Turmeric Rice Stuffed Fennel Bulbs | GF

Turmeric Rice Stuffed Fennel Bulbs | GF

Fennel bulbs stuffed with turmeric rice, and served with a sun-dried tomato pesto. This is a vegan and gluten free recipe.

Baked fennel bulbs

Preheat the oven to 350°F – 180°C.

Trim the top part of the fennel bulbs and about 1 inch of the base. Then remove the two outside parts of the fennel bulbs as shown below, and keep the center for the stuffing.

How to cut the fennel bulb, view from the side and from the top

Prepare a large piece of aluminum foil on a baking tray and place the empty fennel bulbs on top of it. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and pour a tablespoon of white table wine in each bulb. Bring the edges of the aluminum foil around the bulbs, and seal tightly.

Bake for 45 minutes, until the fennel bulbs are tender. Keep the juice left in the aluminum foil to drizzle when serving.

Turmeric rice stuffing

Dice the fennel flesh (remove the core at the base) and cook for a couple of minutes in a pot with olive oil. Mix in the turmeric powder, and then add the rinsed rice, a teaspoon of salt, and the water. Bring to a boil and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes. Remove from the stove and let sit for 10 minutes, still with the lid on. Add the lemon juice, the nutritional yeast, and a pinch pepper.

I used Basmati rice for this recipe, but you can use any type of rice you like, as long as you cook it for the appropriate time and with the right amount of water.

Rice stuffed fennel bulb on a plate

Sun-dried tomato pesto

Sun-dried tomato pesto isn’t essential to the dish, but it’s a nice addition, both color-wise and taste-wise. You can use herbs other than basil to make it, such as parsley, arugula, or even fennel fronds.

Pesto can be prepared a few days ahead and stored in the fridge, or last minute, since it’s very quick to make.

More gluten free and vegan recipes

Lentil & Rice Shepherd’s Pie

Italian Polenta Tart

Millet Bowl with Butternut Squash and Dried Cranberries

Quinoa Patties with Mushrooms and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Rice stuffed fennel on a plate

Turmeric Rice Stuffed Fennel Bulbs | Vegan, GF

Fennel bulbs stuffed with turmeric rice and served with a sun-dried tomato pesto.
Recipe for 4 fennel bulbs.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Servings 4 people
Calories 466 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 fennel bulbs
  • 4 tbsp white table wine
  • 1 ⅓ cups long-grain white rice
  • 2 ⅔ cups water
  • olive oil
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt
  • pepper
  • sun-dried tomato pesto see notes

Instructions
 

  • First, start by preparing the fennel bulbs :
    Preheat the oven to 350°F – 180°C.
    Rinse the fennel bulbs, trim off the stalks and cut the root end. Gently pull apart the two outside parts of the fennel bulbs, and put them standing on a large piece of aluminum foil, on a baking tray – keep the inside part of the fennel bulbs to make the rice stuffing.
    Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and pour a tablespoon of white wine in each bulb.
    Seal the aluminum foil completely around the fennel bulbs, and bake for 45 minutes. Keep the juice left in the aluminum foil to drizzle when serving.
  • Rinse the rice and dice the leftover fennel (discard the core of the bulb).
    In a pot, heat up two tablespoons of olive oil, and saute the fennel for a couple of minutes.
    Add the turmeric and mix for a few seconds, before incorporating the rice, a teaspoon of salt, and the water. Bring to a boil and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes.
    Remove from the stove and let sit for 10 minutes, still with the lid on.
    Add the lemon juice, the nutritional yeast, and a pinch pepper.
  • Once the fennel bulbs are cooked, transfer carefully on each plate, and stuff them with the turmeric rice.
    Drizzle with the baked fennel juice, and serve with the sun-dried tomato pesto.

Notes

  • I used basmati rice, but you can use any type you like as long as you cook it for the appropriate time and with the right amount of water.
  • Sun-dried tomato pesto isn’t essential to the dish, but it’s a nice addition, both color-wise and taste-wise. You can use herbs other than basil to make it, such as parsley, arugula, or even fennel fronds.
  • Pesto can be prepared a few days ahead and stored in the fridge, or last minute, since it’s very quick to make.
  • Calories are per one serving (total calories for this recipe: 1864).
Keyword fennel, Gluten free and vegan

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