How To Cut Fennel
We love using fennel in a lot of really great recipes because it adds a really delicious and unique flavor! Our absolute favorite way to eat fennel is in our apple fennel salad. It is so light, refreshing and full of great flavors. We were definitely intimidated the first time we cut-up some fennel but after a little practice we have learned that it is actually pretty easy. Follow our simple steps below and you will find it easy too!
What You Will Need
- fennel bulb – you will need a large, clean bulb of fennel.
- sharp chef’s knife – make sure you have a large, sharp knife that can slice through the thickest part of the bulb – you could also use a mandolin, if you have one.
- cutting board – we love using a large wood cutting board, but as long as it is big enough for the fennel bulb it will work!
What is Fennel
Fennel is a vegetable that is a flowering species of the carrot family. The bulb is edible and, when eaten raw, has an anise flavor or taste similar to licorice – but this changes quite a bit when it is cooked! It is great in a variety of recipes!
How To Cut Up Fennel
Step 1: Lay the fennel bulb on its side and cut off the little rough spot on the very bottom at the root end.
Step 2: Taking a hold of the outer most green stalk, pull it off of the bulb and part of the bulb will come with it and taking all the dirt and grossness that goes along with it.
Step 2 (cont.): As you can see in the picture below, the part of the bulb that came with the stalk covered almost the entire bulb. You may or may not need to take off 2 of these layers to totally remove the dirty outer layer.
Step 3: Cut off the stalk end right at the base by the bulb. After you are done you will be holding the actual fennel bulb. (Note: the greens can make a nice garnish)
Pro Tip
You can also take a vegetable peeler and peel off some dirt too if there is just a little left on the bulb after the first stalk is removed.
Step 4: Now take your fennel bulb and cut it in half.
Step 5: Next you can carefully remove the core.
Step 6: This is what you will be left with and you can slice, dice, mince or cut into wedges. It will be perfect for salads, roasting, or whatever else you have in mind!
Best Ways To Use Fennel
There are lots of different ways you can cook fennel from roasting to grilling. You can also toss it in your favorite soup or stews or you can even eat it raw in a salad, like our delicious fennel salad recipe or our winter stacked salad with fennel and pear. Let us know your favorite way to use fennel!
Recipe FAQ
The long green stems of the fennel are edible but for this tutorial we are going to focus on how to cut up the thicker white bulb. On occasion we have use the fronds as a garnish, depending on the recipe that we are making.
Other Recipes You Might Like
How to Cut Mango
Delicata Squash Tutorial
How to Make Chicken Broth
How to Poach an Egg
Ingredients
- 1 fennel bulb
Instructions
- Lay the fennel bulb on its side and cut off the little rough spot on the very bottom.
- Taking a hold of the outer most green stalk, pull it off of the bulb and part of the bulb will come with it and taking all the dirt and grossness that goes along with it. As you can see in the pictures, the part of the bulb that came with the stalk covered almost the entire bulb. You may or may not need to take off 2 of these layers to totally remove the dirty outer layer. You can also take a peeler and peel off some dirt too if there is just a little left on the bulb after the first stalk is removed.
- Cut off the remaining stalks right at their base by the bulb. After you are done you be holding the actual fennel bulb. (Note: the greens are not edible, but they can be a nice garnish).
- Take your fennel bulb and cut it in half.
- Remove the core by making two cuts at an angle on either side of the core.
- From there, you can slice, dice, mince, etc.
Notes
- Serving: we absolutely love making this Fennel Apple Salad!
Originally published April 4, 2016.
Leave a Rating & Comment