Baked Fennel with Parmesan Cheese is a great way to incorporate new veggies into your diet. If you’re one of those who avoid fennel, then you should try this recipe! Once baked, the fennel and anise taste soften, and the result is an aromatic, soft, and roasted veg that, combined with parmesan cheese, creates a delicious and juicy side dish to several meals.
Looking for more veggie-based side dishes? Look no further; we have these amazing recipes for you: Oven-roasted Green Beans, Roasted Beets and Candied Yams.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy to make
- Gorgeous mild flavor
- Unique vegetable to serve
- Adds variety to your menu
- Only need 3 ingredients
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Staub Ceramic Baking Dish Set, 3pc, Rustic Turquoise
Yes, fennel can be cooked in many ways: it can be boiled, baked, roasted and grilled. To cook it in the oven, you should par-boil it first. Then, finishing it in the oven is fast and easy to just brown and then serve.
Ingredients for Roasted Fennel with Parmigiano Cheese
Only three easy ingredients to find at any local grocery store. This recipe is economical to make.
Recipe Ingredients
Fennel Bulbs – You’ll need 3-4 bulbs of fennel to serve 6 people.
Butter – It adds richness and deliciousness to this recipe.
Parmesan Cheese – Works great to top fennel as it adds saltiness and cheesiness, which balances out the fennel’s aromatic profile.
How to make Roasted Fennel with Parmigiano Cheese
Cook the fennel bulb halves in a medium – large stock pot of boiling water for 10 – 15 minutes. You want the fennel to be soft but not mushy. Remove the fennel from the water to a cutting board to allow to cool.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8 x 11 baking dish and set aside.
Once the fennel is cool enough to handle, cut each of the bulbs lengthwise into 4 – 6 pieces and place them in the prepared baking dish.
Dot the fennel pieces with the butter and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.
Place in the preheated oven and bake until the cheese is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
What to Serve with Roasted Fennel
Roasted fennel goes great with roasted chicken, roasted pork or pork tenderloin. Due to its sweet, caramelized taste, it pairs beautifully with red meat such as roast beef.
Recipe Pro Tips!
FAQs
Don’t overcook the fennel while you are boiling it. You want it just fork tender but not mushy. The fennel continues to bake in the oven with the Parmesan.
If you don’t like the anise flavor of fennel raw, you may like it baked, as that flavor becomes very mellow, nuttier and sweet and so enjoyable.
This recipe is very economical to make a big family-sized side dish. It only takes three ingredients to make, and fennel itself is not an overly expensive vegetable.
ARE YOU TIRED OF THE HO-HUM VEGETABLES THEN TRY MORE FENNEL DISHES?
We love cooking vegetables all sorts of ways and like to try unique and different vegetables too. Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy fennel.
Baked Fennel with Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fennel bulbs 3-4 bulbs
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Cook the fennel bulb halves in a medium – large stock pot of boiling water for 10 – 15 minutes. You want the fennel to be soft but not mushy. Remove the fennel from the water to a cutting board to allow to cool.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8 x 11 baking dish and set aside.
- Once the fennel is cool enough to handle, cut each of the bulbs lengthwise into 4 – 6 pieces and place them in the prepared baking dish.
- Dot the fennel pieces with the butter and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake until the cheese is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Kim Melanson says
Fabulous! So easy to prepare fennel! Who knew?! I loved the buttered Parmesan cheese baked on each piece of fennel. Heaven! We will definitely put this dish in our line up!
Tara Noland says
I am so glad you like it. One of our fave ways with fennel. It is completely different and so lovely cooked.
luana says
This was my first time having baked fennel an it completely amazed me. I’m not a big fan but baking it makes it sweet, soft and so juicy. Love it now!
Tara Noland says
So glad you enjoyed it. One of our favorites!