Braised Fennel, lemon, dill and Puy Lentils

Braised fennel with Puy lentils is a simple vegan dish, healthy, elegant and subtle in flavors. It features some tender maple-braised fennel, lemon, dill and lentils. Delicious!

Here’s a recipe that will make you like fennel for good! Audacious yet simple and perfectly healthy, this fennel dish will take your taste buds to a whole new level.

With its complex flavor spectrum, raw fennel is sweet and earthy, with warm notes of licorice. This dominant flavor is tamed when fennel wedges are caramelized in maple syrup, while lemon and dill bring up the refreshing notes. To make this veggie-oriented dish even more nutritious, it comes with a simple lentil and fennel stew prepared with baby spinach.

The recipe ingredients

• Fennel bulbs. You need 1 ½ fennel bulbs cut into wedges. Cut the remaining ½ fennel bulb thinly and add to the lentil stew.
• Maple syrup. We use it to caramelize the fennel bulbs and add some sweetness to the dish.
• Lemon (juice + zest). You need 1 large lemon, preferably organic as you will use the zest.
• Dill + fennel seeds. It adds some subtle refreshing notes to the dish.
• Puy lentils. You can replace them with other green lentils or beluga lentils.
• Baby spinach. Stir in at the last minute until just wilted but still fresh and green in color.

How to make braised fennel with Puy lentils?

Head over to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions. Here are just the main steps to keep in mind when making the recipe.

• Cook the Puy lentils and drain. Remember, do not over-cook them or they may become mushy when you warm them up later on.
• Prepare and cook the fennel. Start with cutting the 1 ½ fennel bulbs in wedges (keeping the remaining ½ fennel bulb for slicing). Typically, cut in quarters, then cut each quarter in half. You will have some thick slices, that you can cook in some butter and maple syrup until soft and tender.
• Add the seasoning! Thyme, fresh dill, lemon zest and juice, with salt and pepper are what bring up all the flavors to the dish.
• Assemble the dish. This starts with sautéing the remaining fennel slices, add the cooked lentils, baby spinach, and cook for a few minutes, until wilted. Add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Top with the braised fennel wedges, and enjoy!

Recipe variations and serving suggestions

You can replace baby spinach with kale, replace the Puy lentils with other green lentils or black beluga lentils, and add some crumbled cheese when serving (fresh goat cheese and feta would be great candidates). Some would drizzle some grated Parmesan cheese on top before serving, others will add just a drizzle of chili oil for a spicy kick.

For a complete new variation, replace the fennel with green cabbage wedges, and proceed as instructed in the recipe. It should work just fine!

More lentil recipes you’ll love:

• French Lentil Salad with Beets and Feta
• Lentil Salad with Zucchini, Feta and Mint
• Lentil Salad with Caramelized Pears and Blue Cheese
• Vegetarian Bolognese Lasagna
• Lentil Stuffed Butternut Squash with Halloumi

Braised Fennel, lemon, dill and Puy Lentils

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Mains
• Diet: Vegan

Braised fennel with Puy lentils is a simple vegan dish, healthy, elegant and subtle in flavors. It features some tender maple-braised fennel, lemon, dill and lentils.

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Ingredients

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• 3 ⅓ cups (250g) Puy lentils, dried
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 fennel bulbs*
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 5.3 ounces (150g) baby spinach
• Salt and pepper

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Instructions

1. Cook the lentils in 3 times their volume of cold water in a large pot placed over medium heat. Add a bay leaf and cook for about 25 minutes or until tender but still al-dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. Cut off the bottom and top parts of each fennel bulb, and discard. Cut 1 ½ fennel bulbs in wedges (keeping the remaining ½ fennel bulb for slicing). Cut into quarters, then cut each quarter in half. Slice the remaining half bulb.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet placed over medium low-heat. Add the fennel wedges and cook until very tender and golden brown on both sides. Pour in the maple syrup and gently flip the fennel wedges until coated and slightly caramelized. Add thyme, fresh dill, lemon zest and juice. Feel free to add a little bit of water if the mixture dries out quickly. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.
4. In a separate skillet, cook the sliced fennel with olive oil over medium heat, until tender and slightly golden. Add the fennel seeds and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant, stirring often. Add the cooked lentils (without the bay leaf), and stir in the baby spinach and cook until wilted, stirring regularly. Add fresh dill and season with salt and pepper. Add the braised fennel bulbs, and serve with more fresh dill and extra lemon zest if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

* You will need 1 ½ fennel bulbs cut into wedges. Slice the remaining ½ fennel bulb thinly.

Dairy-Free, Fall, Gluten-Free, Healthy, Lentils, Salads & Bowls, Sides, Spring, Vegan, Winter

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