Are you ready to create a pasta dish that is bursting with rich, complex, and incredibly delicious Italian-American flavor? A comforting meal that tastes like it came from your favorite upscale bistro but is surprisingly simple to make at home on a busy weeknight? This incredible, from-scratch Rigatoni with Sausage & Fennel, tossed in a luscious, creamy tomato-wine sauce, is that perfect meal.
This isn’t just another pasta recipe; it’s your guide to a truly special, restaurant-quality dinner. We’ll demystify the wonderful, but often overlooked, vegetable that is fresh fennel, and show you how its subtle, sweet flavor is the perfect partner for savory Italian sausage. This one-pot sauce is an elegant, satisfying, and deeply comforting dish that is destined to become a new favorite in your dinner rotation.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: A Restaurant-Quality Weeknight Meal
What makes this Sausage and Fennel Pasta so spectacular is its incredible depth of flavor and its rich, velvety cream sauce. The flavor foundation is built by sautéing sweet Italian sausage with fresh fennel and onion, then deglazing the pan with white wine to capture every last bit of caramelized goodness. The sauce is a luxurious combination of heavy cream, half-and-half, and a touch of tomato paste, which creates a beautiful, rosy-pink color and a perfectly balanced flavor. By finishing the al dente pasta directly in the sauce, every single rigatoni tube becomes a perfect vessel for the incredible, savory sauce.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 50 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 6 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Sophisticated Pasta
This recipe uses a handful of fresh, high-quality ingredients to create its signature savory, creamy, and slightly sweet flavor.
- The “Secret” Ingredient (Fresh Fennel): This is the key to the unique and sophisticated flavor of the dish.
- What is it?: Fresh fennel is a beautiful, white and green vegetable with a large, bulbous base, celery-like stalks, and feathery fronds. When raw, it has a crisp texture and a distinct, fresh, anise or licorice-like flavor.
- The Magic of Cooking: When you cook fennel, as we do in this recipe, that strong anise flavor mellows dramatically, becoming wonderfully subtle, sweet, and tender, with a delicate flavor that is an absolutely perfect pairing for savory sausage.
- The Sausage: Sweet Italian sausage is the perfect choice, as it is already seasoned with delicious spices (often including fennel seed!) that form a wonderful base for the sauce. You can use mild or hot Italian sausage if you prefer a spicier dish.
- The Creamy Sauce:
- White Wine: A dry white wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Grigio, is used to deglaze the pan. This is a crucial step that lifts all the delicious, browned bits of sausage and vegetables from the bottom of the pan and incorporates them into the sauce.
- Heavy Cream & Half-and-Half: This duo creates a sauce that is unbelievably rich, luscious, and creamy.
- Tomato Paste: Just a touch of concentrated tomato paste adds a beautiful rosy color and a deep, savory umami flavor to the sauce without making it a heavy tomato sauce.
- The Pasta: A large, tubular pasta shape like rigatoni is the perfect choice. Its wide tubes and ridged exterior are ideal for catching and holding onto every last drop of this thick, hearty sauce.
Pro Tutorial: How to Cut a Fennel Bulb
- Trim: First, slice off the long, green stalks and the tough bottom root end of the fennel bulb. You can save the feathery fronds for a beautiful garnish.
- Halve: Stand the fennel bulb on its flat root end and carefully cut it in half, from top to bottom.
- Core: You will see a tough, triangular-shaped core at the base of each half. Simply make two angled cuts to remove this core.
- Chop: You can now easily chop the fennel halves into pieces for this recipe.
Step-by-Step to the Perfect Sausage and Fennel Pasta
Step 1: Sauté the Vegetables and Brown the Sausage
Step 1: In a large, heavy pot or a Dutch oven, heat the 3 tablespoons of good olive oil over medium heat.
Step 2: Add the 3 cups of chopped fennel and the 1 1/2 cups of chopped yellow onion. Sauté for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and fragrant.
Step 3: Add the 1 1/4 pounds of Italian sausage (with the casings removed) to the pot. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, using a fork or a wooden spoon to crumble the sausage as it cooks, until it is nicely browned.
Step 4: Add the 2 teaspoons of minced garlic, the 1/2 teaspoon of crushed fennel seeds, the 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, the 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and the 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook for one more minute, until the garlic is very fragrant.
Step 2: Build the Creamy Tomato-Wine Sauce
Step 1: Pour the 1 cup of dry white wine into the pot to deglaze it. Bring the wine to a boil, using your spoon to scrape up all the delicious, flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Step 2: Add the 1 cup of heavy cream, the 2/3 cup of half-and-half, and the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Stir everything together and bring the sauce back to a boil.
Step 3: Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until it has thickened beautifully.
