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    Home » Recipes » Vegetable Prep Hacks

    How to Prepare Fennel (with video!)

    Published: Jan 8, 2021 / Modified: Jul 13, 2021 by Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN / This post may contain affiliate links / 2 Comments

    • 40
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    image of a woman cutting fennel with a text overlay with post title

    Watch and learn how to prepare fennel with this easy tutorial, including step-by-step photos and a short video. You’ll learn what part of fennel you should eat, how to slice fennel, and ways to use this bulbous vegetable.

    image of a woman cutting fennel with a text overlay with post title

    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my affiliate disclosure.

    Have you seen fennel at the store or farmers market but don’t know what to do with it? Trust me, you’re not alone. That’s where I come in! I’m here to help you get comfortable with this delicious vegetable.

    With a slightly sweet, licorice-like taste, fennel provides a wonderful flavor to so many dishes. You can eat it raw, roasted, or cooked in salads, stews, soups, and pasta dishes. In fact, fennel is often used as the base for flavorful broths that chefs use to braise fish and meats.

    In this post, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to prepare fennel. I’ve included tips for slicing and shaving this bulbous vegetable, as well as my favorite ways to cook with it. Enjoy!

    What part of fennel do you eat?

    Most recipes call for fennel bulbs, but fennel is often sold with its stalks and fronds (the green, wispy things on the stalks) intact. You can save the fronds to use as garnish for dishes, and the stalks can be used like celery in soups and stocks. Fennel fronds can also be added to dishes in the same manner as parsley, dill, or other herbs.

    How do you prepare fennel?

    1. Slice off the stalks and fronds. woman cutting stalks and fronds off of a bulb of fennel in a kitchen
    2. Remove the root end. woman holding a bulb of fennel in one hand and a knife in the other over a cutting board
    3. Slice the bulb into quarters. woman slicing a bulb of fennel in half using a chef's knife
    4. Remove the core from each quarter with your knife. woman removing the core of a bulb of fennel using a chef's knife
    5. Peel apart the layers of each quarter, then slice into your desired size and shape. woman slicing a bulb of fennel with a chef's knife over a cutting board

    How to Shave Fennel

    If a dish calls for shaved, instead of sliced or diced, fennel, follow the above steps but with one variation. Keep each layer of the fennel bulb intact, instead of cutting it in half like you would when making a smaller dice. Then, use a sharp knife to make thin shavings that look like half moons.

    Recommended Equipment

    If you’re in the market for a new chef’s knife, I highly recommend this Shun cutlery chef’s knife. It makes preparing fennel and other veggies a breeze! I also use these bamboo cutting boards with rubber stoppers from Martha Stewart.

    How to Use Fennel

    Now that you know how to prepare fennel, let’s discuss ways to use this delicious veggie. Here are some of my favorites recipes with fennel:

    • Healthy Fennel Stew with Shrimp
    • Coconut Cod with Fennel and Spinach (seafood and fennel are a perfect match!)
    • Simple Shaved Carrot and Fennel Salad
    • Warm Fennel Salad with Grapes and Feta
    • Lemony Fennel Lentil Salad with Parsley

    I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.

    fennel sliced into half moon pieces on a cutting board with a knife

    How to Prepare Fennel

    Learn how to cut a fennel bulb (video included).
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 5 mins
    Servings: 1
    Calories: 73kcal
    Author: Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

    Equipment

    • Chef's knife
    • Cutting board

    Ingredients

    • 1 bulb fennel
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Slice off the stalks and fronds. Discard or save for later use. The fronds can be used in the same ways as herbs, and the stalks can be used like celery in soups and stocks.
    • Remove the root end, and slice the bulb into quarters. Remove the core from each quarter with your knife.
    • Peel apart the layers, and slice into your desired shape and size. If a recipe calls for shaved fennel, cut it very thinly with a sharp knife to make "shavings."

    Video

    Notes

    • Fennel can be enjoyed raw, roasted, or cooked in soups or pasta dishes.
    • Fennel bulbs can be stored in a sealed bag in the fridge for about a week. Before storing, remove the stalks and fronds.
    • Sliced fennel will last in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bulb | Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 969mg | Fiber: 7g | Vitamin A: 314IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @its_a_vegworld_afterall and follow me today!

    Happy cooking! – Lizzie

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    1. Lisa Knaeble

      February 11, 2023 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      Very helpful to a novice cook! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

        February 13, 2023 at 9:45 am

        Hi Lisa, I’m so glad this was helpful to you!

        Reply

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    Welcome! I'm Lizzie, a Registered Dietitian and cookbook author who loves vegetables. And I'm here to help you love them too! My easy, veggie-forward recipes will help you get comfortable in the kitchen and celebrate the seasons.

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