Save The first time I made this pasta was on a Tuesday night when the wind was howling against my kitchen windows. I'd grabbed a fennel bulb on impulse earlier that day, remembering how my grandmother used to roast it with everything. Something about the way fennel transforms from crisp and raw to silky and sweet makes it perfect for winter cooking, especially when you need dinner ready in twenty minutes.
Last winter my friend Maya came over for dinner, announcing she was 'so over complicated cooking.' I threw this together while she sat at my counter with a glass of wine. She watched me slice the fennel, fascinated by its frilly tops and licorice scent, then practically inhaled her bowl. Now she texts me every time she makes it, usually with a photo of her own tiny kitchen and some variation about what she added this time.
Ingredients
- 350 g (12 oz) short pasta: Penne or rigatoni catch the sauce beautifully in their ridges and tubes, though fusilli works wonderfully if that's what you have
- 250 g (9 oz) Italian sausage: Removing casings lets the meat crumble and brown, creating those crispy little pockets of flavor that make each bite interesting
- 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced: Don't discard those frilly fronds. They're beautiful as garnish and tie the whole dish together visually
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced: The onion and fennel cook down together into a sweet, aromatic base that's the heart of this dish
- 2 cloves garlic, minced: Add this after the fennel has softened so it doesn't burn and turn bitter
- 2 tbsp olive oil: Use one tablespoon to brown the sausage, another to start your vegetables
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) dry white wine: This deglazes the pan and lifts up all those caramelized bits from the sausage
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes: Even if you think you don't like heat, this tiny amount cuts through the richness beautifully
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper: Taste at every stage and adjust as you go
- 30 g (1/4 cup) grated Parmesan: Stir this right into the hot pasta so it melts into a creamy coating
- Fennel fronds or fresh parsley: The bright green makes the whole dish feel special, even on a random weeknight
Instructions
- Get your pasta water boiling first:
- Salt it generously, like the sea, because this is your only chance to season the pasta itself
- Brown your sausage while the water heats:
- Break it up with your spoon and let it get deeply golden in one tablespoon of olive oil, about 4 to 5 minutes
- Cook the fennel and onion:
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the same pan and cook the sliced vegetables with a pinch of salt until they're soft and starting to color
- Add the garlic:
- Toss in the minced garlic and stir for just one minute until fragrant, watching carefully so it doesn't scorch
- Deglaze with white wine:
- Pour in the wine and scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan, letting it bubble until mostly evaporated
- Bring everything together:
- Return the sausage to the pan along with the red pepper flakes, then add the drained pasta and that precious reserved pasta water
- Finish with cheese and serve:
- Toss everything with the Parmesan until glossy and coated, then shower with fennel fronds before bringing to the table
Save This pasta has become my go-to when friends need comfort food but I don't have hours to spend at the stove. Something about the combination of sweet fennel and savory sausage feels like a hug in a bowl, the kind of meal that makes people linger at the table longer than they planned.
Making It Vegetarian
I've made this with crumbled plant-based sausage and found it works surprisingly well, especially if you bump up the red pepper flakes slightly. The vegetables carry so much flavor on their own that you honestly won't miss the meat if you choose to skip it entirely.
Pasta Shape Matters
Short pasta with nooks and crannies really shines here because it catches all those little bits of sausage and fennel. I've used long pasta in a pinch and it still tastes delicious, but the texture experience isn't quite the same.
Get Ahead Tips
You can slice the fennel and onion hours ahead and keep them in the fridge, which makes the actual cooking feel almost effortless. The fennel fronds can be chopped and stored in a small container, ready to scatter on top at the last minute.
- Double the recipe and freeze half for those nights when even twenty minutes feels like too much
- A handful of baby spinach added at the end wilts into the hot pasta and makes the dish feel even more substantial
- Leftovers reheat beautifully with just a splash of water to loosen the sauce
Save Winter cooking should feel nourishing, not complicated, and this pasta hits that sweet spot every single time.
Recipe Q&A
- → Can I make this dish vegetarian?
Yes, simply omit the sausage or use a plant-based alternative. The fennel and onions provide plenty of flavor on their own, and you can add extra vegetables like spinach or kale for more substance.
- → What type of pasta works best?
Short pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli are ideal because they catch the sauce and sausage pieces well. The ridges and tubes help hold the light, aromatic sauce.
- → Can I substitute the white wine?
If you prefer not to use wine, you can substitute with additional pasta water or a small amount of chicken or vegetable broth. The wine adds acidity and depth, but the dish will still be delicious without it.
- → How do I cut fennel properly?
Trim the stalks and fronds (save the fronds for garnish), cut the bulb in half lengthwise, and remove the tough core. Then slice thinly crosswise for even cooking.
- → Can I make this gluten-free?
Absolutely. Use gluten-free pasta and ensure your sausage is certified gluten-free. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
- → How spicy is this dish?
The red pepper flakes are optional and add mild to moderate heat depending on how much you use. You can also choose sweet or spicy Italian sausage to control the spice level.