Roasted fennel is a scrumptious aspect dish that’s just a little crispy and fantastically tender . It’s coated in flavorful vegan parmesan cheese. Serve with pasta or different Italian-style dishes. Vegan and gluten-free.
Have you ever ever tried fennel?
Due to its colour, texture, and the best way it falls aside in slices, fennel is considerably paying homage to onions. Nonetheless, this layered, bulbous vegetable is a member of the the carrot and celery household.
Fennel has a licorice or anise taste. It may be loved uncooked, added to soups and stews, or sauteed. It may also be roasted, which is my favourite preparation.
When roasted, fennel turns into fantastically buttery and tender. The licorice high quality turns into much less pronounced, and the opposite seasonings turn out to be extra distinguished. Plus, with vegan parmesan sprinkled on prime, it beneficial properties some additional texture.
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Roasted fennel recipe inspiration
This summer season I signed up for a CSA (group supported agriculture). If you be a part of a CSA, you pay a number of hundred {dollars} to a farmer within the spring whereas they’re making ready and planting their crops. Then because the crops ripen, you get a share of the bounty.
Since you’re consuming no matter is in season, the greens are extremely scrumptious and full flavored. It’s an ideal excuse to make greens the star of each meal, as a result of you already know that the following week, you’ll be getting one other huge bag of produce. You’ve set to work by all of it, in order that nothing goes to waste.
It additionally means you’re consuming no matter is ripe that week, which may power you to interrupt out of your typical dietary habits.
For some time this summer season, we had week after week of contemporary fennel. We’d get a number of bulbs in per week’s haul. Earlier than becoming a member of the CSA, I might simply go an entire yr with out consuming fennel. So having to search out new issues to do with it actually pressured me out of my routine.
I fell in love with contemporary fennel. And now that the CSA is finished, I’m nonetheless shopping for it!
Over the course of the CSA rising season, I used fennel a number of other ways. However this roasted fennel was simply my favourite. I saved coming again to it repeatedly.
Plus, roasted fennel reheats fantastically within the air fryer. So even in the event you don’t end all of it the primary evening, you may simply end it off later.
Elements
Listed here are the components you have to to make this recipe.
Fennel bulb: Search for a fennel bulb that’s brilliant whitish inexperienced with no browning. You’re going to get the freshest fennel while you purchase it with the stalks and frilly fronds nonetheless hooked up. Nonetheless, relying on the place you purchase it, the bulb might have already had its stalks eliminated.
Ideally, the freshest fennel is greatest. Nonetheless, in the event you can solely discover it bought by the bulb, that’s okay. Apart from optionally available garnish, you don’t want the fronds for this recipe.
Avocado oil: That is my most popular oil, however you need to use any neutral-flavored cooking oil you want.
Salt: A pinch of salt makes the flavors pop.
Vegan parmesan cheese: I like to recommend making your individual vegan parmesan cheese. My recipe consists of uncooked cashews, hemp hearts, dietary yeast flakes for cheesiness, herbs, and different seasonings.
Nonetheless, in the event you’d desire, store-bought vegan parmesan can even work. Be sure you purchase the sort that has a grainy texture (like a vegan model of the parmesan you’d see sitting on tables at a pizza place), not the freshly grated selection.
Tip: Should you’re utilizing store-bought vegan parmesan, take into account sprinkling on some dried basil, dried oregano, granulated onion, and granulated garlic for additional taste.
Step-by-step directions
Right here’s the way to make this recipe at a look. For full ingredient quantities & directions, preserve scrolling to the recipe card beneath.
Begin by slicing off the basis finish of the fennel bulb, in addition to the celery-like prime with fronds.
(Set the fronds apart & finely chop a few of them for garnish, in the event you like.)
Stand the fennel bulb on its finish, and reduce it into skinny slices. Intention for ⅛ to ¼ inch in width.
Put the fennel slices onto a non-stick rimmed baking sheet. (In case your baking sheet isn’t non-stick, line it with parchment paper first.)
Toss the fennel slices with avocado oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Roast the slices within the oven till browned on one aspect.
As soon as the fennel has browned on one aspect, flip the slices, and add a beneficiant sprinkling of vegan parmesan cheese.
Then roast for one more 5 minutes till fork-tender and browned.
Take away from the oven and switch to a plate or platter.
Should you like, garnish the roasted fennel with one other sprinkling of vegan parmesan cheese and chopped fennel fronds for colour.
Ideas for completely roasted fennel
Don’t roast the stalks. You might really feel tempted to roast the stalks as properly, however I like to recommend towards it. They’re robust and fibrous, making them disagreeable to chew. Should you like, it can save you them for making do-it-yourself vegetable inventory.
