Best 6 Orecchiette With Fennel And Sausage Recipes

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When it comes to comforting and flavorful meals, orecchiette with fennel and sausage is a true delight. This classic Italian dish combines the savory flavors of sausage, the aromatic essence of fennel, and the delightful texture of handmade orecchiette pasta. Whether you're looking for a hearty main course for a family dinner or a special treat to impress your guests, this recipe is sure to deliver. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey as we explore the best recipe for orecchiette with fennel and sausage, a dish that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

ORECCHIETTE WITH FENNEL AND SAUSAGE



Orecchiette With Fennel and Sausage image

Orecchiette pasta, the "little ears" that are typical of the Apulia region in Italy's heel, is frequently prepared with sausage and broccoli rabe. For this recipe, I've swapped the broccoli rabe for a rich fennel component, which adds a distinctive flavor profile to the pasta dish. The preparation goes fairly quickly. And as an alternative to tossing the ingredients together before serving, it can be placed in an ovenproof casserole and baked, shingled generously with shards of pecorino on top. Baking at 350 degrees will take about 20 minutes, if the ingredients are hot.

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Categories     pastas, main course

Time 45m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage with fennel
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and chopped (about 2 cups), fronds reserved
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt
12 ounces orecchiette
1/4 cup mascarpone
Ground black pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 ounce pecorino, grated

Steps:

  • Heat oil in a 3-quart sauté pan on medium-low. Add the sausages and cook, turning frequently, until browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove sausages to a cutting board. Add fennel seeds to the pan, cook until fragrant, then add fresh fennel, onion and garlic. Sauté until translucent and just starting to color, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt. Turn off heat.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 13 to 15 minutes. As the pasta cooks, quarter the sausages lengthwise, then slice 1/2-inch thick. Add sausage to the sauté pan and heat on medium-low. Stir in mascarpone and season generously with pepper. Add 1/2 cup pasta water. Stir and continue heating gently. Mince 2 tablespoons of reserved fennel fronds.
  • When the pasta is done, reserve another 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain pasta - you don't have to be utterly thorough about it - and add it to the sauté pan along with enough additional pasta water for a mixture that's quite moist but not soupy. Check seasoning, fold in parsley and fennel fronds, and transfer to a serving dish, individual plates or bowls. Serve with pecorino alongside.

3-INGREDIENT ORECCHIETTE WITH SAUSAGE AND FENNEL



3-Ingredient Orecchiette with Sausage and Fennel image

Be sure to add the sausage just before the last toss to maintain all those delicious crispy bits.

Provided by Dawn Perry

Categories     3-Ingredient Recipes     Sausage     Pasta     Quick & Easy     Fennel     Dinner

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

12 ounces orecchiette or other short pasta
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 fennel bulb (about 12 ounces), cored, thinly sliced, fronds chopped and reserved
Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
  • Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and browned and crispy in spots, 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.
  • Add sliced fennel to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, adding 1/4 cup water to skillet as bottom begins to brown (you may need to do this a few times), until soft and caramelized, 10-15 minutes more.
  • Add pasta and reserved pasta cooking liquid to skillet and cook, tossing to coat, until liquid has reduced to a creamy sauce, about 4 minutes. Add sausage and fennel fronds, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

ORECCHIETTE WITH FENNEL, SAUSAGE, AND SWEET PEPPERS



Orecchiette with Fennel, Sausage, and Sweet Peppers image

Orecchiette pasta with fennel, sausage, and sweet peppers.

Provided by Christopher Stolworthy

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Pasta

Time 55m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 pound bell peppers, sliced
1 bulb fennel, cored and quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 pound Italian sausage
1 medium shallot, minced
1 (16 ounce) package orecchiette pasta
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup basil leaves

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
  • Toss bell peppers and fennel with oil and thyme. Place vegetables on a baking sheet.
  • Roast in the preheated oven until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and shallot; saute until sausage is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease.
  • Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in orecchiette and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 12 to 14 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
  • Add orecchiette pasta, tomato paste, garlic, and roasted vegetables to the sausage in the skillet. Cook over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the reserved pasta water; simmer until sauce is reduced to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in basil before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 402.8 calories, Carbohydrate 50.8 g, Cholesterol 22.3 mg, Fat 15.4 g, Fiber 4.6 g, Protein 16 g, SaturatedFat 4.2 g, Sodium 495.2 mg, Sugar 4.4 g

SAUSAGE & FENNEL ORECCHIETTE



Sausage & fennel orecchiette image

Throw together orecchiette with sausages, fennel, broccoli and leek to make this easy dinner. Taking just 25 minutes, it's ideal for busy days

Provided by Liberty Mendez

Categories     Dinner

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 leek, halved and finely sliced
1 small fennel bulb, halved and finely sliced, fronds reserved
250g long-stemmed broccoli, larger stalks finely sliced
300g orecchiette or any short pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
6 sausages
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 carrots, grated
400g can chopped tomatoes

