Sausage And Fennel Pasta
You will love this easy and quick sausage and fennel pasta recipe, perfect for busy weeknights. My version of sausage fennel pasta is rich in tomato sauce and additionally flavored with fresh basil, which compliments the sweet yet licorice flavor of the fennel.
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
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 706kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 31gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 1130mgPotassium: 850mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 910IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 225mgIron: 4mg
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.
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