You should use the fennel fronds as an herb. Finely minced fronds can be utilized as a flavorful garnish on roasted fennel bulbs, soups, salads, and pasta. I’ve even added it to hummus. (It’s a powerful taste, although. So don’t go overboard!)
This recipe is straightforward to double. Should you’d prefer to make sufficient for 4 individuals, merely roast one other bulb within the oven. Be sure you use a second baking sheet, reasonably than overcrowding one. Fennel that’s crammed collectively will steam as an alternative of roast.
For greatest roasting, dry the fennel bulb. Be certain your fennel is totally dry by rubbing it with a clear kitchen towel. Damp veggies don’t brown properly. They’re extra more likely to steam as an alternative.
Cooking instances might differ. Relying on the dimensions of fennel bulb, in addition to how dry or contemporary it’s, it might cook dinner extra rapidly or slowly. Very contemporary fennel has extra water inside, which may make it take just a little longer to roast. Whereas older fennel is commonly extra dried out, and can roast extra rapidly as a result of it’s already on the dry aspect.
Older fennel might have extra oil. Older fennel that’s browning across the exterior may want just a little extra oil, or else it’ll get robust or leathery to chew. I like to recommend peeling or paring off any brown elements.
Leftover roasted fennel will soften within the fridge. Should you discover too late that your roasted fennel is dry, retailer it within the fridge in a single day. It’ll soften within the fridge. Then reheat within the air fryer or microwave.
Serving concepts
The flavour of fennel is commonly related to sausage. (Fennel seed is an everyday addition to ready sausage and pepperoni.)
So serve this roasted fennel wherever that you just assume sausage would match. I particularly prefer it alongside an enormous bowl of pasta with marinara, as proven beneath. You may also use it as a pizza topping.
Or you need to use roasted fennel as a aspect dish for any of those predominant programs:
Storage directions
Retailer leftovers in a sealed, hermetic container within the fridge. It’ll preserve for about 4 days.
Reheat within the microwave till heat, or use the air fryer (my most popular technique).
Find out how to reheat leftover roasted fennel within the air fryer: Put leftover fennel in an oven-safe dish. Then air fry at 370 levels till warmed all through and crispy on prime.
(The timing will differ, relying on how a lot fennel you will have leftover. I often begin checking on it after 4 minutes or so.)
📖 Recipe
Roasted fennel with vegan parmesan
Fennel turns into fantastically tender and succulent when roasted within the oven. With a sprinkling of vegan parmesan on prime, it is a scrumptious aspect dish you will wish to make repeatedly. Serve with pasta or your favourite Italian-inspired predominant course.
Servings: individuals
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Directions
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Preheat oven to 410 levels. Should you like, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. (In case your baking sheet could be very non-stick, you may skip this step.)
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Minimize the basis finish off the underside of the fennel bulb. Then reduce off the highest with fronds. (Should you like, reserve and finely chop among the fronds to make use of as garnish.) Stand the fennel bulb on its finish, and reduce it into skinny slices, about ⅛ to ¼ inches thick.
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Put the sliced fennel on the baking sheet. Toss with avocado oil and ensure all the slices are evenly coated. (Add extra oil, if vital.)
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Unfold the fennel slices throughout the baking sheet, being cautious to not overcrowd. (If it is overcrowded, the fennel will steam as an alternative of roast. If vital, use a second baking sheet.) Sprinkle the fennel with salt.
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Put the baking sheet within the oven, and roast the fennel for 13 to fifteen minutes, till browned on one aspect.
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As soon as the fennel has browned on one aspect, flip the slices over, and generously cowl every slice with vegan parmesan cheese. (You will want 2 to three Tablespoons in whole, relying on the dimensions of the bulb.) Put the fennel bake within the oven and bake 5 extra minutes.
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Take away from oven and switch the roasted fennel to a serving plate. Should you like, add a number of extra dashes of vegan parmesan cheese and garnish with reserved chopped fennel fronds earlier than serving.
Notes
Leftovers will preserve in a coated container within the fridge for about 4 days.
You possibly can reheat within the microwave, or use the air fryer (my most popular technique). To reheat within the air fryer, put any leftover fennel slices right into a small oven-safe baking dish. Should you like, sprinkle on a number of extra dashes of vegan parmesan cheese to refresh it. Air fry at 370 levels till heat and crispy on prime. (Timing will differ, relying on how a lot you are attempting to reheat. Begin checking at about 4 minutes.)
Vitamin
Energy: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fats: 10g | Saturated Fats: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 5g | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 484mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 157IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg
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