10 Fantastic Fennel Recipes

Arugula-Fennel Salad
Photo: © Quentin Bacon

These delicious recipes span salad, pasta, pizza, and a chicken entree, plus a condiment and a cocktail. Here are some of our favorite fennel recipes to showcase the plant, from seed to bulb.

01 of 10

Fennel-and-Sweet-Onion Pizza with Green Olives

Fennel-and-Sweet-Onion Pizza with Green Olives
© JOHN KERNICK

Miami chef Michael Schwartz uses brown ale and whole-wheat flour to flavor his chewy crust. Toppings can range from potato and house-cured bacon to this pie, made with Pernod-braised fennel, caramelized onions and Trugole, a semisoft Italian cheese that melts beautifully.

02 of 10

Arugula-Fennel Salad

Arugula-Fennel Salad
© Quentin Bacon

Eugenia Bone serves this simple green salad with a cheese plate and plenty of rustic bread. She always includes Taleggio and aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, as well as fresh imported sheep's-milk ricotta whenever she can find it at the market.

03 of 10

Kohlrabi, Fennel and Blueberry Salad

Kohlrabi, Fennel and Blueberry Salad
© Anna Williams

Kohlrabi tastes a lot like a broccoli stem, but it's milder and sweeter and the texture is crisper. Chef Stephanie Izard thinks it's an underappreciated vegetable, so she makes it the star of her delicious salad, served raw in very thin slices. In fact, she likes the dish so much that she takes some home to eat on the couch after service a few times a week.

04 of 10

Fennel Mustard

Fennel Mustard
© Burcu Avsar

A terrific condiment from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home; try it on roast pork.

05 of 10

Campari-Fennel Aperitif

Campari-Fennel Aperitif
© Paul Costello

Pleasantly bitter, herb-infused Campari is a bracing aperitif, especially when it's blended with a little sparkling wine as it is here. Neal Bodenheimer loves how the vivid-red Italian spirit tastes with fennel. "This is a perfect way to use up any leftover fennel fronds from the kitchen," he says.

06 of 10

Fennel and Red-Onion Salad with Parmesan

Fennel and Red-Onion Salad with Parmesan
© Ashley Rodriguez

Crisp raw fennel, pungent onion, and a sprightly lemon and orange dressing make for a delectable salad. A food processor with a slicing attachment cuts the fennel in no time.

07 of 10

Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Fennel and Rosemary

Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Fennel and Rosemary
© David Malosh

The Mediterranean flavors of fennel, garlic, and rosemary are perfect with chicken. The fennel and chicken are sautéed and then briefly braised in chicken broth, which becomes a tasty light sauce.

08 of 10

Fennel-and-Citrus Salad with Mint

Fennel-and-Citrus Salad with Mint
© Con Poulos

For his light, simple salad, chef Matthew Accarrino mixes grapefruit and orange segments with shaved fennel and a sweet-tart honey-lemon dressing.

09 of 10

Fennel and Apple Salad with Hazelnuts

Hazelnut, Fennel and Green Apple Salad
Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee

Tucked in among the tender lettuce leaves, fragrant fennel, sweet-tart Granny Smith apple, and toasty hazelnuts add a refreshing crunch to this fall salad.

10 of 10

Braised Sausage and Fennel with Toasted Spices

Braised Sausage with Fennel and Toasted Spices Recipe
Greg DuPree

With whole pink peppercorns and fennel seeds, this simple braise is gently perfumed and aromatic with fresh spring flavors inspired by the braised fennel at Red Hook Tavern in Brooklyn, New York, from chef Allison Plumer. Use a fresh, spicy sausage here to complement the creamy bean puree and sweet fennel.

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