Try this savory Italian baked fennel with bechamel recipe.

Baked Fennel with Bechamel

Baked Fennel with Bechamel is a truly appetizing side dish! This easy Italian recipe is perfect for preparing fennel in a delicious way, suitable even for special occasions like Christmas lunch.

The secret of these oven-baked vegetables lies in the velvety bechamel sauce that envelops the fennel and, thanks to the addition of grated cheese, forms an enticing golden crust. This tasty trick enhances these typical Mediterranean vegetables, which are often overlooked on our tables. Sautéing them in the pan also makes them even more flavorful.

Delicious and easy to prepare, these succulent oven-baked fennel will surely be loved even by the little ones. Serve the baked fennel with bechamel for a family dinner and let us know if they asked for seconds!

Try these tasty fennel side dishes too:

• Pan-fried Fennel
• Gratin Fennel
• Almond Gratin Fennel
• Pan Gratin Fennel
• Baked Fennel with Potatoes and Onions
• Breaded Baked Fennel
• Foil-wrapped Fennel
• Mediterranean Gratin Fennel

Ingredients

• 3 fennel bulbs
• 50g butter
• 50g flour
• 500ml milk
• Salt to taste
• Nutmeg to taste
• 100g grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F).
2. Clean the fennel bulbs and slice them.
3. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring to form a roux.
4. Gradually add the milk, continuing to stir until the sauce thickens.
5. Add salt and nutmeg to taste.
6. Blanch the fennel slices in boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain.
7. Arrange the fennel in a baking dish, cover with the bechamel sauce, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Total Time: 45 min

Cuisine: Italian