Can I use other varieties of beans?
Cannellini are the most suitable for this preparation due to their delicate flavor. However, if you don’t have them you can use borlotti beans or lima (butter) beans.
Can I prepare the dish in advance?
Yes, you can prepare it a few hours in advance and then reheat it in the skillet.
