Fennel gratin, an easy and quick appetizer or side dish, by Cesarina Filomena

Gratinéed fennel

05/28/2026

If you’re short on time and looking for a quick and easy side dish, you’re in the right place! Our Cesarina Filomena from Montescaglioso brings you her baked gratinéed fennel, a flavorful dish that everyone, kids and adults alike, will enjoy, and that you can prepare in no time at all.
Fennel is a vegetable known for its cleansing and diuretic properties, and it’s incredibly versatile: you can snack on it raw in salads or crudités, bread it and fry it, or bake it in the oven, just like in this recipe.

Unlike most traditional baked fennel recipes, this version doesn’t use béchamel sauce. The flavor, however, is fully preserved thanks to the cheese, which melts beautifully and pairs perfectly with the fennel’s crisp texture.

“My children love them. They’re great as an appetizer, or you can serve them as a side dish with a meat entrée”.

Gratinéed fennel

A tasty appetizer (or side dish) that’s quick and easy to prepare and loved by everyone

DifficultyEasy

Preparation time30m

Cooking time18m

€

CostLow

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
500 g fennel (about 1.1 lb)
200 g fresh breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs), about 7 oz
Scamorza cheese, as needed
Parmigiano (or another aged cheese) as needed

Method

Wash the fennel and cut it into four pieces, then slice each piece into thinner wedges.
Grease a baking dish with extra-virgin olive oil and arrange the fennel inside. On top, add the diced scamorza cheese, then sprinkle over the breadcrumb-and-cheese mixture you prepared earlier. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Place the dish in the microwave and cook for 15–18 minutes on the grill + microwave setting at maximum power.

Cesarina Filomena’s tip:

If you prefer, you can make a vegan version by skipping the cheese and scamorza. Simply add a few extra drops of olive oil: the result will still be delicious!