Winter Pasta with Sausage and Fennel (Print version)

Quick, comforting pasta with sweet fennel and savory sausage in a light aromatic sauce, ready in 20 minutes.

# What 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 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 - Fennel fronds or fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. If using sausage, add it to the pan, breaking up with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove sausage to a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, add remaining olive oil. Sauté the 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 - If using white wine, pour it into the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until mostly evaporated.
05 - Return sausage to the skillet if using. Add red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet along with reserved pasta water. Toss to coat, then stir in grated Parmesan. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Serve immediately, topped with chopped fennel fronds or parsley and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a production.
  • Fennel gives you that elegant, slightly different angle on pasta without requiring obscure ingredients or techniques.
  • The sausage browns while you slice vegetables, so there's almost no waiting around.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water—that starchy liquid is what turns a pile of ingredients into an actually cohesive dish, and it's the difference between sauce and slop.
  • Fennel really does change when it hits heat; if you're skeptical about the ingredient, trust the process and let it cook long enough to sweeten.
  • Add the garlic last in the sauté step or it will absolutely burn and taste acrid, which I learned the hard way and had to start over.
03 -
  • Slice your fennel on a mandoline or with a sharp knife while it's cold—it'll be thinner and cook more evenly than chunky pieces, and it looks more elegant too.
  • Don't let your skillet get too crowded when you're browning the sausage; give it space to actually brown instead of steaming, which means waiting a moment before stirring.
  • Taste the pasta water before you use it—it should taste pleasantly salty, like a good broth, which means you salted the pot correctly at the start.
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