Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 30 ml olive oil, extra virgin
Rice & Braise
- 200 g long-grain white rice
- 480 ml vegetable broth, hot
- 5 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Finishing
- 10 g fresh dill, chopped
- 15 ml lemon juice
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 314 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 55 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 1122 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 657 mg
- Calcium
- 94 mg
- Iron
- 3.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 36 mg
- Phosphorus
- 126 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 96 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 22 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 76 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.31 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 2.9 mg
- Folate
- 150 mcg
- Water
- 114 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sliced fennel. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until the fennel softens and begins to brown slightly at the edges.
Add the minced garlic and the drained rice to the pan. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the rice grains are coated in oil and smell nutty.
Pour in the hot vegetable broth, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
Simmer gently on low heat for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. The goal is for the rice to absorb the liquid and the fennel to become tender.
Remove the pot from the heat. Keep the lid on and let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes. This creates steam that finishes the rice perfectly.
Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the lemon juice and fresh chopped dill. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Don't throw away the fennel fronds (the green wispy tops). Chop them up and use them like an herb at the end for an extra punch of fresh anise flavor.
- If using a store-bought vegetable broth that is very salty, reduce the added salt in the recipe to 2g or season strictly to taste at the end.
- Slicing the fennel thinly (approx 0.5cm) is key. If the slices are too thick, the rice will overcook before the fennel is tender.
- For a protein boost, this dish serves as an excellent bed for chickpeas or grilled white fish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat with a splash of water to steam the rice.
Freezer: 1 month — Texture of fennel may become softer upon thawing.
Reheating: Microwave with a damp paper towel covering, or stovetop with a splash of water.
Troubleshooting
Rice is crunchy or undercooked
Cause: Lid was loose allowing steam to escape, or heat was too low to generate steam
Fix: Add 30-50ml hot water, cover tightly, and cook on very low for 5 more minutes
Prevention: Use a heavy lid; ensure liquid simmers before covering
Rice is mushy
Cause: Too much liquid or rice was stirred during the simmer phase
Fix: Remove lid and let stand for 10 minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate
Prevention: Measure liquids precisely and do not disturb rice while simmering
Cultural Context
This dish is inspired by the Greek classic 'Marathorizo' (Fennel Rice). Fennel grows wild throughout Greece, and this simple preparation highlights the philosophy of using fresh, local produce to create flavor-packed vegetarian dishes during fasting periods or simple family meals.
