Creamy Potato Fennel Bake

This creamy potato and fennel bake has bright zesty lemon cream alternating with layers of herby potatoes and fennel.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword fennel potato bake

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 365 kcal

Ingredients

Cashew Cream

1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight and then drained
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/3 cups milk
2/3 cup water or vegetable stock
Juice from 1 large lemon 1/4 cup
1 tablespoon Yeast flakes
2 teaspoons salt can add more to taste, if desired

Creamy Potato and Fennel Bake

2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into very thin slices (ideally with a mandoline)
2 fennel bulbs very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds or your preferred fresh herb
Extra olive oil, for brushing on after it's done

Instructions

Cashew Cream

In a blender or food processor, combine all of the cashew cream ingredients on high speed until silky smooth. Set aside.

Creamy Potato and Fennel Bake

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 10 x 13-inch casserole dish and set it aside.
In a large bowl, toss the sliced potatoes with the olive oil, salt, thyme, and rosemary until evenly coated in the oil and spices.
Now we can start layering everything. On the bottom of the pan, make an even layer of 1/3 of the sliced potatoes, laying them so that they're slightly overlapping. Then take half of the fennel slices and lay them in an evenly-spaced layer on top of the potatoes. Pour half of the cashew cream over the fennel and use a spatula to evenly spread it out.
Now it's time for layering round 2. Make an even layer of another 1/3 of the sliced potatoes, laying them so that they're slightly overlapping. Then take the remaining half of the fennel slices and lay them in an evenly-spaced layer on top of the potatoes. Pour the remaining half of the cashew cream over the fennel and use a spatula to evenly spread it out. And now place the remaining 1/3 of the potato slices on top, and you can follow the overlapping pattern in the images and the video if you want it to look nice (almost like how a sleeve of pepperoni looks when they're laid on top of each other in the package).
Place the pan in the oven and make for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender all the way through the layers and the ones on top are nice and golden and crispy around the edges. Brush the top with a bit more olive oil for some shine, and garnish with lemon zest, fennel fronds or fresh herbs, and chopped pistachios and serve. Leftovers keep will covered in the fridge for up to 5 days (it's especially good for brunch with a fried egg on top!)

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Potato Fennel Bake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 365 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 10g

Cholesterol 7mg2%

Sodium 1728mg75%

Potassium 1267mg36%

Carbohydrates 45g15%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 270IU5%

Vitamin C 19mg23%

Calcium 165mg17%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.