This Braised Fennel with Apricots and figs brings a nice combination of sweet and savory deliciousness. A side dish that will surely impress your guests.
This really successful braised fennel recipe is vegan and Gluten Free. It's also a great Passover recipe that you can enjoy all year round!
What is Fennel?
Fennel is one of nature’s most surprising vegetables. The odd-looking love child of onion, celery, and a banzai tree, fennel may look like it was drawn by Dr. Suess, but bite into one, and you’ll get a flavorful shot of sweet anise and licorice, a satisfying crunch, and a healthy dose of Vitamin C, iron, fiber, and potassium. Surprisingly, fennel is a vegetable from the carrot family that has a texture similar to crunchy celery. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw fennel has a fresh licorice flavor, if you roast or sautee it, it develops a mildly sweet flavor that takes this vegetable to a whole new level.
Fennel is one of those vegetables that people either love or absolutely hate, mostly because of its strong licorice taste.
What most people don't realize, however, is how much fennel changes once it's cooked. That strong, licorice taste almost disappears, and all you're left with is a sweet flavor and slightly buttery texture. And if you're not convinced, check out this super simple recipe. It might make you change your mind!
How to cut a fennel bulb
- Place the fennel bulb on a cutting board
- Cut off the fronds. You can use the fennel fronds to flavor soups or wash them and add them to your salad
- Cut fennel in half
- Remove the core by cutting it with a knife (optional)
- Slice, dice, or chop depending on your recipe
How to Braise Fennel
Remove the fronds from the fennel. Cut the bulb in half, lengthwise, ad slice each half into 3 pieces
Season well on both sides, and arrange the slices in a large, deep skillet
Cook until the fennel is caramelized
Add orange juice, white wine and dried fruit
Simmer until tender about 45 minutes.
Other Fennel Recipes
- Stuffed Eggplant With Fennel & White Beans
- Persimmon Fennel Salad
- Pickled Fennel & Carrots
- Fennel, Blood Orange & Hazelnut Salad
- Fennel and Chickpea Stew
- Warm Roasted Fennel Salad for Two
Braised Fennel with Apricots and Figs
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This braised Fennel with Apricots and figs brings a nice combination of sweet and savory deliciousness. A side dish that will surely impress your guests.
Ingredients
- 2 medium fennel bulbs - fronds removed - See Note 1, if you don't have fennel available
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 10-12 dried apricots
- 8-10 dried figs, cut in half
- ⅛ - ¼ cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Cut each fennel bulb in half, lengthwise, and slice each half into 3 pieces. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
- In a large deep saute pan for which you have a lid, heat olive oil. Arrange fennel pieces (you can crowd the pan because fennel will shrink). Cook over medium heat, 5 minutes per side. Add orange juice, wine, apricots, and figs, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer covered for 45 minutes or until tender
- Garnish with pistachios (if using).
Notes
- You may use cabbage wedges if fennel is not available, but the flavor will not be the same.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
- Category: Side
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Calories: 187
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 377
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 1.2
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 25.8
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 3.4
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: passover, gluten-free, kosher,
Yosef - This American Bite says
ROCK ON. That looks AMAZING.
Jamie Geller says
I am one of those people that LOVES!!!! fennel raw or braised or roasted - well you get the idea. Just adore what you did here.
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you so much. We actually got the idea from a chicken recipe pour mom used to make. We wanted to make it vegetarian and thought fennel would be the perfect veggie to use. Glad you like it!
Amy says
This looks fabulous and I would love to make this with chicken too - how?
Vicky & Ruth says
If you want to make this dish with chicken, sautee chicken with salt, pepper and olive oil until fully cooked. then add the chicken to the Fennel right before adding the orange juice and the wine. We would use boneless chicken thighs. Let us know how it comes out. All the best.
vera says
I just found you, guys. Been from Russia, fennel is new to me. But I love it so much. Thank you for the great recipe. I will make it with and without the chicken. And I know, for sure, I will love it. Good luck, Vicky and Ruth.
Ronnie Fein says
I am absolutely making this over the weekend. This is the recipe that might finally get my husband to love fennel. The combo of the tangy dried fruit and fresh fennel -- what a winner. Never thought to use that. you have opened up a whole new category for me
Vicky & Ruth says
Thanks!!! So glad to hear that. It's amazing how people who don't like fennel at all, end up loving it when it's served cooked. Good luck 😉
Tamar Genger says
This looks amazing!! I love fennel and always want to try new ways to cook it, I love how it plays center stage in this recipe.