Step 3: Cook the Pasta and Finish it in the Sauce
Step 1: While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the 1 pound of rigatoni according to the directions on the package until it is al dente.
Step 2: Drain the cooked pasta and add it directly to the pot with your simmering sauce.
Step 3: Cook the pasta in the sauce over a low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring to coat the pasta. This crucial step allows the pasta to absorb all the delicious flavor of the sauce.
Step 4: Turn off the heat. Stir in the 1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley and 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese.
Serve the pasta hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese on the side for sprinkling.
The Best Creamy Sausage and Fennel Pasta
A rich and creamy pasta dish featuring rigatoni in a savory sausage and fennel sauce. The sauce is built on a flavorful base of crumbled sweet Italian sausage, sautéed with chopped fresh fennel and onion until tender. It is seasoned with crushed fennel seeds and red pepper flakes, deglazed with white wine, and then enriched with heavy cream, half-and-half, and a touch of tomato paste. The cooked rigatoni is simmered in the finished sauce to absorb the flavor and is finished with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 3 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
- 1 1/4 pounds sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2/3 cup half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped fennel and onion and sauté for 7 minutes, until tender.
- Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until browned.
- Add the minced garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook for one minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine, bring it to a boil, and then add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and tomato paste.
- Bring the sauce back to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes, until it has thickened.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni according to the package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the pot with the sauce. Stir to coat the pasta.
- Cook the pasta in the sauce over low heat for 5 minutes to allow it to absorb the flavors.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
- Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan on the side.
Notes
- Using both fresh fennel and crushed fennel seeds provides a multi-layered, aromatic fennel flavor.
- Simmering the cooked pasta in the sauce for a few minutes before serving is a key step that allows the rigatoni to absorb the rich, creamy sauce.
- This is a one-pot sauce that comes together while the pasta is boiling, making it an efficient meal to prepare.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This is a fantastic dish for a dinner party, and the sauce can easily be made ahead.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the entire sausage and fennel sauce completely up to 3 days in advance. Let it cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the sauce gently on the stovetop while you cook your pasta.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: You can reheat the pasta and sauce gently in a skillet on the stovetop over a low heat. You may want to add a small splash of milk or cream to loosen up the sauce as it reheats.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Make it Lighter: For a lighter, but still wonderfully creamy sauce, you can substitute the heavy cream and the half-and-half with an equal amount of whole milk or evaporated milk.
- Add More Veggies: For an extra boost of greens and nutrients, you can wilt in a few large handfuls of fresh spinach or chopped kale into the sauce during the last 5 minutes of its simmering time.
- Use a Different Protein: If you’re not a fan of Italian sausage, this rich and creamy sauce is also absolutely fantastic when made with ground chicken, ground turkey, or even a crumbled, plant-based sausage for a vegetarian version.
Enjoy Your New Favorite Pasta Night!
You’ve just created a truly special pasta dish that is a perfect harmony of hearty, comforting, and sophisticated flavors. This Creamy Sausage and Fennel Pasta is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch meal to bring joy to your dinner table. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new, much-requested family favorite.
We hope you enjoy every last, delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good, restaurant-quality pasta dish!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What does fennel taste like?
I’m not sure if I like licorice. While raw fennel has a distinct, fresh anise or licorice-like flavor, it is important to know that this flavor mellows dramatically when it is cooked. When it is sautéed, as it is in this recipe, the fennel becomes very tender, sweet, and subtle, and its flavor is a perfect, delicious complement to the savory sausage and the creamy sauce. Most people who think they don’t like licorice are very pleasantly surprised by how much they love cooked fennel!
Q2: What kind of white wine is best for cooking a cream sauce?
You want to use a dry, crisp white wine that you would enjoy drinking. There’s no need for an expensive bottle! A good quality Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or an unoaked Chardonnay are all fantastic choices. Avoid using very sweet wines like a Moscato or a Riesling. If you prefer to cook without alcohol, you can simply substitute the wine with an equal amount of chicken broth.
Q3: Can I make this sauce ahead of time?
Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead sauce! You can prepare the entire sauce completely, through the end of the simmering step, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the sauce gently on the stovetop while you cook your fresh pasta.
Q4: Can I use a different kind of pasta instead of rigatoni?
Of course! This rich and hearty sauce is fantastic with any medium to large pasta shape that has plenty of nooks and crannies to catch the sauce. Try it with penne, ziti, cavatappi, or large shells.
Q5: What is the best way to remove Italian sausage from its casings?
The easiest way is to use a small, sharp paring knife to simply slit the casing lengthwise from one end to the other. You can then easily peel the casing away and discard it, leaving you with the ground sausage meat.