How To Cut Fennel

Fennel is a vegetable with a lot going for it. (We love it so much we created a whole guide for everything you need know about fennel!) It’s crunchy and sweet when tossed raw in a salad, or caramelized and silky when roasted.

But before you can eat it, you have to slice it. Here’s how to cut fennel and trim it down into bite-sized pieces.

Fennel is at its peak season from late fall to early spring, though it can usually be found year round. Choose bulbs that feel heavy for their size and have tightly packed layers. The stalks, if still attached, should feel firm; not limp or rubbery. Avoid bulbs with very loose outer layers or that look bruised or split on the outside.

Fennel is sold both with the stalks and fronds attached and with them removed. I recommend buying with the stalks attached or at least with some of the stalks still remaining; these bulbs tend to store better and for longer than those with the stalks totally removed. The stalks and fronds are also edible — bonus fennel! The tender, lacy fronds are fantastic in salads and the stalks can be chopped up into stews or used for vegetable stock.

Store whole fennel in the crisper drawer or loosely wrapped in plastic in your fridge. It’s best used within a week, though will often keep for longer. Just peel away the outer layers as they become wilted or rubbery.

To save sliced or shaved fennel for later, submerge the slices in a little water, cover, and refrigerate until needed.

If you have a mandoline slicer, it’s the perfect tool to shave fennel into very thin slices for salads. Here’s how to do it:

1. Lay the quarter of fennel with the cut side flat against the mandoline.
2. Press down with the safety guard to secure the bulb, then quickly run the bulb across the blade to shave it into thin slices.
3. Adjust the thickness as needed.

The fennel bulb can be eaten raw or cooked — both have their perks! When raw, fennel is crunchy and sweet; once cooked, it becomes silky soft. Raw or cooked, fennel has a faint flavor of licorice or anise — not so much that it overwhelms a dish, but just enough that it adds an interesting layer of flavor to the dishes in which it’s used.

Fennel can be used in a variety of recipes, from raw crunchy salads and slaws to roasted and braised dinners. Here are a few ways to use freshly cut fennel:

• Roasted Fennel
• Fennel and Radicchio Winter Salad with Pecans
• Clams with ‘Nduja, Corn, and Fennel
• One-Pot Lemon Orzo with Shrimp and Fennel
• Shaved Cucumber and Fennel Salad with Olives and Feta
• Fennel, Carrot, and Leek Gratin
• Sardine Sandwich with Crunchy Fennel Slaw
• Shaved Fennel, Roasted Tomato & Pistachio Salad with Yogurt Dressing
• Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Lemon
• Orecchiette with Caramelized Fennel and Spicy Sausage
• Pasta with Leeks, Fennel, Tomatoes, and Guanciale
• Harissa Olive Oil-Braised Chickpeas and Fennel
• Roast Chicken with Fennel, Carrots, and Gremolata