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Epicurious

3-Ingredient Orecchiette With Sausage and Fennel

By Dawn Perry

4.4

(15)

3ingredient orecchiette with sausage and fennel on a plate.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Molly Baz

In Epi's 3-Ingredient Recipes series, we show you how to make great food with just three ingredients (plus staples like oil, salt, and pepper).

In this simple weeknight pasta, each ingredient pulls its weight. Fennel adds a touch of sweetness, while sausage contributes rich flavor. Be sure to add the sausage just before the last toss to maintain all those delicious crispy bits.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    25 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

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

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

    Step 2

    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.

    Step 3

    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.

    Step 4

    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.

TagsPastaItalianEuropeanSausageMeatFennelRoot VegetableVegetableMainDinnerNut FreeDairy FreeQuickEasyWeeknight Meals30 Minutes or Less5 Ingredients or FewerSauteSimmerEpicurious

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