The Best Way To Store Fennel For Ultimate Freshness

Have you ever come home with a basket full of fresh fennel, only to find that the crisp white bulbs have browned or softened within days? Chances are, you're not storing them for maximum freshness. Fennel can be kept in a brown paper bag at room temperature, but it will only last for two to three days this way. Store it properly in the refrigerator, however, and the same veggie will stay fresh for up to 10 days.

Before you get down to storing it, there is one very important factor to consider: Are those bright green stalks on top flecked with tiny, feathery fronds? If so, the very first step is to separate them. The delicate fronds tend to spoil much quicker than the bulbs, so it's best to store them apart.

Once you've snapped off the leafy parts, wrap the fennel in a towel and place it in the refrigerator. If you want to keep the fronds, you can store them in a container lined with paper towels to soak up any excess moisture (you want the sprigs to be as dry as possible), and then refrigerate them. As for the white bulbs, wrap them in a towel or place them in a plastic bag and stash that in the fridge, until you're ready to toss them into a roasted veggie medley or chicken Milanese with fennel salad.

The key to storing fresh fennel is to leave it unwashed until you're ready to use it. Moisture on the surface is rarely a good thing for fresh produce, and rinsing fennel in advance is a food storage mistake that leads to mold. If you happen to have already washed it, make sure to dry the fennel thoroughly before storing. It's equally important to consider where you store the fennel in the fridge, to avoid making a common fridge mistake. The bulbs are full of water and are best kept in an area of the fridge that is not the chilliest (like the door), or the crisper drawer where humidity levels are more regulated.

You can freeze fennel to extend its shelf life too, but there is a catch. The water present inside the bulbs can compromise their integrity when frozen, causing them to lose their crisp texture and delicate flavor upon defrosting. If you must freeze the bulbs, make sure to blanch them before packing them in freezer-safe bags for storage — this will help preserve their flavor and texture. Nevertheless, consider using up those bulbs within a year if you want them to be at their best. The fronds and stalks, on the other hand, freeze very well. Leave the sprigs intact on the stalks and pop them in airtight plastic bag in the freezer for about six months.