What vegetables go well with fennel - and how about herbs and spices? If you are wondering how to use fennel and what ingredients to best pair it with, read on! We'll help you discover some delicious combinations in this plant-based flavour pairing guide!
What does fennel taste like?
Fennel has a unique and distinct licorice or aniseed flavour. It's a herb in the carrot family, with feathery leaves or fronds and yellow flowers.
The variety typically used in cooking is known as Florence fennel, finocchio or simply called fennel bulb.
It's a popular ingredient in Mediterranean cooking and can give a dish a refreshing burst of flavour, or a delicate, aromatic, sweetness depending on how you use it.
When you cook fennel, the anise taste becomes more mellow and mild. The sweet notes also become more pronounced.
So now we know what it tastes like, what other ingredients go well with fennel?
Popular combinations
These are some of the most popular ingredient combinations for fennel. Use them to create your own dishes!
- Fennel + blood oranges (add a light dressing, lettuce, nuts or olives to make a refreshing salad)
- Fennel + lemon + olive oil (try this combination in our Simple Fennel Pasta)
- Fennel + beets/beetroot + vinegar or orange juice
- Fennel + tomatoes + herbs (great roasted with pasta or potatoes)
- Fennel + vegan cheese + nuts (e.g walnut or almond) + apple or pear
Fennel flavour pairings
Here's a list of vegetables, fruit and other plant-based ingredients that go with fennel to get your creative juices flowing! Bold items are particularly good matches to try.
Vegetables
- artichokes (great on pizza!)
- arugula/rocket
- beetroot
- carrots
- chillis
- cucumber
- garlic
- ginger
- kale
- leeks
- mushrooms
- onions
- potatoes
- tomatoes
- watercress
Fruit
- apples
- blood orange
- cranberries
- figs
- grapefruit
- lemon
- olives
- oranges
Spices
- black pepper
- coriander
- curry powder
- fennel seeds
- fennel pollen
- star anise
Herbs
- dill
- oregano
- parsley
- tarragon
- thyme
Plant-based cheeses and dairy alternatives
- plant butter (we like Naturli or Flora Plant Block)
- oat or soy cream
- vegan ricotta (made from soy or cashews)
- vegan feta (such as Violife Greek)
- vegan parmesan cheese
Pulses & plant proteins
- broad beans / faba beans
- borlotti beans / cranberry beans
- cannellini beans
- chickpeas / garbanzo beans
- smoked tofu
- vegan chorizo sausage (try our recipe!)
Nuts & seeds
- almonds
- cashews
- hazelnuts
- pecans
- pine nuts
- pistachios
- sesame seeds
- walnuts
Grains
- couscous
- millet
- pasta
- quinoa
- risotto rice (try our Fennel Risotto)
Pantry items and condiments
- balsamic vinegar
- brown sugar
- soy sauce (we love this soy sauce brand)
- tahini
- vegan honey
We hope this guide has inspired you to experiment with new flavours and get cooking with fennel!
We think fennel works brilliantly raw in salads and slaws, and cooked in risottos, pizzas and soups. Come and discover some delicious dishes to cook at home in our collection of 14 Vegan Fennel Recipes to Try Now!
Got a great suggestion for what goes well with fennel? We'd love you to leave a comment below to share your ideas!
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