As delicious as fennel is, I am always hoping to create recipes that will do its unique flavor full justice, like my Fennel Crusted Potatoes and Pasta with Fennel Pesto.
This past week, trying to do something wonderful with a couple of beautiful bulbs of fennel, I put together this quick, very simple, but very flavorful side dish of Roasted Vegetables with Fennel Vinaigrette.
In India, fennel seeds are a common ingredient in the spice pantry, but fresh fennel is not. In fact, I had never cooked with the vegetable before I moved to the United States because it wasn't available at least in Bombay.
It's easy to fall in love with this versatile vegetable with a crisp, sweet, licorice flavor. This is also a very nutritious vegetable, with anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties.
But cooking with fennel can be both simple and tricky. Simple because it doesn't take much to make something delicious with fennel because you already have so much flavor to start out with. Tricky because adding it in with the wrong ingredients can lead to the fennel overwhelming the dish or being overwhelmed by stronger ingredients.
My Roasted Vegetables with Fennel Vinaigrette is a very versatile dish. Use any robust vegetable that would stand up well to roasting and hold its shape and a bit of crunch in the oven. I used carrots, potatoes, and fennel bulbs, but sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, or even plantains would work here.
More delicious vegetable recipes
Roasted Vegetables with Fennel Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 2 bulbs fennel (Cut off the leaves and stems and peel the tough outer layers of the bulbs. Chop the bulbs roughly into a 1-inch dice.)
- 2 large potatoes (cut into a 1-inch dice)
- 2 carrots (cut into a 1-inch dice)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to spray
For the vinaigrette
- Tender stalks and leaves of the fennel , chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the vegetables on a baking sheet sprayed with oil and toss with the salt and black pepper. Spray some more oil over the top of the vegetables.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45-60 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through and lightly golden-brown.
- Place all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a blender and blitz until everything's blended pretty fine.
- Pour over the roasted vegetables, toss to mix, and serve immediately.
Deepti
hi...i have followed you..hope you would do the same...
Work man
This looks delicious - so super-healthy, too!
Zengirl @ Heart and Mind
Vaishali,
How have you been?Yummy recipe, Desi's pictures and your words come together to make me hungry even though I have just finished my dinner. I always find new ways to cook with new ingredient, this time Fennel!
I am making more eggplant dishes, Thanks to you and Zenguy is happy as he loves eggplant.
Preeti
Vaishali
Hi Preeti, I've been busy but well, thank you! I am happy you are cooking more with eggplant and I hope you'll try the fennel. 🙂 Thanks, as always, for your kind words.
chocolateandchoufleur.com
I actually haven't eaten fennel yet this year, which is astounding because I love it so much. This warm salad sounds lovely. What a great idea to use the fennel fronds in a vinaigrette!
Manasi
All I ever knew about Fennel was for after dinner or even when a 'bahiyya' outside school selling guavas,'imli', 'ber' and fresh soft, sweet fennel. After coming to the USA, I first heard about the bulb, I still have not tasted it.
So, is the bulb like 'badishop'?
(gosh, that sounds like a dumb question even as I am typing it 🙁 )
Vaishali
Hi Manasi, yes, it does taste like badishop, but fresher. Not a dumb question at all. When you cook it, the taste mellows but it's still amazingly vibrant.
Usha
This is such an interesting combination. I can just imagine the taste with fennel in it, would love to try !!
Maha Gadde
wow..delicious and tempting .
Sarah
This looks really delicious! I love fennel, and I love that this recipe makes use of the stalks and leaves.
Cozinhar sem Lactose
Love it! I'm a sucker for fennel and I love it roasted!
Gayathri Ramanan
Interesting and healthy recipe..
divya
Super tempting and yummy