Quick, warming pasta with sweet fennel, savory sausage, and aromatic Parmesan sauce—ready in 20 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)
→ Sausage
02 - 9 oz Italian sausage, sweet or spicy, casings removed (plant-based for vegetarian)
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
04 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce & Seasoning
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1/4 cup dry white wine
08 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper
→ Finishing
10 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
11 - Fennel fronds or fresh parsley, chopped
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add sausage, breaking up with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, about 4–5 minutes. Remove sausage to a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, add remaining olive oil. Sauté fennel and onion with a pinch of salt for 4–5 minutes until softened and slightly golden. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Pour in white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 1–2 minutes until mostly evaporated.
05 - Return sausage to the skillet, add red pepper flakes, and stir to combine.
06 - Add drained pasta with reserved pasta water. Toss to coat, stir in Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with fennel fronds, parsley, and extra Parmesan.
