Name: Easy Roasted Fennel With Garlic
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 large fennel bulbs; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cloves garlic (minced); ¾ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; Pinch red pepper flakes (optional); ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese; Lemon wedges (for serving)

Fennel, garlic, olive oil, thyme, Parmesan, and lemon — this Easy Roasted Fennel With Garlic makes veggies the star of the show.

I didn’t plan to like fennel. Let’s just start there.

I think I’d only ever seen it in bougie grocery stores, sitting next to radicchio and purple cauliflower, looking like it was trying to be fancy. And someone — probably an aunt or a food show — once told me it “tastes like licorice,” and, uh… no thanks. So yeah, I avoided it. For years.

Then one rainy Sunday afternoon, I was at my friend Julia’s place. She’s the kind of person who lights candles during daylight and casually roasts vegetables without measuring anything. You know the type. She pulled this tray out of the oven, all golden and smelling like garlic heaven. I thought it was some kind of roasted onion situation. Took a bite. Stopped talking mid-sentence. “Wait… this is fennel?”

Yup. Roasted fennel with garlic. Just like that, I was converted.

And now? Easy Roasted Fennel With Garlic is a regular guest at my table. I serve it on random Tuesday nights when I want to pretend I eat like an adult. I’ve even made it for Thanksgiving, nestled between mashed potatoes and stuffing, holding its own like a veggie boss.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Roasted Fennel With Garlic Recipe?

Let’s be honest — fennel sounds intimidating. But this? This is the recipe that takes all the weirdness out of it and turns it into something downright cozy. Here’s why it hits:

It’s low-effort. Slice, season, toss it in the oven. That’s your big move.
The garlic makes it rich. Honestly, it could make shoe leather taste good, so imagine what it does to fennel.
Roasting mellows it out. No more licorice vibes — just sweet, earthy, slightly nutty deliciousness.
Parmesan = golden, crispy topping dreams.
It feels fancy… but it’s not. Serve it with chicken, steak, pasta, or just eat it with your fingers over the stove (guilty).

Also? It gets better the longer it sits out. Like pizza. Or my enthusiasm for leftovers.

Ingredient Notes:

Here’s the thing about this Easy Roasted Fennel With Garlic — it’s not precious. You don’t need a bunch of fancy stuff. You don’t even need a reason.

2 large fennel bulbs – Chop off the green tops (you can keep them if you’re feeling whimsical), then slice the bulbs into wedges. They don’t need to be perfect.
3 tbsp olive oil – I eyeball it. Enough to make things glossy, not drowning.
2 cloves garlic, minced – Or more. You know your heart.
¾ tsp salt & 1 tsp black pepper – Adjust depending on how salty your cheese is.
½ tsp dried thyme – Or fresh if your garden is thriving, unlike mine.
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional) – Adds just a whisper of heat. Or leave it out. No biggie.
½ cup shredded Parmesan – The pre-shredded stuff is fine. If you want to grate it fresh, I love that for you.
Lemon wedges – Squeeze these on at the end. It makes it.

How To Make Easy Roasted Fennel With Garlic?

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Grab a baking sheet. Line it with parchment if you don’t like scrubbing charred cheese off metal. (Spoiler: I do not.)

Step 2: Cut your fennel. Chop off the green, fluffy tops (save some if you wanna garnish and pretend you’re on Food Network). Slice each bulb in half lengthwise, then into wedges — like little half-moons. About ½ inch thick is good. Thinner gets crispy. Thicker stays soft. Do what feels right.

Step 3: Toss everything. Put the fennel on your baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes over it. Use your hands or a spatula to coat everything evenly. No overlapping — let each piece get its moment to shine.

Step 4: Roast it. Slide it into the oven. Set a timer for 25 minutes and do something fun (or finally fold the laundry… I won’t judge). The fennel should start to brown on the edges.

Step 5: Add cheese. Pull out the tray. Sprinkle Parmesan all over. It’ll look like too much, and then it won’t be. Trust me. Roast for another 10 minutes until things are crispy and bubbling.

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Step 6: Serve with lemon. Right before digging in, squeeze a lemon wedge over the whole tray. It lifts the whole dish in this ta-da! kind of way.

Storage Options:

Fridge: Airtight container. Keeps well for 3-ish days. Loses a little crisp, but the flavor’s still great.
Reheat: Oven > microwave. But honestly? Cold roasted fennel… weirdly satisfying.
Freezer: Don’t. Just don’t.

Variations and Substitutions:

I’ve played around with this a lot — usually when I realize I’m out of something 30 seconds too late. Here’s what still worked:

No Parmesan? Use feta, goat cheese, or even nutritional yeast for a dairy-free vibe.
No thyme? Rosemary’s fun. Or nothing. Garlic carries enough weight.
Add onions. Red onions roast like a dream and pair so well with fennel.
Add balsamic. Drizzle some on at the end for a tangy-sweet kick.
Breadcrumbs? Toss some on with the cheese for crunch.

One time I threw in a handful of grapes (don’t ask why), and they roasted up into this jammy little surprise. It was weird. But… not bad?

What to Serve with Easy Roasted Fennel With Garlic?

Pairings! If you’re building a whole meal, here are some ideas:

Grilled chicken or fish. Especially something lemony or herby.
Pasta. Toss it on top of spaghetti aglio e olio for a fancy twist.
On a flatbread. With ricotta? Game changer.
In a grain bowl. Add rice, greens, chickpeas, tahini drizzle. Dinner = done.
Next to scrambled eggs. For brunch? Don’t knock it.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do I peel it?
Nope. Just trim the tops and slice the bulb. The oven does the rest.

Can I make this ahead?
Totally. Slice and season in the morning, roast in the evening. Easy peasy.

Can I skip the lemon?
Sure… but don’t. It’s kinda the magic moment. Just saying.

If you’ve made it this far and you’re still on the fence about fennel, I get it. But listen — this Easy Roasted Fennel With Garlic has surprised more people than I can count. Myself included.

It’s not trying to be flashy. It’s not loaded with cream or deep-fried or drenched in sauce. It’s just good, simple, cozy, real food. And maybe, just maybe, it’ll be the start of your unexpected fennel love story too.

Try it. And when you do? Tell me how it went. Messy tray? Parmesan avalanche? Someone who swore they’d hate it and now they want seconds?

I wanna hear it all.

Happy roasting.

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Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!

<Remember it later>

Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!

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