Sweet, herbaceous, crunchy fennel, where do we even start? We'd honestly go so far to call fennel one of our... best FRONDS EVER. Yes, we went there. That's just how strongly we feel about fennel. This all-star winter veg can be pickled, braised, shaved, and roasted alongside chicken, adding pops of punchy flavor all along the way. So when those winter time cooking doldrums inevitably sneak up, consider using our fennel-y secret weapon to jazz up all our winter salads, soups, and pastas.
What *is* fennel anyway? Technically, fennel is a member of the carrot family, and you might be more familiar with fennel seeds studding your favorite chicken curry (it's a main component of curry powder) and other spice mixes across the Middle East and Asia. Fun fact: You can actually eat all parts of the fennel plant (bulb and fronds), and we highly suggest you do. The bulb itself has an aromatic celery-esque taste and texture when eaten raw, while the frilly fronds will impart that licorice-y flavor you likely associate with fennel. We call that a buy-one-get-one-free special, TBH.
So what to cook with this wonderfully versatile vegetable? Fennel really shines when paired with both bright citrus-y as well as deeply savory meat-based dishes (our lemony orzo and chicken soup is delicious proof of both). You could even build an entire meal around fennel as the star; try our grapefruit & goat cheese fennel salad with our bacon harvest skillet chicken, or our fried halloumi salad with our recipe for classic cioppino stew. Even if you just cozy up with a bowl of lasagna soup, you'll be so glad you picked up fennel on your weekly grocery run.
Fennel Salad With Apples & Radishes
When you're looking for a side dish that tastes extremely fresh even in the depth of winter, look no further than fennel salad. It’s crunchy, slightly sweet, and perfectly light and refreshing, especially if you serve it alongside heavier cold weather comfort foods. Try it paired with roasted chicken, juicy steak, or even mac 'n' cheese. (Seriously, it works!)
Get the Fennel Salad With Apples & Radishes recipe.
Roasted Fennel With Delicata Squash & Apples
You may have seen crisp, anise-y fennel bulbs dotting the famers' market stands, nuzzling up alongside sweet delicata squash and tart apples. The three find their way into this healthy side dish that's perfect for elegant dinner party menus, simple weeknight meals, or paired with richer, holiday spreads.
Get the Roasted Fennel With Delicata Squash & Apples recipe.
Grapefruit & Goat Cheese Fennel Salad
For this salad, we paired fennel with some other cold weather-friendly ingredients: juicy grapefruit, briny Kalamata olives, creamy goat cheese, and some rich toasted pine nuts. Most things are highly adjustable: Swap in your favorites; just keep those toasty nuts!
Lasagna Soup
With its sheets of wavy pasta, dollops of Parmesan-enriched ricotta cheese, and chunks of golden brown Italian sausage, this soup is hard to beat. Yeah, it's pretty hard to compete with a steaming bowl of soup that contains all the best parts of classic baked lasagna.
Get the Lasagna Soup recipe.
Halloumi Salad
We think it's due time that halloumi, the brined Cypriot cheese, got its time in the spotlight. Besides the delightfully squeaky texture (where are the cheese curd lovers at?) and the tangy, salty flavor, the high melting point is really what makes this cheese stand out—when heat is applied, it develops a delicious golden crust that is so delightful in this salad.
Get the Halloumi Salad recipe.
Cioppino
Originating in San Francisco, this tomato-based seafood stew is traditionally filled with whatever seafood is fresh at the market. Since plenty of seafood is available year-round, we went with four of our favorites: shrimp, clams, mussels, and halibut. The perfect accompaniment to cioppino has got to be crusty bread to sop up any remaining soup. A crispy French loaf would be great, but we also love to really highlight the flavors of San Francisco with a bit of sourdough.
Get the Cioppino recipe.
Bacon Harvest Chicken Skillet
This easy chicken thigh recipe with bacon and Brussels sprouts comes together in one skillet. It's the perfect cozy dinner to make during fall and winter. Don't forget to toast a few good slices of bread to sop up all the delicious juices!
Get the Bacon Harvest Chicken Skillet recipe.
Lemony Chicken & Orzo Soup
This bright, hearty soup is a quick and easy alternative to chicken noodle, perfect for weeknights when you’re craving something homey. Filled with a mix of veggies, chicken, beans, and orzo, there’s a lot of room in this recipe for improvisation.
Get the Lemony Chicken & Orzo Soup recipe.
Shrimp Stew
Shrimp stew is a Cajun dish from Louisiana. This quick one-pot dinner is flavored with Cajun seasoning, packed with green bell pepper and fennel, and has a garlic-infused tomato broth. Serve it with a New Orleans-inspired cocktail like a Hurricane or a Cherry Sazerac.
Get the Shrimp Stew recipe.
Guy Fieri's Fire-Roasted Fieri Lasagna
This lasagna was inspired by Guy's sister, Morgan, who was the only vegetarian in their house (and was also somewhat of a leftover-lasagna thief!).
Chickpea Pasta
A hearty pasta with a bean-enriched, vegetable-forward sauce is always a welcome dish as the weather turns chilly (though Team Delish knows it’s also great year-round). This fast weeknight version is bolstered with crispy pancetta bits for meaty pops of flavor, plenty of Parmesan, a generous fistful of grassy herbs, and some last-minute lemon zest to keep it bright.
Get the Chickpea Pasta recipe.
Blue Cheese, Sausage, And Mushroom Fettuccine
When you feel like tucking into something hearty and warming, turn to this flavorful fettuccine recipe. Loaded with savory sautéed mushrooms, thinly sliced fennel, crisped sweet Italian sausage bits, and creamy blue cheese, this dinner has the perfect balance of flavor and texture.
Get the Blue Cheese, Sausage, And Mushroom Fettuccine recipe.
Baked Sweet Potato
27 Easy Italian Sausage Recipes
30 Side Dishes For Pork Chops
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
