Description
Spice up your weeknight dinners with this Creamy Calabrian Chili Pappardelle with Sausage & Fennel — a luxurious, bold pasta dish that’s ready in under 40 minutes. Wide ribbons of pappardelle are coated in a velvety cream sauce infused with the smoky heat of Calabrian chili paste, savory Italian sausage, and the subtle sweetness of fennel. It’s the perfect choice when you need easy dinner ideas that still feel restaurant-worthy. Whether you’re searching for a quick comfort meal, spicy food ideas, or a simple yet indulgent dinner recipe, this one ticks all the boxes.
Ingredients
400g pappardelle pasta
250g Italian sausage (spicy or mild)
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1–2 tbsp Calabrian chili paste (adjust to taste)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Fresh dill or fennel fronds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pappardelle until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 6–8 minutes until browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, add more olive oil if needed. Sauté fennel for about 5 minutes until soft, then add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
4. Stir in Calabrian chili paste. Let it cook for 1–2 minutes with the aromatics to release flavor.
5. Reduce heat and add heavy cream. Stir to combine and simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Return sausage to the skillet. Add pasta and toss everything together. Use reserved pasta water to loosen sauce if needed.
7. Stir in Parmesan until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with extra cheese and fresh herbs if using.
Notes
Use fresh Parmesan instead of pre-shredded for the smoothest melt.
For less heat, mix Calabrian chili paste with tomato paste.
Add a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce if it thickens too much.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 680
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 95mg