How to Cut Fennel Into Wedges, Dices, and Slices

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is an edible perennial herb that belongs to the carrot family.
The most common cultivated fennel plant is Florence fennel. Most parts of the plant are edible: while the hollow fennel stalks can be a bit tough, its edible white bulb is treated as a vegetable, and you can use its green fronds (which are similar in consistency to dill), fruits (or seeds), pollen, and essential oils for several culinary purposes.

Fennel has a crisp texture similar to celery and a licorice-like taste similar to anise that mellows upon cooking.

Always clean your fennel before cooking with it. To do so, hold the fennel bulb under running cold tap water as you rub down the outer layer. Dry the fennel bulb with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, then use it for any cooking preparation you desire.

There are several different methods for cutting your fresh fennel bulb, depending on how you want to cook it. Follow these steps for cutting fennel into slices, wedges, or dicing it:

• Chop off the fronds and base. Hold the fennel down on the cutting board so that the side of the bulb is lying on the board. Using a sharp knife, chop off the green stalks at the top of the bulb and the root end (or the base). Discard the fennel fronds and the base. If the outer layer of your fennel has any blemishes or dark spots, peel the outer layer off of the bulb and discard it.
• Cut in half. Stand the trimmed fennel bulb on its cut root end, and slice it in half down the center. Slice those halves in half again so that you have quarters. Cut the hard fennel core out of the base of your four fennel quarters. Now you can cut your fennel into a variety of cuts.
• Slice thinly. Stand the bulb quarters on their cut ends, and slice the fennel into thin slices. You can also run the cut end of the bulb quarters over a mandolin to get paper-thin slices. Add sliced fennel to salads and eat it raw, or sauté with a little olive oil in a pan to add a mellow, anise flavor to several dishes.
• Cut into quarters. Cut each of your fennel bulb quarters in half to make eighths. Use your sharp knife to cut the hard, core end of each fennel wedge diagonally. Add fennel to veggie bakes, stews, and roasts for a crunchy, toothsome texture and anise flavor.
• Dice crossways. Follow the steps above to dice fennel. Dice the slices of fennel crossways until your fennel is in small cube-like pieces. Use diced fennel in casseroles and stews.

The best way to store fennel is in the refrigerator. To do so, trim the fronds and base of the fennel bulb. Next, place the fennel in a plastic bag on a shelf in the refrigerator or the vegetable crisper drawer. You can use fennel stored in the fridge for up to five days.

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