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This delicious recipe for Sausage and Fennel Rigatoni with Chili and Cavolo Nero is rich, creamy, slightly spicy, and an all-round excellent weeknight pasta dish! Ready in around 30 minutes, this Italian-inspired pasta recipe is so simple to make and can be customized with whatever brassica you have on hand.
Table of Contents
Fat, plump, juicy sausages, removed from their skins and lightly caramelized as the base for a pasta sauce, are the perfect way to make a rich, meaty pasta without having to wait for hours while the meat simmers.
And, combined with crème fraîche, chili, tender, aromatic fennel, and torn, wilted lacinato kale (cavolo nero), this is the perfect dish to serve to either your family or guests.
Seriously, we can’t wait for you to try this Sausage and Fennel Rigatoni recipe!
Ingredients
- Rigatoni – Or another chunky pasta shape; penne will also work well here.
- Olive oil
- Sausages – British bangers or Italian-style sausages will both work well here. To amp up the flavor of the dish, choose a variety with fennel or chili added; we like Field & Flower’s Italian Fennel Sausages.
- Fennel bulb
- Onion
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh thyme – Finely chopped rosemary would also work well.
- Lacinato kale (cavolo nero) – Can be substituted for any kind of kale or even shredded Savoy cabbage if that’s what you have on hand.
- Crème fraîche – You won’t get the signature creamy tang of crème fraîche, but you can use heavy (double) cream if that is what is open!
- Marsala – You could also use cooking sherry or dry white wine, just to deglaze the pan.
- Parmesan – Another hard cheese like Grana Padano or pecorino that’s good for grating is great too. Or, you can top the pasta with pangrattato instead!
- Red pepper flakes (dried chili flakes) – For a nice kick.
How to make sausage and fennel rigatoni
ONE: Squeeze the sausages from the casings and sauté in a little olive oil until golden and caramelized.
TWO: Remove the sausage from the pan and add the sliced onion and fennel. Sauté for a few minutes until soft, then add the garlic and thyme and sauté for a couple of minutes.
THREE: Add the Marsala and simmer until evaporated, then add the kale and a splash of water. Season well and simmer until it is tender, and the liquid has evaporated.
FOUR: Boil the rigatoni until cooked, drain, and stir through the pasta sauce. Stir in the crème fraîche and a splash of pasta water, then add the sausages back to the pan. Plate up with lots of grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of dried chili.
Frequently asked questions
As mentioned above, rigatoni or penne would be great picks, because they’re big enough so sausage pieces can get inside, and their ridges pick up the sauce well. Stick to short shapes, as sausage pieces won’t work with something long and thin like spaghetti; instead, they might all gather at the bottom of the bowl, so you get uneven bites!
Yes, use gluten-free pasta and make sure the sausages are gluten-free too. Then you’re all set!
No, but if you have one and you’re confident using it, it will get you the best thin, even slices for this recipe. A just sharpened, large, heavy knife will do the job otherwise.
Other recipes you might enjoy
For other great (and easy!) pasta recipes, try this Perfect Puttanesca Recipe with Burrata or Spicy Nduja Pasta Sauce Recipe with Vodka and Double Cream. You might also like Pasta alla Norcina Recipe with Fennel, Fresh Green Ricotta Pesto Pasta, or Italian Lentil Bolognese with Pappardelle.
Sausage and Cavolo Nero Rigatoni with Fennel and Chili
Ingredients
- 17.5 oz rigatoni
- olive oil
- 6 sausages
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced with mandolin (see note)
- 1 onion, finely sliced lengthways
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 sprigs of thyme, stalks removed
- 1 large handful of chopped lacinato kale (cavolo nero)
- 4 tbsp creme fraiche
- 1 splash of marsala or sherry / white wine
- Parmesan, to serve
- Red pepper flakes (dried chili flakes), to serve
Instructions
- Squeeze the sausages from the skins and sauté in a little olive oil until golden and caramelized.
- Remove the sausage from the pan and add the sliced onion and fennel. Sauté for a few minutes until soft, then add the garlic and thyme and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Add the Marsala and simmer until evaporated. Add the kale, followed by a splash of water. Season well and simmer until it is tender and the liquid has evaporated.
- Stir through the crème fraîche and a splash of pasta water, then add the sausages back to the pan.
- Boil the rigatoni until cooked, drain, and stir through the pasta sauce.
- Plate up with lots of grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of chili flakes.
Notes
Storage
To Store: If you have leftover rigatoni, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. To Reheat: Eat the pasta cold or at room temp for a quick lunch. You can also heat it up slowly on the stove or in the microwave. Over it and add just a splash of water if the sauce is too thick. To Freeze: Once cooled completely, portion into airtight containers with some of the sauce. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating gently.Quick tip
If you don’t have a mandoline to slice the fennel, a sharpened, large, heavy knife will also do the job. Just make sure you get the pieces nice and thin!Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