Steps:

  • Boil a large pan of salted water, turn the heat down to medium, then add the leek, sliced fennel and broccoli, and simmer for 3 mins until tender. Lift the veg out of the water using a slotted spoon, drain and set aside. Keep the pan of water on the heat, add the orecchiette and cook for around 11 mins, or until tender but still retaining some bite.
  • Meanwhile, put a large frying pan over a high heat, add the olive oil and squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skins, tearing it into small pieces in the pan using a wooden spoon. Fry for 3-4 mins until golden brown and almost cooked, then add the garlic, fennel seeds and tomato purée, and fry for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the blanched veg and grated carrot, and cook for another 4 mins. Tip in the tomatoes, bring to the boil, then simmer for around 4 mins until reduced slightly.
  • Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water, and toss the pasta in the pan with the sausage and tomato sauce, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen. Season and serve with the reserved fennel fronds scattered over the top.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 527 calories, Fat 19 grams fat, SaturatedFat 6 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 62 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 11 grams sugar, Fiber 8 grams fiber, Protein 21 grams protein, Sodium 1 milligram of sodium

ORECCHIETTE WITH CARAMELIZED FENNEL AND SPICY SAUSAGE RECIPE - (5/5)



Orecchiette with Caramelized Fennel and Spicy Sausage Recipe - (5/5) image

Provided by lorik

Number Of Ingredients 8

Serves 4 to 6
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound uncooked spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced (reserve 1/4 cup chopped fronds for serving)
1 pound dry orecchiette pasta
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Steps:

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and drain any excess fat in the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sliced fennel to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently and reducing the heat if the fennel starts to burn, until the fennel is soft and caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain. Add the cooked sausage, pasta, and the reserved pasta water to the skillet, tossing to combine. Continue to toss and stir the pasta until the sauce coats the pasta and the water has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese and the reserved fennel fronds sprinkled over the top of each bowl. Recipe Notes: Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Per serving, based on 4 servings. (% daily value) Calories 920 Fat 44.3 g (68.1%) Saturated 14.2 g (70.8%) Carbs 96.5 g (32.2%) Fiber 8.3 g (33.4%) Sugars 9 g Protein 32.8 g (65.7%) Cholesterol 86.2 mg (28.7%) Sodium 915 mg (38.1%)

ROASTED GARLIC AND SAUSAGE ORECCHIETTE



Roasted Garlic and Sausage Orecchiette image

Nothing speaks to me quite like this pasta dish. It has all the elements I seek in my food, from crunchy textures to aromatic slaps of roasted garlic! I've had many versions of this dish in Italian restaurants but have yet to taste one that pairs the umami of roasted garlic with the crunchy broccoli rabe and crumbled pork sausage.

Provided by Jordan Andino

Categories     main-dish

Time 30m

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

10 whole cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Kosher salt
8 ounces orecchiette
1/4 cup olive oil
3 links (about 1/2 pound) sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch broccoli rabe, tough stems trimmed, roughly chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Steps:

  • For the roasted garlic: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Stack three 12-by-12-inch sheets of foil on top of each other. Place the garlic cloves on the foil and pull up the sides to create a bowl. Pour in the oil and sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pull up the sides to create a pouch and seal it so the oil doesn't leak out. Place in the oven and roast for 12 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and smash the garlic with a fork into a smooth paste. Set aside.
  • For the pasta: Fill a large saucepan with 3 quarts (12 cups) of water and add 2 1/4 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then add the orecchiette and cook according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
  • Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the olive oil, sausage, red pepper flakes and 2 1/4 teaspoons salt, and cook, breaking up the sausage, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe, the cooking water and roasted garlic puree to the pan and stir vigorously.
  • Stir in the cooked orecchiette. Stir in the Parmesan and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the Parmesan melts, about 1 minute. Divide between plates and enjoy.

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients: Fresh, flavorful ingredients will make all the difference in this dish. Look for ripe fennel, sweet sausage, and firm orecchiette pasta.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan: When cooking the sausage and fennel, make sure to give them plenty of room in the pan so that they can brown properly. If the pan is too crowded, the ingredients will steam instead of brown.
  • Cook the pasta al dente: Orecchiette pasta should be cooked al dente, which means it should be tender but still have a slight bite to it. This will help it hold its shape and texture in the dish.
  • Use a good quality white wine: The white wine in this recipe adds a bright acidity that helps balance out the richness of the sausage and fennel. Choose a dry white wine that you enjoy drinking on its own.
  • Season to taste: Always taste the dish before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may want to add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes to taste.

Conclusion:

This orecchiette with fennel and sausage is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight dinner. The combination of sweet sausage, fennel, and orecchiette pasta is hearty and flavorful, and the white wine sauce adds a bright acidity that helps balance out the richness of the dish. This dish is sure to please everyone at the table.

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