Sheet Pan Fennel & Sausage Pasta
This Sausage and Fennel Pasta is a weeknight game-changer with minimal cleanup and maximum flavor. As the sausage roasts and the fennel and onion caramelize, everything mingles into a rich, savory base that turns simple pasta into something you'll put in your regular recipe rotation.
Servings: 4
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.