Baked fennel is a recipe that always goes down well and delights the table. With its fresh scent and delicate aroma, it goes perfectly with everything and is not only delicious but also really good for you.
So why is baked fennel a good and healthy food? Because it's diuretic and digestive, it's ideal for evenings when you are a little overtired or meals are a little too rich, it's low in fat and contains lots of vitamins. And with steaming salty cheese, eggs, and sun-dried cherry tomatoes in the oven, it is irresistible!
Ingredients Baked Fennel with Mozzarella and Eggs Recipe
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 large onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 fennel bulb: thinly sliced, leaves for garnish
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- 2 canned sun-dried cherry tomatoes, chopped (2/3 cup)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes (about 1/2 cup)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 6 eggs
- Chopped fresh parsley to garnish
- Grilled or toasted bread of your choice for serving
How to Make Baked Fennel with Mozzarella and Eggs
To get started with our baked fennel, you first need to preheat your oven. Preheat your oven to 375F. Take olive oil in a large skillet and heat it over medium heat. Meanwhile, finely chop the onions and fennel and add them to the pan with the heated olive oil. Roast the onions and fennel until they are soft. This roasting process will take about 10 minutes. Then add the garlic, cumin, and red pepper and fry everything for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Cut the tomatoes into small pieces and add them to the pan with the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens or even comes to a boil. This process will take about 10 minutes in total. While the sauce is cooking, cut the mozzarella into thin slices or cubes.
When your sauce is cooked, add the cheese and lemon juice on top. Lightly scatter the eggs over the tomatoes. Your baked fennel is now ready to go into the oven!
Place the pan in a well-heated oven and bake the eggs until they are set. For this recipe, which is almost cooked except for the eggs, you can cook the eggs as long as you like. My recommendation is 7-10 minutes. You can wait longer if you like.
Finally, take your baked fennel out of the oven. Garnish with fennel fronds and parsley and serve hot. Bon appetit!
Tips for Baked Fennel with Mozzarella and Eggs
As you can see, baked fennel is a dish that can be prepared very quickly and easily with just a few ingredients. If you want to speed up this recipe a bit more, you can prepare the tomato mixture a few days in advance. When you are ready to serve the dish, heat it in the oven for 15 minutes and then bake it for 10 minutes. Serve it for breakfast or dinner! It is nutritious and a good savior for both.
You can cook the fennel al dente in the pan before roasting, so you get softer baked fennel.
Be sure to drain the sliced mozzarella well before adding it so the baked fennel does not get too watery.
How to Serve Baked Fennel with Mozzarella and Eggs
If you want to eat baked fennel as a main dish, it goes well with a loaf of bread or pita bread. When it comes out of the oven, you can grate Parmesan over it while it is still hot.
It also goes well with linguine, pickled cucumbers, radish salad, and poultry dishes.
How to Store Baked Fennel with Mozzarella and Eggs
You can store baked fennel in an airtight container for 1-2 days maximum. Since it contains eggs, it spoils quickly. I recommend that you consume it while it is fresh. For convenience, you can store the tomato sauce you prepared in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. This way you can quickly prepare the baked fennel on a busy day.
