This one-pot pasta is a take on Ina Garten’s sausage and fennel rigatoni. When I saw my friend Claire, from Here’s Your Bite turn it into a one-pot version, I knew I had to make it. One Pot Sausage and Fennel Pasta builds a whole dinner around sausage and, you guessed it, fennel. Between the browned sausage, the fennel and shallot, the delicious tomato base, al dente pasta, a splash of cream and some parmesan this is going to be one dinner you’ll be putting on repeat.
This one pot pasta recipe comes together in a single pot, so there’s no draining pasta or juggling pots or spending a ton of time washing dishes — you mostly just stir and eat. Totally doable! It’s filling enough to be dinner on its own, though a simple green salad with my family’s vinaigrette dressing and some bread on the side never hurts. Want more pasta dishes? Try my Fresh Tomato Pasta and Spicy Penne Rosé with Sausage & Spinach.
😍 Why You’ll Love This One Pot Sausage and Fennel Pasta
One pan, minimal cleanup: the pasta cooks right in the same pan as everything else, so there’s no straining and no second pot to wash.
Fennel and sausage were made for each other: the fresh fennel bulb echoes the fennel seed already in the sausage.
The pasta soaks up everything: cooking the penne directly in the broth means it absorbs all the flavour from the sausage, wine, and tomato paste instead of just sitting in sauce.
Rich but balanced: cream and parmesan make it luxurious, while lemon zest and fresh basil at the end keep it from feeling heavy.
🧀 Ingredients You’ll Need To Make One Pot Sausage and Fennel Pasta
Olive oil: just enough to get the sausage browning in the pan.
Penne: sturdy little tubes that hold up well to cooking directly in the broth and trap the sauce in all their ridges.
Ground Italian sausage: browned until crispy for savoury, slightly spiced flavour. Use sweet or spicy depending on how much heat you want.
Fennel bulb: brings that gentle anise note that pairs so naturally with the sausage.
Shallot: finely chopped for a softer, sweeter flavour than a regular onion.
Garlic: minced and cooked into the aromatics for warmth and depth.
Tomato paste: cooked down on its own, which concentrates its sweetness and gives the sauce a rich, savoury depth.
Dry white wine: used to deglaze the pan and lift up all the browned bits.
Chicken broth: this is what cooks the pasta, so it’s carrying a lot of flavour.
Heavy cream: stirred in near the end to make the sauce velvety and pull everything together.
Parmesan cheese: finely grated and melted through at the finish for salty, nutty richness.
Butter: a spoonful tossed in toward the end for an extra glossy, silky sauce.
Lemon zest: a little brightness right at the finish that cuts through all the richness.
Fresh basil: finely chopped and stirred for a fresh, herby lift.
Dried basil and oregano: simple pantry herbs that are necessary for an Italian dish.
Black pepper: added to taste.
✔ How To Make One Pot Sausage and Fennel Pasta
Grab a medium-sized, preferably deep pan and set it to medium heat.
Add the olive oil and once it’s hot, fry your ground Italian sausage over medium-high heat until it’s crispy and cooked through.
Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and set aside.
Reduce the heat to low-medium. In the same pan, add the shallot, fennel, and garlic. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the dried oregano, dried basil and black pepper and let cook another minute.
Move the ingredients to one side. Add the tomato paste on the empty side and cook 1–2 minutes. Mix the tomato paste with the other ingredients and let cook another 1-2 minutes, just until deeply red in color.
Deglaze with the white wine; cook 2–3 minutes until slightly reduced, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to a light simmer. Start with 5 cups and work your way up to 6 if you need.
Add the uncooked pasta, stirring occasionally to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Let it cook until nearly done then add the heavy cream; cook another 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened and the pasta absorbs more broth.
Add the butter and toss until silky and fully absorbed. Return the sausage to the pan then add the parmesan, fresh basil and lemon zest. Mix until well combined then turn off the heat.
