Fennel, Smoked Gouda Sourdough Casserole

This Fennel, Smoked Gouda Sourdough Casserole is a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving dinner table. Additionally,  it is a “fancy” comfort food option for chilly fall and winter evenings. Furthermore, itis an excellent replacement for traditional stuffing dishes.

This dish is a flavor bomb that features a mouthwatering combination of ingredients. Blanched fennel, crispy bacon, sweet onions, and smoked gouda cheese, all nestle amidst chunks of sourdough bread. Then, bathed in a rich, creamy mixture of egg, heavy cream,  and white wine. The result? A comforting casserole that’s sure to become a favorite on any occasion.

Key Ingredients for this Fennel, Smoked Gouda Sourdough Casserole:

1. Blanched Fennel: Blanched fennel provides a subtle anise flavor and a tender texture. Consequently, it is the star ingredient in this casserole. It adds a unique twist to your traditional Thanksgiving side dish.

2. Crispy Bacon: Thick-cut bacon offers a smoky, savory element to the dish. Reserve the bacon fat to sauté the sweet onions, enhancing the overall flavor profile

3. Diced Sweet Onion: Sweet onions bring a touch of natural sweetness and complexity to the casserole. They’re cooked to perfection in the rendered bacon fat, adding a layer of flavor that’s impossible to resist.

4. Smoked Gouda Cheese: Shredded smoked gouda cheese infuses the casserole with its rich, creamy, and smoky notes. If smoked gouda isn’t readily available,  opt for other flavorful cheese varieties like cheddar or Swiss as substitutes.

5. Sourdough Bread Chunks: The sourdough bread chunks are toasted in the bacon fat before adding to the casserole.

This Fennel, Smoked Gouda, and Bacon Sourdough Casserole is the ideal side dish to elevate your Thanksgiving feast, offering a unique twist on traditional stuffing. Its rich, smoky, and creamy flavors are guaranteed to impress your guests. Additionally, this casserole stands on its own as a decadent comfort food option. It is perfect for enjoying cozy evenings during the cold fall and winter seasons.

This casserole not only brings sophistication to your table but also captures the essence of fall and winter with its rich, comforting flavors. So, whether you serve it at Thanksgiving or on a quiet winter night, you’re sure to savor every bite of this delicious dish.

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Fennel Bread Cheese Casserole

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Thanksgiving

Keyword Bread Casserole, casserole recipes, fall recipes, fennel soup, Thanksgiving Recipes, winter recipes

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 8

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

• 4-6 Small fennel bulbs with stalks
• 1 large sweet onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 6 strips thick-cut bacon
• 5 cups sourdough bread cubes.
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Salt & freshly ground pepper.
• 7 ounces smoked Gouda

Instructions

1. Wash and trim the fennel, cut it in quarters. Reserve the fennel greens.

2. Peel and dice the onion and garlic.

3. Cut the bacon strips into pieces.

4. Slice the bread into cubes.

5. Boil the fennel halves in salted water for 5 minutes.

6. Remove and drain.

7. Place a layer of paper towels by the stove.

8. Fry the bacon in a naked skillet until crispy.

9. Transfer to the paper towels and blot off the excess fat.

10. Pour the excess fat out of the skillet until there is a thin layer of bacon fat.

11. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan. Swirl to combine with the bacon fat.

12. Sauté the bread cubes in the butter until toasted.

13. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

14. Melt the remaining butter and sauté the onions until transparent.

15. Add the garlic. Sauté a few minutes more until the garlic releases its aroma.

16. Preheat the oven to 375F

17. Grease a baking dish with butter.

18. Finely chop the fennel greens.

19. Whisk the eggs with wine, cream, salt, pepper, fennel greens, and half of the grated cheese.

20. Season with salt and pepper.

21. Distribute the fennel halves, the onion-garlic mixture, bread cubes, and strips of bacon in the dish and pour the egg mixture evenly over the dish.

22. Sprinkle the casserole with the remaining cheese.

23. Bake for 30 min until golden brown on top.

Like this Fennel, Smoked Gouda Sourdough Casserole? Also, try some of these other lovely recipes perfect for the cold weather:

PUMPKIN FENNEL BREAD

TOMATO FENNEL CREAM SOUP

WARM FENNEL BRATWURST POTATO SALAD