Fennel & Sausage Pasta with Greens
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- large red bell pepper 1
- large fennel bulb 1
- extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp
- Kosher
- links vegan sausage 7 oz
- tomato paste 1 tbsp
- nutritional yeast ¼ cup
- dried oregano 1 tsp
- red pepper flakes ½ tsp
- of your favorite marinara sauce 24 oz
- bucatini or spaghetti or linguine 10-12 oz
- baby spinach 5 oz
- fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley 1 cup
For heartier appetites or to stretch this meal out more, use 3-4 links (13 1/2-14 oz) of vegan sausage and 12 oz pasta. The red pepper flakes add a slight kick, but if you bought spicy vegan sausage (such as Beyond Hot Italian), skip the red pepper flakes unless you want the finished dish to be spicy. Storage: Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta may soak up the sauce and become a bit soggy, but reheating on the stove helps revive the texture. To reheat, add the pasta to a nonstick frying pan over medium heat and warm until heated through. Garnish with chopped basil/parsley and fennel fronds if you have any. Nutrition boost: You can sub the baby spinach with baby kale (you may need to cook it a minute or so longer). Use whole wheat linguine or protein spaghetti for a bit more fiber and protein.
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1Gather: large red bell pepper , large fennel bulb , extra virgin olive oil , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, links vegan sausage , tomato paste , nutritional yeast , dried oregano , red pepper flakes , of your favorite marinara sauce , bucatini or spaghetti or linguine , baby spinach , fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley .
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2Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil for the pasta.
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3While the water comes to a boil, prep the vegetables. Bell pepper (optional): Thinly slice, if using. Fennel: Chop off the stalks from the fennel bulb (freeze to use in stocks/broths or discard). Reserve some of the fronds for garnish and chop. With the bulb, remove any thick outer layers (or shave with a peeler) and discard. Slice the bulb in half lengthwise, and using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the fennel halves crosswise as thinly as you can.
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4Cook the vegetables. Heat a Dutch oven or large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the fennel and bell pepper (if using) with a big pinch of salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes , stirring occasionally, until the fennel edges start to brown. While the fennel cooks, crumble the sausage (if it doesn't crumble, slice it) and make the marinara mixture. Stir the tomato paste, nutritional yeast, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), and a generous amount of black pepper into the marinara sauce.
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5Cook the pasta. Once the water is boiling, salt the water generously. Add the pasta and cook for the minimum amount of time for al dente according to the box instructions. Set a colander in the sink with a measuring cup in it to reserve pasta water. Before draining, reserve timer cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
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6Add the crumbled sausage to the pan with the veggies. Use a spatula to break it up into smaller pieces. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. If things start to burn, lower the heat. Add the spinach and toss for 30-60 seconds until almost wilted but still bright green. Add in the marinara sauce mixture, scraping up any browned bits, and stir well.
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7Add the hot cooked pasta and 1/4 cup of pasta water to the pan. Lower the heat to medium, and toss well with tongs until the pasta is well coated in the sauce and is al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more pasta water as needed to bring the sauce together.
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8Remove from the heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper as needed. Before serving, tear the basil leaves with your hands (or chop the parsley). Garnish the pasta with basil leaves and fennel fronds, if using.