You will love this easy and quick sausage and fennel pasta recipe, perfect for busy weeknights. My version of sausage and fennel pasta is rich in tomato sauce and additionally flavored with fresh basil, which compliments the sweet yet licorice flavor of the fennel.
Serve it as it is or with everyday salad or garlic bread. So delicious!
Let me put your doubt to rest. The fennel seed in this recipe will not ruin your dish. I've shared a couple of recipes in the past that use fennel seed, like my lamb curry and baked pork steak, and they were all a big hit! You only need about a teaspoon; I promise your food will not taste like licorice.
Why you will love this recipe
Hearty and comforting: Every bite of this sausage fennel pasta is like a warm hug in your mouth. The combination of juicy sausages, aromatic fennel, and basil, with the mild tanginess from tomato sauce, creates a warm and satisfying dish that will leave you feeling full and content.
Budget-friendly: This is the dish you will be happy to make for your family without breaking the bank. While I recommend using quality sausage, the great thing about this recipe is that you can choose any fresh sausage that fits your budget.
Great for meal prepping: Tomato-based pasta can be stored in the fridge and frozen for up to 6 months when properly sealed and stored at the right temperature. That said, I don't like freezing cooked pasta.
Flavorful: Fennel and basil with the tomatoes create a perfect balance of sweet and savory.
It is quick and easy to make, and more importantly, you can customize it to your taste.
Family favorite: This dish is loved by both kids and grown-ups. It's so delicious that they'll keep asking for more!
What you will need
To make this tasty sausage fennel pasta, you will need the following ingredients:
Sausage: To maintain the taste of this dish, it is best to use plain pork sausage or milder Italian sausage.
Pasta: the best pasta for this recipe is Orecchiette (little ear pasta). It is a short pasta shaped like little ears, embodying the tomato sauce and sausage so well. This recipe can also use other short-shaped pasta like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli.
Fennel seeds: you will need to crush the fennel seeds to release the flavor.
Onion
Garlic
Red pepper flakes
Whole plum tomatoes
Tomato paste
Unsalted butter: Substitute with olive oil
Fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
How to make sausage and fennel pasta
Melt unsalted butter until hot on medium heat, add chopped onions, and saute until soft, translucent, and fragrant.
Add the sausages and break them up into smaller chunks. Cook until no longer pink.
Add chopped garlic, stir to combine, and cook until fragrant. In the meantime, pour whole plum tomatoes into a bowl and crush them with your hands.
Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pan, add tomato paste, crushed fennel, ¼ cup of water, salt, and black pepper, and stir to combine. Simmer for 8-10 minutes on medium-low heat.
While the tomato sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in a separate pot for 1 minute less than the package instructions. Once done, drain and set aside, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water for later.
Add grated parmesan cheese to the sauce, tear a few basil leaves, and add them to the sauce, stirring it well to combine.
Finally, add the cooked pasta, toss or stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water to loosen up the sauce if needed.
Take it off the and serve hot with additional parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top, optional.
Watch how to make it
How to store
This sausage and fennel pasta makes a great leftover meal as it reheats well. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave or heat on the stove until warmed through. I did not need to add a splash of water to reheat this pasta as it was saucy enough.
Some variations you can try
- Can't eat pork sausage: You can still enjoy this recipe using halal sausage, chicken, beef, or whichever is available. You may substitute the sausage for ground beef, chicken, or turkey.
- Bulk it up with veggies: Add more vegetables to this dish, such as bell peppers, spinach, zucchini, or mushrooms, for added nutrition and flavor.
- Make it spicy: If you like heat, add more red pepper flakes or swap it with fresh jalapeno or bird's eye chili.
- Make it creamy: Add some heavy cream or half and half to the tomato sauce for a creamier sauce.
- Are you vegetarian or vegan? Swap the sausage and parmesan cheese with a veggie version for a delicious vegetarian/vegan version.
More quick and easy pasta recipes you will love
Sausage And Fennel Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork sausages (removed from casing) about 450g
- ½ lb pasta I used Orecchiette
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- ½ Tablespoon garlic finely chopped
- 400 g whole plum tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter Substitute with olive oil
- 5 g fresh basil
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt unsalted butter until hot on medium heat, add chopped onions, and saute until soft, translucent, and fragrant.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup onion
- Add the sausages and break them up into smaller chunks. Cook until no longer pink.1 lb pork sausages (removed from casing)
- Add chopped garlic, stir to combine, and cook until fragrant. In the meantime, pour whole plum tomatoes into a bowl and crush them with your hands.½ Tablespoon garlic
- Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pan, add tomato paste, crushed fennel, ¼ cup of water, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, and stir to combine. Simmer for 8-10 minutes on medium-low heat.1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 400 g whole plum tomatoes, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, Salt and pepper to taste, 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- While the tomato sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in a separate pot for 1 minute less than the package instructions. Once done, drain and set aside, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water for later.½ lb pasta
- Add grated parmesan cheese to the sauce, tear a few basil leaves, and add them to the sauce, stirring it well to combine.5 g fresh basil, ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- Finally, add the cooked pasta, toss or stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water to loosen up the sauce if needed.
- Take it off the and serve hot with additional parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top, optional. Enjoy!
Notes
- Can't eat pork sausage: You can still enjoy this recipe using halal sausage, chicken, beef, or whichever is available. You may substitute the sausage for ground beef, chicken, or turkey.
- Bulk it up with veggies: Add more vegetables to this dish, such as bell peppers, spinach, zucchini, or mushrooms, for added nutrition and flavor.
- Make it spicy: If you like heat, add more red pepper flakes or swap it with fresh jalapeno or bird's eye chili.
- Make it creamy: Add some heavy cream or half and half to the tomato sauce for a creamier sauce.
- Are you vegetarian or vegan? Swap the sausage and parmesan cheese with a veggie version for a delicious vegetarian/vegan version.
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and delicious pasta recipe you can make at home in 30 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox.
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