Winter Pasta with Sausage and Fennel (Printable Version)

Quick-to-prepare Italian pasta with sweet fennel, savory sausage, and light aromatic sauce—ready in just 20 minutes.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as penne, rigatoni, or fusilli

→ Sausage

02 - 9 oz Italian sausage, sweet or spicy, casings removed, or plant-based sausage alternative

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

03 - 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
04 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce and Seasoning

06 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1/4 cup dry white wine, optional
08 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

10 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving, or vegetarian alternative
11 - Fresh fennel fronds or parsley, chopped, for garnish

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining completely.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. If using sausage, add it to the pan, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate.
03 - Add remaining olive oil to the skillet. Sauté the sliced fennel and onion with a pinch of salt for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour white wine into the skillet, if using, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until mostly evaporated.
05 - Return cooked sausage to the skillet if using. Sprinkle red pepper flakes over the mixture and stir well to incorporate.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet along with reserved pasta water. Toss to coat evenly, then stir in grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Transfer to serving bowls immediately. Top each portion with chopped fennel fronds or fresh parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Everything comes together in one skillet while the pasta boils, so cleanup is mercifully quick.
  • Fennel turns sweet and tender as it cooks, adding a subtle anise flavor that feels fancy without any effort.
  • You can make it vegetarian or keep the sausage, and either way it tastes like you spent hours on it.
  • The reserved pasta water creates a silky sauce that clings to every piece without needing cream.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; its starch is what turns the oil and cheese into a silky sauce instead of a greasy puddle.
  • Slice the fennel thin enough that it cooks in the same time as the onion, or it will stay crunchy and fibrous.
  • If your sausage is lean, you might need a bit more olive oil to keep everything from sticking to the pan.
03 -
  • Use a big enough skillet that the pasta can spread out when you add it, or it won't absorb the sauce properly.
  • Toast the fennel seeds in the pan for 30 seconds before adding the sausage if you want to double down on that licorice flavor.
  • Serve this with crusty bread to mop up every drop of sauce; it's too good to waste.
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