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you! We love fennel as well and works great braised. Glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Couldn't Be Parve says
What a beautiful picture! I never would have thought to braise fennel with fruit, it looks amazing!
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you so much. This dish was a real success, everyone loved it!
emile sabbah says
emile april 2nd
Fennel is one of the most delicious and amaizing vegetable
your recipe just give to it what it deserves thank you
emile sabbah exec chef
Vicky & Ruth says
WOW, we are honored to get such a great review from a chef. Thank you!
jessica @ the kosher foodies says
oh my! my father in law would just LOVE this dish. i must make it over the holiday!
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you! Enjoy the holiday and we hope your father in law likes this fennel recipe.
Sarah & Arkadi says
beautiful looking dish! so rustic!
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you so much!
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
I'm one of those people who definitely falls into the "love" fennel group, and this is such a stunningly gorgeous preparation! What a creative and delicious flavor combination! I'll bet this will make fennel lovers out of people who thought they didn't like it! Yum!!!! 😀
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you Shelley, we are big fans of fennel as well! We love it cooked and raw!
Sarah Klinkowitz says
I am loving the colors - I happen to like fennel (I am not in the love or hate category, so I need to eat it more so I can love it!) and I think this dish is fantastic!
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you!! You'll be surprised how different it tastes once it's cooked!
lynne gill says
Drawn in by the beautiful photograph and stayed because the recipe is just so simple - what a wonderful side dish for Christmas Dinner!
★★★★★
lynne gill says
Sorry, just realised this is a Passover recipe - no offense intended - I think this would just be a great celebratory meal side dish!
Vicky & Ruth says
No apology needed! This is a great celebratory meal dish, for any Holiday! It just happens to be perfect for Passover because of its ingredients. Glad you liked it. Enjoy!!
marci says
I hate fennel but thought i would give it a try. Tired of Tzimmes thought this would be a good substitute. Loved the recipe. Making it again for Passover.
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Judith says
Huge success! Thank you for this amazing recipe! ...and all others I had the pleasure to recreate and taste, my men loved each one of them!
Regards judith
Switzerland
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Judith!
So happy to hear you and your family are enjoying our recipes! Thank you for letting us know, we will keep them coming 🙂
Jessica says
This recipe looks delish! Any thoughts about a way to make it a dairy free main course?? I thought about adding chick peas, but not sure if I like that idea...
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Jessica, this dish would work very well with extra firm tofu, just sauté the tofu together with the fennel, you may need to add a little extra oil. It will absorb all the wonderful flavors. Another option would be to add vegetarian chicken, like the one Tofurky sells. Chickpeas may work as well.
Sashi says
Simply awesome passover recipe!
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you! Enjoy!
Andrew says
Recipe looks great. Can you make it in advance, or in a larger quantity?
Thanks,
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
Yes, absolutely it can be made in advance.
Moshe Barber says
B"H
Discovered your braised fennel recipe a couple weeks before Passover and decided to go for it. We put it on our Passover menu at VegOut Cuisine here in Pittsburgh and although there were only a few people that had the courage to order it, it was amazing and a smash hit with all who were blessed to have some. Could not find KFP apricots with no sulfites so used organic Medjool dates and organic raisins along with figs. The color was much darker than your pics but the taste and texture were beyond beyond.
BTW also made a variation of your stuffed zucchini and the shepherd's pipe, which we topped with Japanese sweet potatoes. One of our 4-yuear old seder guests ate four pieces of the latter! His saba and savta, Israeli born sephardim and longtime friends, noted that our cooking was getting better and better...so we need to give credit to you both! Thank you
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
Great adaptations! We are so happy the recipes were a success for you. Thank you for the credit 😉
TJ says
I wanted to make this for Pesach. I even bought the fennel before the holiday started but I didn’t get around to making it until after the holiday was over. Glad I waited because I added 1 tsp of Advieh to the pan while cooking and served it over coconut rice. Also added a Quorn patty for added protein. Turned out amazing!! Will definitely make it again. Thanks!
★★★★★
Sandy says
Can you substitute prunes for dried figs?
Vicky and Ruth says
Yes, absolutely. Enjoy!
T says
Hi, this looks really good but I still don’t understand how you cut the fennel. If you used two bulbs sliced in half and then each in three, you should have 12 pieces and your photo shows 15-16. So do you rather go by size? If so, roughly the thickness of a thumb? It’s hard to guess from the photos. Thanks.
Vicky and Ruth says
Yes, if the fennel is really large cut each half in 4 pieces.