Braised Fennel and Leeks

Braised Fennel and Leeks in the oven with chicken broth and wine and then topped with a crispy parmesan crust. The mild anise flavor from the fennel combined with the sweet oniony flavor from the leeks gives this delicious side dish a lot of depth and warmth.

It's also a great low carb side dish if you want to keep your carbs to a minimum.

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• Other low carb recipes you might enjoy
• Ingredients used for the braised fennel and leeks
• Steps by step instructions
• Recipe tips
• Recipe variations
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Roasted fennel bulbs and leeks are a perfect and elegant side dish that will wow your dinner guests.

It's a simple low carb recipe, yet has all the characteristics of a flavorful and hearty side dish. You might also love this Creamy Mashed Broccoli and Cauliflower side dish recipe.

Ingredients used for the braised fennel and leeks

Made with fresh produce and some simple ingredients with an optional crispy topping.

• Fennel: with a slight licorice flavor, fennel has a distinct taste that is very recognizable.
• Leeks: similar to the flavor of a green onion but with a more subtle oniony taste.
• Chicken Broth: to flavor and help braise the leeks and fennel bubls.
• White Wine: we use a very dry white wine for this recipe to minimize the carbs.
• Butter: we add knobs of butter to give this recipe some richness
• Parmesan: freshly grated parmesan is used to give a salty layer on top of the vegetables.
• Pork Rind Crumbs: this is completely optional as we combined them with the parmesan to give an extra layer of crispiness. You can leave them out or use a few panko crumbs for added crunch.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Steps by step instructions

How to make the braised fennel and leeks?

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cut off the root end of the leek and then cut off the dark greens on the other end. Then slice down the middle (length-wise) so that the leek is split in half. Fan out the leaves and rinse very well under water to remove any dirt. Pat dry with a paper towel.

STEP 2: Pat the leeks dry and then place them into a 13 x 9 casserole dish.

STEP 3: Clean and wash the fennel bulb then cut the core out of the center and cut it into one-inch slices. Then spread out the fennel slices on top of the leeks in the casserole dish.

• STEP 4: pour the chicken broth and white wine over the veggies and then add knobs of the butter spread out on top. Cover it with tinfoil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes then remove the tinfoil and bake for another 10 minutes.

• Then remove from oven, and sprinkle with parmesan, salt and pepper, and optional crumbs.

STEP 5: Place the braised fennel and leeks back into the oven for 5-10 minutes just to get the top a little crispy and browned.

Recipe tips

Top Tip: cleaning a leek can be tedious but it can contain a lot of dirt between the leaves. For best results separate all the leaves and give them a good rinse.

• Make Ahead: Make this braised fennel and leeks recipe ahead of time and store covered with tinfoil until you are ready to bake it.
• Serving: best served as a side dish with roasted chicken, prime rib, pork chops or a delicious cut of steak. Perfect for holiday parties, just increase the number of ingredients in the recipe card below.
• Storage: store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Recipe variations

Braised fennel and leeks are a perfect combination of vegetables and complement each other very well. Here are some variations that would go well with these veggies.

• Parsnips - for a natural nutty and earthy flavor add some slices of parsnips to this dish, cut lengthwise.
• Chicken Thighs - want to add some protein to this recipe, top the veggies with chicken thighs before baking. You can make your main and your side dish all at once.
• Vegan - keep the dish vegan and replace the butter with vegan butter and definitely omit the pork rinds as well.

Check out this delicious Air Fryer Butternut Squash recipe.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe Card