Fast delivery
Get in as fast as 1 hour
It’s all local
Shop your favorites
Direct chat
Connect with shoppers
Anise Bulb Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to anise bulb products
About anise bulb
Commonly known as anise bulb, or fennel by grocers, this vegetable is a carrot family member but is not a root vegetable. It is a perennial herb with yellow flowers. The bulb, growing above ground, breaks into stalks that are typically topped with feathery leaves that look a lot like the herb dill. You will commonly find this item in the fresh fruits and vegetable section at the grocery store.
Although most chefs and cooks use only the plant's bulb, the whole plant is edible, including the flowers. Anise bulb is also safe to eat raw. The seed is now commonly used in Chinese cuisine and is part of the five-spice powder used in many dishes. Anise bulb has a light licorice flavor and fresh crunch when thinly chopped in salads. The feathery fronds of this Mediterranean vegetable can be used to flavor steamed fish, or chopped up and put in omelettes for an added depth of flavor.
When you're planning on making a dish using an anise bulb, open the Instacart app and add it to your order. An Instacart shopper will fulfill your order and get your anise bulb to your house on the same day, if possible! That way you're spending less time at the store and more time researching recipes and planning quality and delicious meals to make with your anise bulb.
How to pick out anise bulb
Like most vegetables, you must use anise bulb soon after harvest. When choosing one, look for one topped with fresh-looking greens and long branches or stalks. As anise bulb sits and begins to brown, many grocers and store managers trim the stalks to lengthen the life and keep the vegetable looking fresh. Long stalks indicate a fresher product. The bulbs themselves should be a bright white, with little to no yellowing, and firm with no bruising or soft spots.
How to store anise bulb to make it last
When you get your anise bulb home, trim off any brown sections or sagging fronds. Wash the anise bulb thoroughly before storage. You can soak it in ice water to reinvigorate the vegetable. Once dry, trim the fronds to about three inches above the bulb. This will help the fronds maintain their shape while stored in the refrigerator. Loosely wrap the anise bulb in a plastic bag and place it in your vegetable crisper for the best temperature. Your anise bulb should last five to 10 days. Use fresh vegetables as soon as possible for maximum freshness and optimal flavor.
Anise Bulb Near Me
Buy your favorite Anise Bulb online with Instacart. Order Anise Bulb from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about anise bulb
To make the vegetable easier to handle, begin by trimming off the stalks and fronds. You can save the stalks to use in vegetable stock, and the fronds can be chopped up and added to a salad. Proceed to cut the bulb in half and cut the halves into quarters. Peel off and discard or compost any wilted outer layers. Chop off the rough root bottom. Slice the anise bulb crosswise in small or large sections, depending on the details of the recipe. For salads, many prefer thin slices that mix well into the bowl. For cooking, thicker is considered best to keep the smooth texture of the anise bulb intact.
Anise bulb is a highly nutritious vegetable that offers anti-inflammatory benefits for many whether consumed raw or cooked. When added to your diet, it can be an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, potassium, calcium, and sodium. It also has small amounts of iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin K. Because one cup of anise bulb contains roughly 20 percent of the daily requirement of vitamin C, it can help your immune system, help repair skin tissue, build collagen, and protect blood vessels.
Anise bulb and star anise are often confused because of their similar flavor profiles. They are two different plants. Star anise comes from an annual plant, and anise bulb is a perennial. Star anise is a seed that comes from a bush, specifically grown for the seed. No other part of the bush is edible, while you can eat the entire plant of the anise bulb raw. Star anise is best used as an aromatic to flavor cooked dishes because of its wood-like texture. Star anise can also be ground, which makes it a good addition to baked goods such as biscotti or pies. Star anise is more pungent, and anise bulb has a mild flavor that is less sweet.