If needed, loosen sauce with extra cream or broth. Plate and serve, finishing with more parmesan and cracked pepper if desired.
🗒 Variations
Make it spicy: use spicy Italian sausage, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the aromatics for some heat.
Add some greens: fold a few big handfuls of chopped spinach or kale in at the very end and let it wilt into the hot pasta for some colour and freshness.
🗒 Substitutions
Pasta: any short shape works — rigatoni, fusilli, or even orzo. Just keep an eye on the liquid, since smaller shapes cook faster and absorb differently.
Wine: swap the white wine for an extra splash of broth with a squeeze of lemon if you’d rather cook without it.
Broth: vegetable broth works in place of chicken broth and keeps the flavour a touch lighter.
Sausage: ground turkey or chicken sausage both work well if you want something leaner.
Cream: half-and-half or even a splash of whole milk will work in a pinch, though the sauce will be a little less rich.
🍴 Leftovers? Lucky you.
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat with a splash of broth or cream to loosen it back up. Warm it in a pan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, or microwave in 30 to 45 second bursts until heated through.
🤔 FAQ’s
Do I need to cook the pasta separately?
Nope! The penne cooks right in the broth, soaking up all the flavour from the sausage, wine, and tomato paste as it goes.
Can I make this without wine?
You can. Swap the white wine for an extra splash of broth with a little squeeze of lemon to bring back some of that brightness and acidity.
What kind of sausage should I use?
Sweet or spicy Italian sausage both work here. Sweet keeps it mild and family-friendly, while spicy adds a little heat.
What does fennel taste like — is it strong?
Once it’s softened down, fresh fennel turns sweet and mellow with just a gentle anise note, nothing overpowering.
What should I serve with it?
It’s hearty enough to stand on its own, but a simple green salad with my vinaigrette and some bread for mopping up the sauce round it out nicely.
👩🍳 Hungry For More?
If you loved this One Pot Sausage and Fennel Pasta, here are a few more recipes worth keeping on rotation:
- One Skillet Fried Sausage, Potatoes & Peppers
- Spicy Penne Rosé with Sausage & Spinach
- Caramelized Onion Pasta
- One-Pan French Onion Orzo
- Skillet Lasagna
💌 Let’s Stay Connected
Keep in touch with me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest! If you do make this one pot sausage and fennel pasta recipe (or any recipe of mine) don’t forget to leave a review.
One-Pot Sausage & Fennel Pasta
Equipment
- 1 deep pan
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb penne, or smaller pasta of choice
- 375 grams ground Italian sausage, sweet or spicy
- 1 large fennel bulb, finely chopped, about 3 cups
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 5-6 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated + more to garnish
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp whole fennel seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Grab a medium-sized, preferably deep pan and set it to medium heat.
- Add the olive oil and once it’s hot, fry your ground Italian sausage over medium-high heat until it’s crispy and cooked through.
- Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to low-medium. In the same pan, add the shallot, fennel, and garlic. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened.Add the dried oregano, dried basil, dried fennel, and black pepper and let cook another minute.
- Move the ingredients to one side. Add the tomato paste on the empty side and cook 1–2 minutes. Mix the tomato paste with the other ingredients and let cook another 1-2 minutes, just until deeply red in color.
- Deglaze with the white wine; cook 2–3 minutes until slightly reduced, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to a light simmer.Start with 5 cups and work your way up to 6 if you need.
- Add the uncooked pasta, stir, then partially cover the pot with a lid, leaving a small gap for steam to escape. Occasionally stir to ensure the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.Let it cook until nearly done then add the heavy cream; cook another 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened and the pasta absorbs more broth.
- Add the butter and toss until silky and fully absorbed.Return the sausage to the pan then add the parmesan, fresh basil, fresh parsley and lemon zest. Mix until well combined then turn off the heat.
- If needed, loosen sauce with extra cream or broth.Plate and serve, finishing with more parmesan and cracked pepper if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My family loved this!