Name: Easy Vegetable Casserole with Roasted Fennel & Beans
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 people
Ingredients: 2 fennel bulbs; 60 g feta; 400 g canned tomatoes; 400 g haricot beans (or any white beans, with the water); 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped); 1 large onion (finely chopped); 1 small celery stalk (finely chopped); 2 medium carrots (peeled, diced); 1 bell red pepper (roughly chopped); 4 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (in oil) (finely chopped); 2 tbsp olive oil (plus more for roasting the fennel and drizzling); 4 tbsp white wine; 1-2 bay leaf; 1.5 tsp oregano; Salt and pepper to taste

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This quick and easy vegetable casserole with roasted fennel and beans is a delicious, warming vegetarian family dinner idea. Nourishing and filling it makes a perfect healthy meal to enjoy on a chilly night.

This easy vegetarian casserole with fennel is a combination of different textures and contrasting flavours, which together create a rich, satisfying, delicious dish. If you’ve ever tasted roasted fennel you will know that it’s quite different from raw. When cooked its aniseed flavour is toned down and the fennel becomes sweet, mellow and soft. Which is exactly how it turned out in this vegetable casserole.

I decided to roast the fennel before adding into the casserole in order to preserve all of its flavour. I made the sauce separately, then combined it with the fennel (and added the feta) before bringing all the ingredients together into one dish and briefly broiling in the oven.

If you are a fan of fennel try my skinny fennel bean tomato pasta bake. You might also like this aromatic, vibrant beetroot fennel soup with kale.

To make the sauce I used a combination of sweet and tangy vegetables, as well as a splash of wine and sun dried tomatoes for a richer flavour. I added beans for bulk and protein. The sweet roasted fennel is absolutely delicious with the rich vegetable bean sauce and the tangy feta.

Equipment you’ll need

Cutting board and knife
Large baking sheet and parchment paper
Large shallow oven proof casserole dish with lid and spatula

How to make easy vegetable casserole with roasted fennel

There are 3 separate parts to this recipe, 2 of which can be cooked simultaneously so the recipe doesn’t take very long to make.

1.Start by roasting the fennel. Spread it over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, season and drizzle with a little oil (about 2 tablespoons). 2. Roast in a preheated oven at 200 C for about 30 minutes or until tender, turning over half way through. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 220 C.

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3. While the fennel is in the oven start making the vegetable sauce. (By the time the fennel is ready the sauce should be more or less finished). Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, add the onion, garlic, celery and bay leaf and fry gently until softened for 3 minutes.

Chopped onions, celery and bay leaf in large shallow casserole with wooden spatula.

4. Add the wine, tomatoes, beans (along with the water from the can), carrots and peppers and stir.

Beans, tomatoes, diced carrots and chopped red pepper in large shallow white dish with wooden spatula.

5. Add the sun dried tomatoes, oregano, season to taste, stir thoroughly, cover and bring to the boil then simmer for 25 minutes stirring occasionally.

Vegetable mixture in large white shallow dish with wooden spoon.

6. Tuck the roasted fennel pieces into the sauce, scatter the crumbled feta over the top and drizzle with a little oil. Place in the upper part of the oven and broil for 10 minutes (220 C).

This rich and delicious vegetarian casserole takes under 50 minutes to make from start to finish but it tastes like it’s been cooking for 4 slow hours!

Top down view of fennel and vegetable casserole in large shallow white dish with spoon, green cloth to the right and white plate with forks in top right.

Top tips for making roasted fennel vegetable casserole

Fennel: Use a large baking sheet to ensure the fennel pieces have plenty of space to roast evenly. You can roast the fennel ahead and refrigerate until you are ready to add it into the casserole. Add the juices from roasting, if any, into the casserole too.
Beans: I used haricot beans but you can use another bean variety if you prefer. I chose haricot simply because I wanted small beans that wouldn’t dominate the sauce.
Feta: You can swap the feta for a bit of grated cheddar or parmesan or omit the cheese altogether and enjoy this dish vegan.
Herbs: I only used a little oregano but thyme, parsley or basil would make good alternatives. You can also use some herbes de Provence if you like.
Storing: Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.

Serving suggestions

This easy vegetable casserole can be served with pasta, rice, quinoa or potatoes or simply a slice of bread and a drizzle of olive oil (olive oil tastes fantastic in this recipe!). Ideal for lunch or dinner, equally suitable as a family meal or a dinner party idea. Tastes great the next day too!

Check out also this collection of over 12 healthy vegetarian pasta meals.

KEEP IN TOUCH!

Have you made this fennel casserole? I’d love to know how it turned out for you. What swaps did you make? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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Top down view of bean, vegetable and fennel casserole with pieces of feta in large shallow white dish with spoon, green cloth in top right and casserole in small bowl at the top.

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