Oven Roasted Fennel Recipe (keto, low carb) - Delicious Little Bites (2024)

Roasted Fennel is a delicious, somewhat unique, side dish recipe. It’s easy to make and can be served alongside of most main dishes. Fennel is a low carb, low glycemic vegetable which makes this recipe ideal for those following a low carb or keto diet.

Oven Roasted Fennel Recipe (keto, low carb) - Delicious Little Bites (1)

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Fennel is all too often looked over in the produce section of the grocery store. In fact, when I purchased the fennel for this recipe, it wasn’t even listed under “fennel” in their system. The code on it was for celery root.

With it’s huge bulb and furry-looking stalks, it can be a bit intimidating if you’ve never made it before. But, this Roasted Fennel recipe is actually really easy to prepare and good for you too.

Fennel gets a bad rap, especially from those who don’t like anise or black licorice flavor. It does have a very similar taste, so if you are really not a fan of those foods, you might not love fennel.

Personally, I don’t love anise or black licorice, although the flavor does remind me of my grandmother’s pizzelle recipe that she used to make during the holidays.

It took trying fennel a few times for it to really grow on me. It’s low in carbs so it’s another vegetable option when following a low carb or keto diet, like I do most of the time. The more options, the better, right?

All this is to say, give it a chance! You might end up loving it.

Why This Recipe Works

It’s a simple recipe to prepare and can be served alongside of most main protein recipes.

Fennel is a good source of vitamin C and folate and also contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, manganese, chromium, copper, zinc, and iron.

It’s low in calories, carbohydrates, and fat.

How to Make Roasted Fennel

What You Need To Make This Recipe

To make this recipe you will need:

  • 1 bulb of fennel (for 2 servings)
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.

Prep!

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Cut the bulb of fennel into slices.

How to Cut Fennel

Oven Roasted Fennel Recipe (keto, low carb) - Delicious Little Bites (2)

Cut the stalks off of the top of the bulb.

Tip: you can save the stalks and fronds to use in other recipes or for stock. The fronds can also be used as garnish.

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Trim the root end, as well, and remove the tougher outer layer.

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Cut the bulb in half lengthwise.

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Lay each side flat and cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch slices, or you can dice it.

Create!

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Place the fennel on a sheet pan.

Toss with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

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Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing about half way through. The fennel will shrink and start to brown and caramelize.

Present!

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You can serve as is, or garnish the fennel with some of the reserved fronds, if desired.

Tips and Techniques

  • Fennel shrinks significantly when cooking. You may need 2-3 bulbs depending on how many servings you need.
  • Save the stalks and fronds to use in other recipes. The fronds can also be used as garnish.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 5 days.

FAQ’s

Is Fennel Low Carb?

Fennel has about 3.5 grams of net carbs per one cup. It’s a very low glycemic food.

Can You Eat Fennel Raw?

Yes. You can eat fennel raw or cooked. It’s sweeter when raw, and has a light anise or licorice flavor when cooked.

Some ways that you can enjoy fennel raw are to use it in salads, or you can juice it.

More Easy Vegetable Side Dishes to Try

Here are a few more easy vegetable side dishes that you may want to try:

  • Roasted Cabbage Wedges
  • Simple Roasted Rutabaga
  • Roasted Radishes
  • Roasted Turnips
  • Roasted Chili Spiced Carrots
  • Spiralized Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar Honey Butter

Love this Simple Roasted Fennel recipe? Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more!

Oven Roasted Fennel Recipe (keto, low carb) - Delicious Little Bites (9)

Print

Roasted Fennel

Roasted Fennel is a delicious, somewhat unique, side dish recipe. It’s easy to make and can be served alongside of most main dishes. Fennel is a low carb, low glycemic vegetable which makes this recipe ideal for those following a low carb or keto diet.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Gluten Free, Low Carb, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 99kcal

Author Lauren Harris

Ingredients

  • 1 fennel bulb * cut into slices - see post for directions, if needed
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.

  • Place the sliced fennel on baking sheet and toss with the olive oil.

  • Season with salt and pepper.

  • Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and just starting to brown and caramelize.

  • Serve as is, or garnish with fennel fronds, if desired.

Notes

Tips and Techniques

  • Fennel shrinks significantly when cooking.You may need 2-3 bulbs depending on how many servings you need.
  • Save the stalks and fronds to use in other recipes.The fronds can also be used as garnish.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 5 days.

** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 642mg | Potassium: 484mg | Fiber: 4g | Vitamin A: 157IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg

This recipe was originally published on June 6, 2018. It was updated with new images, tips, techniques, and FAQ’s in October 2020.

Oven Roasted Fennel Recipe (keto, low carb) - Delicious Little Bites (2024)

FAQs

Is fennel good for a low carb diet? ›

Is Fennel Low Carb? Fennel is an aromatic vegetable that belongs to the carrot family and has a mild, licorice-like flavor. Although fennel is at the higher end of the low carb vegetable table, it can still be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced and healthy Keto diet.

Is fennel high in carbohydrates? ›

Fennel bulb, raw (1 cup) contains 6.4g total carbs, 3.6g net carbs, 0.2g fat, 1.1g protein, and 27 calories.

How many carbs are in roasted fennel? ›

Fennel bulb, cooked contains 135 calories per 218 g serving. This serving contains 7 g of fat, 3.1 g of protein and 18 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 9.8 g sugar and 7.6 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate.

Are fennel bulbs keto? ›

Answer: At only 3.7 g of net carbs per serving, fennel is an excellent, keto friendly vegetable option. Fennel looks a bit like celery on steroids. Like celery, it features a large bulb at the base with crunchy green stalks extruding.

Who should not eat fennel? ›

Hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Fennel might act like estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by estrogen, do not use fennel.

Does fennel spike blood sugar? ›

The fennel seed oil could reduce blood sugar levels and showed hypoglycemic activity in diabetic rats during an animal trial. Also, fennel essential oil could improve the pathological changes in the pancreas and kidneys because of diabetes.

What are the disadvantages of eating too much fennel? ›

What Are The Disadvantages Of Eating Fennel Seeds? Excess consumption of fennel may worsen kidney disorders, slow down the clotting process, disrupt hormone-sensitive conditions, and can cause chronic skin allergies.

What does fennel do for a woman's body? ›

A review of 10 studies reported that supplementing with fennel extract may relieve hot flashes, vagin*l dryness and sleep disturbances in menopausal women. However, it should be noted that the studies involved small sample sizes and did not account for other factors such as physical activity and nutrition.

Is fennel good for weight loss? ›

Fennel is a rich source of fibre, which helps you stay fuller for longer, further preventing you from cravings and overeating. This leads to lesser calorie consumption, resulting in weight loss. Consuming saunf may help reduce fat storage by improving vitamin and mineral absorption in the body.

What is the most nutritious way to eat fennel? ›

Adding them to your diet may improve heart health, reduce inflammation, suppress appetite, and even provide anticancer effects. To reap the benefits of fennel and its seeds, try incorporating raw fennel bulb into your salads or using the seeds to flavor soups, broths, baked goods, and fish dishes.

Does fennel have a lot of sugar? ›

Half of the carbohydrates in fennel come from fiber and half come from naturally-occurring sugars. The glycemic index of fennel is 16, making it a very low glycemic food.

Does fennel cleanse the liver? ›

Fennel has a long list of benefits far beyond just aiding the liver. With a delicious anise-like flavor, fennel is easy to incorporate into teas and salads to help increase urine flow and protect the liver from alcohol damage. A potent blood cleanser, fennel may also improve kidney function and prevent kidney stones.

Is roasted fennel good for you? ›

Fennel contains many antioxidant compounds including rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and apigenin. Antioxidants can help fight cell damage from free radicals and reduce your risk of many chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Is fennel better roasted or raw? ›

We love it both ways! Roasted fennel has a buttery, caramelized flavor with very mild licorice notes while raw fennel provides a crunch and sweet, stronger licorice flavor like in our Easy Fennel Salad. We also love a sautéed version such as in our Spicy Gnocchi with Fennel and Mushrooms.

Is fennel good for you to Lose Weight? ›

Fennel seeds are rich in fibre and may aid in weight loss and keep hunger pangs at bay. They work as diuretics and improve metabolism. Consuming fennel seeds daily with a balanced diet and workout helps you to shed extra pounds quickly.

Does fennel reduce belly fat? ›

Fennel is a rich source of fibre, which helps you stay fuller for longer, further preventing you from cravings and overeating. This leads to lesser calorie consumption, resulting in weight loss. Consuming saunf may help reduce fat storage by improving vitamin and mineral absorption in the body.

What does fennel do for the gut? ›

In many parts of the world, it's common to eat a little bit of fennel after a meal to aid with digestion and relieve gassiness. Fennel has been shown to help with digestion by reducing inflammation in the bowels and decreasing bacteria that cause gassiness.

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