Description

Ready in under an hour, this Creamy Calabrian Chili Pappardelle with Sausage & Fennel is an easy dinner recipe bursting with bold flavor. It’s a restaurant-worthy dish made with wide ribbons of pasta tossed in a silky cream sauce, spicy Calabrian chili, and savory sausage, all brightened with sweet, aromatic fennel. Ideal for cozy weeknights or impressive dinner ideas, this quick recipe is perfect for anyone looking for spicy comfort food or hearty food ideas that don’t take all day to make.

Ingredients

400g pappardelle pasta

300g Italian sausage

2 tablespoons Calabrian chili paste

1 cup heavy cream

1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Fresh dill or fennel fronds, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking it up with a spatula, and cook until browned. Transfer to a plate.

2. In the same skillet, add fennel and cook until soft and golden. Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute until fragrant.

3. Stir in Calabrian chili paste and heavy cream. Lower the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.

4. Boil pappardelle in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.

5. Return sausage to the skillet. Add drained pasta and toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed.

6. Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan and optional fresh herbs.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, swap the sausage for sautéed mushrooms or plant-based sausage.

Use fresh pappardelle for the best texture and sauce absorption.

Add more or less Calabrian chili paste depending on your heat preference.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian-Inspired

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 plate (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
Calories: 680
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 920mg
Fat: 38g
Saturated Fat: 18g
Unsaturated Fat: 17g
Trans Fat: 0.3g
Carbohydrates: 58g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 26g
Cholesterol: 95mg

Keywords: easy dinner, spicy pasta, creamy pasta, pappardelle recipe, sausage pasta, food ideas