This Sausage and Fennel Pasta has quickly become one of my favorite go-to dinners because it feels impressive without asking much of me. I love how the fennel (try not to skip out on the fennel… it delivers so much amazing flavor) and onion caramelize and sweeten together in the oven while the sausage gets beautifully golden and juicy, and the best part is that most of the work is happening in the magic of the oven while the pasta cooks on the stovetop. Toss everything together at the end and enjoy the fact that you didn’t have to stand over the stove all night to get such amazing results.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This
- Roasting everything builds incredible flavor with very little effort.
- The combo of sweet fennel, melded with the golden, crispy sausage, is divine!
- It’s simple enough for weeknights but impressive enough for guests.
- It’s easy to customize with different veggies or pasta shapes.
- Make it gluten-free and dairy-free, and eat it without compromising flavor.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Fennel Bulb: The star of the roasting process adds subtle sweetness and a light anise flavor.
- Red Onion: Brings a delicious depth and caramelized flavor that melds perfectly with everything else.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Roast down into juicy, slightly sweet bursts of flavor. You can use grape tomatoes, too.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: An earthy, yet mild and neutral flavor to help everything roast perfectly.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Adds acidity and balances the sweetness of the vegetables.
- Spices and Herbs: I love the combination of Italian seasoning with a simple addition of salt and black pepper.
- Italian Pork Sausages: I chose mild sausage for this recipe, but you can use spicy sausage if that is your preference.
- Rigatoni Pasta: You can use any type of short pasta, but I love how the rigatoni soaks up the sauce for every bite.
- Parmesan Cheese: A burst of umami to add a salty, nutty depth, and helps create a silky finish.
- Reserved Pasta Water: The starchy liquid helps to bind and emulsify the sauce.
- Balsamic Glaze: Adds a sweet, tangy finish and extra layer of flavor. You can make it if you don’t have any store-bought.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Large Baking Sheet
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Small Bowl
- Large Pot
- Wooden Spoon
Make Room!
Don’t crowd the pan. Give the vegetables space so they roast instead of steam. Use two pans if needed.
How to Make This Sausage and Fennel Pasta
- Preheat the oven. Remove the fennel fronds and cut the fennel bulb in half, and then thinly slice it. Cut the red onion and thinly slice it. Add the fennel, onion, and cherry tomatoes to a sheet pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Pour over the veggies and toss to ensure they are all well-coated. Spread veggies out in a thin layer. Transfer to the oven to bake.
- After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and stir the veggies. Create multiple spaces and add the sausage meat to the pan. Return to the oven and bake until the fennel is tender and golden brown.
- While the veggies are baking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Before draining pasta, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Once the veggies are done cooking, remove them from the oven. Remove the sausages from the pan and cut them into thin slices.
- Return the cooked and drained pasta to the pot. Add the sausage slices, all the veggies, and any excess sauce from the sheet pan. Start by adding in some pasta water, the balsamic reduction, and grated parmesan cheese. Toss to coat well. Serve garnished with extra parmesan cheese.
How to Modify
- Change the sausage for sweet Italian sausage or chicken sausages.
- Make it spicy with spicy Italian sausages and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes in the sauce.
- Add veggies like broccoli or cauliflower, and if you don’t care for fennel, try leeks or yellow onions (although the caramelized fennel is the star of the show, really).
- Use any kind of pasta, but short pasta like penne, ziti, or farfalle would work great.
Dietary Customizations
- Vegan/Vegetarian: Use vegan Parmesan cheese and your favorite plant-based sausages or tofu.
- Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free Parmesan cheese or omit the cheese altogether.
- Gluten-Free: Try Banza pasta, Jovial, and Barilla for great gluten-free pasta options.
Serving Suggestions
This really is a complete meal in one pan, but if you want more, serve with a simple salad like Farro, Arugula, Salami, and Almond Salad, a Wedge Salad, or a spinach salad dressed lightly with lemon and olive oil, and then pair with crusty bread to soak up every last bit of the roasted juices.
If you’re feeling fancy, enjoy a delicious spritz, like Campari Spritz, Lillet Spritz, or Hugo Spritz, or have a simple glass of white wine.
Common Questions
Yes! Roast the vegetables and sausage in advance, then toss with cooked pasta and reheat gently over low or medium heat, before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to reheat and enjoy.
Yes! Try spicy Italian, chicken sausage, or your favorite plant-based sausage, or a mixture of two different sausages.
Keep pasta, vegetables, and sausage in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently and add a splash of olive oil or broth to bring back the sauciness.
Yes! Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and check the sausage ingredients to ensure they’re gluten-free.
Leeks, extra onions, or yellow onions can be used, or add other veggies altogether, like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, and more.
More Sheet Pan Recipes You’ll Love
- Sheet Pan Salmon Nicoise
- Sheet Pan Moroccan Chicken
- Sheet Pan Greek Chicken
- Sheet Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Bacon & Red Onion
- Summer Sheet Pan Frittata
If you make this Sausage and Fennel Pasta, let me know in the comments section below. I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
Sheet Pan Fennel & Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 bulb fennel
- 1 medium sized red onion
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 5 mild italian sausages
- 8 oz rigatoni pasta
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tbsp balsamic glaze/balsamic reduction
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit (220 degrees celsius)
- Cut the fennel bulb in half and then thinly slice each half into thin pieces. Cut the red onion in half and thinly slice. Add the sliced fennel, sliced red onion and cherry tomatoes to a sheet pan.
- In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the veggies and toss to ensure they are all well coated. Make sure all of the veggies are spread out in a thin layer. Transfer to the oven to bake for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes remove the pan from the oven and stir the veggies to ensure nothing is burning. Create 5 spaces by moving some of the veggies to the side and add the italian sausage to the pan. Return to the oven to bake for an additional 20 minutes. The veggies are done when the fennel is tender and golden brown in color.
- While the veggies are baking bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Before draining the cooked pasta using a bowl or measuring cup to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Once the veggies are done cooking, remove from the oven. Remove the sausages from the pan and cut into ¼ inch thick slices.
- Return the cooked and drained pasta to the pot (ensure the heat is set to low). Add in the sausage slices plus all of the veggies and any excess sauce from the sheet pan. Start be adding in approximately ⅓ cup of pasta water, the balsamic reduction and grated parmesan cheese. Stir to ensure its all well mixed.
- Serve garnished with additional parmesan cheese.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
