How to Cut Fennel for Salads, Sauté, and More!

A highly underrated vegetable, fennel is a tasty, versatile food that has a lot going for it. You can eat it raw, roast it, sauté it, or even add it to sauces and soups. Its fresh and aromatic anise flavor compliments a wide variety of dishes. 

If you’re not already familiar with this odd-looking veggie, it can seem a bit intimidating. However, once you learn how to cut fennel and how to cook it, you’ll be looking for ways to add it to all different types of meals. Here’s what you need to know.

What parts of fennel can you eat? 

If you’re looking at a piece of fennel and wondering what to do with it, you’re not alone! This odd-looking vegetable is made up of a crisp, thick bulb that grows up above the soil and stalks with thick, feathery leaves that look a lot like dill. The stalks also produce small yellow flowers when it goes to seed. Every part of the plant is edible, including the bulb, fennel leaves, and flowers—and you can either eat them raw or cook them.

While the entire plant is edible, most often you’ll see recipes calling for the fennel bulb. Raw fennel bulb has a texture that’s similar to raw celery and a fresh licorice flavor. As you cook it, it takes on a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a sweeter flavor.

How to cut fennel

Learning how to cut fennel is easier than you might think! First, you’ll want to make sure you have a sharp, sturdy knife and a cutting board. Then, you’ll start by turning the whole fennel on its side and cutting it just below the stalks. Throw the stalks and leaves away or save them for later. Even if you’re not going to eat the leaves, you can use them as a garnish.

Next, cut off the root end of the fennel and remove the tough outer layers. Take a moment to wash your fennel bulb under cool water and pat it dry. Then check the recipe to see if it calls for the fennel to be sliced or chopped before moving on to the next step.  

How to slice fennel

To slice fennel, stand it up on the root end and steady it with one hand. Cut your fennel bulb in half, from the stalk end to the root end. Remove the tough core by cutting a wedge-shaped piece from the top of the core down through the bottom and discard it. 

Next, place half of the bulb cut-side down on your cutting board. Slice it into thin strips using a chef’s knife. When you cook your meal with these thin slices, they will provide a bit of fennel taste in each bite.

How to chop fennel

If you prefer a crisp crunch and a stronger anise-like flavor, you may want to chop your fennel instead. To do this, you’ll cut your fennel in half, then in half again – so you have four quarters. Discard the tough inner core from each quarter.

Slice each quarter, holding the slices together. Then, rotate the whole thing and dice it by making slices the other way. Make sure to note whether the recipe calls for larger chopped pieces of fennel or smaller diced/minced pieces, as this will impact the size of the slices you’ll make.

How to shave fennel

If you’re planning to eat your fennel raw or sauté it, you may want to shave it into super-thin slices using a mandoline. Start by halving and coring your fennel bulb, then place one half base-side down on the mandoline. Slide it back and forth across the blade, using a smooth motion. Put a cutting board underneath so the shavings can fall onto it.

How to make fennel wedges

Roasted fennel is also delicious. To make this, you’ll want to cut your bulb in half vertically, then cut each piece into several wedges. After you roast it, you’ll want to remove the tough center pieces before serving it.

How to use raw fennel

Wondering what to do with your sliced, chopped, or wedges of fennel? Here are some great ideas!

Raw fennel salad

You can eat thin slices of raw fennel on its own, but it’s even better in a larger salad. Try mixing your shaved fennel with greens, herbs, nuts, and shaved parmesan cheese. Toss it with a simple vinaigrette dressing and enjoy!

Using fennel fronds

Using your fennel leaves as a garnish doesn’t just make your dish look pretty. Finely mincing them creates an aromatic flavor that will enhance your favorite pasta dishes, soups, salads, and more. You can also use both the stalks and the leaves to make a tasty homemade vegetable broth.

Sautéed fennel

Sautéed fennel is an upscale addition to any meal. Prep a pan with butter or oil on high heat. Using your preferred cut of fennel, add your greens to the pan and fry until golden and crispy.

Enjoy fennel today!

With so many uses and textures, fennel is a fantastic addition to any menu. Order online with Instacart and have your groceries delivered directly to your home, hotel, Airbnb, or vacation rental. Whether you’ve got a date to impress or are trying to find flavorful inspiration on your health journey, fennel is bound to become a regular on your grocery list.

Grab it now on Instacart:

Fennel Leaves (24 ct)

Organic Fennel (1 bunch)

Fennel Bulb (2 lb)

GoodCook Precision Chef Knife 8 Inch (1 each)

Progressive Folding Mandoline (1 each)

Fennel Bulb (6 ct)

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