I seem to have a love affair with fennel cannellini bean salad these days. Actually, I may even be addicted to it and I wouldn’t mind it one bit because fennel cannelloni bean salad is both scrumptious and effortless. If you pair this salad with some flat bread, it becomes a delightful lunch. Finally, the best part about this dish is that it takes only 15 minutes to prepare and it tastes great hot or cold.
Fennel Cannellini Bean Salad
Roasting a whole bulb of fennel may take up to 30 to 40 minutes at 400°F but I’ve hacked that part to speed the things up. If you quarter or cut fennel into wedges, it takes about 15 minutes to roast it, and if you slice it, it takes about 10 minutes.
Did you know that fennel, a plant native to the Mediterranean, is a part of the carrot family ?
Benefits of Fennel
Fennel is rich in Vitamin C and potassium but it is also one of those herbs that helps relieve digestive issues. People have been using different parts of fennel for centuries – leaves, root bulb, seeds and oil. Roasted fennel bulb pairs well with sweet potato, carrots, beans and fish and this quick fennel cannelloni bean salad is a great example of pairing fennel and bean. On the other hand, fennel seeds may be even more versatile. I like to add them to everything and I regularly use fennel seeds in my homemade Italian sausage.
Fennel essential oil is praised as an efficient remedy for digestive troubles. Besides the essential oil, fennel tea is wonderful for tummy troubles too, even for kids. In Europe, fennel tea is commonly given to infants to help with colic. In fact, I’ve been using this Organic Fennel Tea
- 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced into ¼ inch slices
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 15-ounce can organic cannellini beans
- ¼ tsp coarse sea salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the fennel with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes until the fennel is soft and golden.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a 10-inch skillet and cook the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in beans and their liquid and season with salt and pepper. Saute until the liquid thickens and beans are creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Turn off heat and add in hot fennel slices. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot or cold.
Please note that this post includes Amazon affiliate links.
