Winter Pasta with Sausage Fennel (Printable)

Warming pasta with sweet fennel, savory sausage, and light aromatic sauce—ready in 20 minutes for cozy nights.

# What You 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 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
11 - Chopped fennel fronds or fresh parsley for garnish

# How-To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking apart with a spoon, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
03 - Add remaining olive oil to the skillet. Sauté fennel and onion with a pinch of salt for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and slightly golden. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Pour in white wine if using, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until mostly evaporated.
05 - Return sausage to the skillet, add red pepper flakes if desired, and stir to combine.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet along with reserved pasta water. Toss to coat thoroughly, then stir in grated Parmesan. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Top with chopped fennel fronds or parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • It's done in twenty minutes, which means you can have dinner on the table before you've even finished telling someone about your day.
  • Fennel transforms into something almost sweet and mellow, so even skeptics find themselves reaching for seconds.
  • The whole thing tastes like you've been cooking all afternoon, but you haven't.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; it's what transforms the whole thing from separate ingredients into an actual cohesive sauce.
  • Fennel needs time in the pan to lose its raw edge and become sweet, so don't rush this step even though the total recipe is quick.
03 -
  • Cook your fennel in two stages if you want visible pieces: slice half earlier and let it soften completely into the sauce, and add the other half near the end for a little textural contrast.
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice stirred in right at the end brightens everything and makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is.
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