Fennel is one of those veggies that can take on a whole new personality once it has been roasted in the oven. It can smell a bit like anise when it’s raw, but after cooking it softens and becomes sweeter. Combine that roasting process with the right mix of herbs and spices and you end up with an extra delicious veggie side to compliment your meal. This Easy Roasted Fennel is just that: easy! But, it’s also packed with flavor from a few familiar ingredients.

A tip for cutting fennel is to trim the fronds and stems. Then set the bulb upright and cut it in half vertically. This keeps more of the structure intact so the slices have a better chance of staying together.

Once you have the bulbs sliced it’s time to dress them in the delicious spices, including some fresh garlic and dried thyme. For a little bit of kick you can add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes as well. This is optional, but I find that just a little bit adds a lot of flavor and dimension to the roasted fennel.

We’re roasting the fennel in two rounds. The first one cooks the veggies and the garlic most of the way through. Then top with some grated Parmesan cheese and return it to the oven. This gives the fennel even more flavor, a savory umami goodness, but it also gets the cheese melted.

The last step after taking this out of the oven is to squeeze some lemon wedges over the top. The citrus gives this dish a little something extra. Between the olive oil, the garlic, and the lemon this dish hits all the flavor spots.

If you’ve ever walked past fennel in the grocery and wondered how to prepare it, this Easy Roasted Fennel is a great recipe to make quick work of this tasty vegetable.