A Simple One-pot Pork Recipe: Baked Fennel Pork

While this isn't a traditional recipe you'd find in a village tapas bar, these Spanish pork chops take on a wonderful flavour when roasted with local herbs. I find that Baked Fennel Pork is the perfect solution for a busy evening in the kitchen.

♫ ♪ ♫ “T’was an evening in October; I'll confess I wasn't sober,
I was carting home a load with manly pride,
When my feet began to stutter and I fell into the gutter,
And a pig came up and lay down by my side.
Then I lay there in the gutter and my heart was all a-flutter,
Till a lady, passing by, did chance to say:
"You can tell a man that boozes by the company he chooses."
Then the pig got up and slowly walked away.” ♪ ♫♪ ♫ Various artists

Baked fennel pork with lemony potatoes and onions

Crush some fennel seeds, then mix with a little oil. Now rub it over pork chops.

Fire up your oven to 180ºC | 160ºC fan | 350ºF | Gas 6

Heat some oil in a casserole dish, then soften a sliced onion and chopped garlic before adding baby new potatoes (halved). Brown for a few minutes, then add thinly sliced fennel, juice from one lemon and some water. Season and cover the dish and cook it in the oven for 30 minutes or so.

Remove the lid and place the chops on top and pop back into the oven until cooked to your liking.

Serve with greenery of your choice.

Health note: Fresh fennel can help control IBS.

2026 Update: Looking back at this recipe from 2014, it’s funny how some things never change. While I wasn't living the "vanlife" back then, this remains one of my favourite one-pot meals to cook now that I’m travelling in the Ducato. It’s perfect for a small kitchen!

If you enjoy this recipe, you might like to see how my cooking has evolved in my full collection of Pork Recipes: A Collection from The Flexible Chef

Fresh lemons and ready for a simple dish of Baked Fennel Pork.