By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- 4(127)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Fennel and spring onions, cooked gently until they begin to caramelize, make a sweet topping for a pizza. Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of fiber, folate and potassium. Fennel also contains many phytonutrients, including the flavonoids rutin and quercitin, as well as a compound called anethole, mainly responsible for its anise-y flavor, that may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Featured in: Healthier Pizzas
Learn: How to Make Pizza
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Include recipe photo
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:One 12- to 14-inch pizza
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1medium size sweet spring onion, chopped, about 1 cup
- Salt, preferably kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1¼pounds trimmed fennel bulbs, tough outer layers removed, cored and chopped
- 2large garlic cloves, minced
- 2tablespoons minced fennel fronds
- ½recipe whole wheat pizza dough (see recipe)
- Parmesan
Preparation
Step
1
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, preferably with a baking stone in it. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the onion and about ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the fennel and garlic, and stir together. Cook, stirring often, until the fennel begins to soften, about five minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook gently, stirring often, until the fennel is very tender and sweet and just beginning to color, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped fennel fronds, and remove from the heat.
Step
2
Roll or press out the pizza dough and line a 12- to 14-inch pan. Brush the pizza crust with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle on the Parmesan. Spread the fennel mixture over the crust in an even layer. Place on top of the pizza stone, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges of the crust are brown and the topping is beginning to brown. Remove from the heat. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.
Tip
- Advance preparation: The fennel topping can be made a day ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. The dough can be made up to three days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
Ratings
4
out of 5
127
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Mae
Loved this! I added pears, walnuts and goat cheese—a fantastic combination.
Karen
I used a little over 1 pound of small fennel bulbs and a half cup of chopped spring onions and that was plenty for one pizza. Also, I added about 1 cup of steamed, shelled fava beans and fresh mozzarella. Delish!
Thom
Added some Gruyere cheese along with the Parmesan. Drizzled balsamic vinegar glaze over the finished pizza. Next time, I think I'll add some lightly toasted pine nuts, too. I used the recommended pizza dough which came out cracker thin and too crispy. Will make this again.
Maggie
This was a great winter pizza. Because it's winter I used leeks - I think ordinary onions would work well too - there's a long cooking time. Naturally, I made it less healthy with Trader Joe's pizza dough instead of whole wheat and TJ's quattro formaggi both below and above the vegetables. Healthy enough, and a satisfying dinner and lunch.
FH Cyclist
Those who don’t like recipe changes, skip this. Excellent base for riffs. Used fennel but yellow onion so could have year round. Added roasted mushrooms (in fridge) made like NYTC mushroom focaccia. Cheese base is mozzarella & romano. Baked for 20 min. Roasted mushrooms a bit too done. Need < time but still yummy & screams potential.So good! Had with Willamette Valley Pinot Gris & green salad w/ Dijon dressing.Will go into pizza rotation.
Bethany
By spring onion does she mean a regular onion grown in the spring or one of the long skinny onions with green tops? I wasn’t sure so I used a mixture of both. It was delicious. I also added the pine nuts as suggested by another which was a nice touch.
mary
Think minced clams would be good with this. Next time!
Krista Lynne
Made exactly as written, this was a perfectly fine pizza. Interesting flavors and the sweet fennel was tasty. Next time I think I would add mozzarella instead of just parmesan, and the whole wheat crust was...well, whole-wheatey. I'll use a traditional less healthy crust next round.
Elinor
Yummy filling! I put it in in some phyllo that I needed to use up. I put 10 sheets in a tart tin. For each layer, I brushed some olive oil on top and sprinkled on about a teaspoon of panko bread crumbs. I mixed some parmesan in with the fennel, and put dabs of goat cheese on top.
Carolyne
very fresh, simple, and delicious! I added some baby bella mushrooms because I had them on hand, and they fit the flavor profile nicely in my opinion. The crust came out very nicely. I can't wait to drizzle balsamic on a slice and indulge for lunch! Thank you, Martha, for this delicious and light pizza. :)
Kaitlin
Before putting in the oven, we added a heaping cup of chopped chard that needed eaten up and it was delicious.
FH Cyclist
This is very good. I used a yellow onion. I also added mozzarella, in addition to Romano used in place of Parmesan. I added the 1/2 tsp salt recommended but added some additional at the 2nd point mentioned in the recipe. With the cheese I used, it was too much. I caution against adding more salt (I did add pepper & recommend doing so) to the onions & fennel.Lastly, I use parchment paper with the pizza on top, then all goes on a ceramic stone. This creates crispy crust. Yum!
Mae
Loved this! I added pears, walnuts and goat cheese—a fantastic combination.
Thom
Added some Gruyere cheese along with the Parmesan. Drizzled balsamic vinegar glaze over the finished pizza. Next time, I think I'll add some lightly toasted pine nuts, too. I used the recommended pizza dough which came out cracker thin and too crispy. Will make this again.
Jim L
Thanks Martha. Looks good, but note that Vitamin C is destroyed by heat.
Paige
I added sliced vegetarian sausage on top and it was amazing!! (I would imagine it would also be amazing with meat sausage)
Karen
I used a little over 1 pound of small fennel bulbs and a half cup of chopped spring onions and that was plenty for one pizza. Also, I added about 1 cup of steamed, shelled fava beans and fresh mozzarella. Delish!
Private notes are only visible to you.
