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Sausage and fennel seed pasta

A steaming bowl of comforting goodness that can be adapted to suit every taste, whether that's meat or vegetarian sausages, wheat-free or wholewheat pasta, or getting creative with the spices in the cupboard.

15 minutes prep. time
25–30 minutes cooking time
Serves 2
Salads & light bites

Sausage and fennel seed pasta served on a plate — This delicious pasta dish is quick, simple and versatile | © National Trust/Rebecca Janaway

140g linguine (or pasta of your choice) cooked and drained, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking water
3 sausages
½ tsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp chilli flakes
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tbp olive oil
100g fresh spinach

Get creative

You can add flavour to the sausage meat with anything in your cupboard, for example it works well with pesto or harissa paste. Why not also add in any other vegetables you have in the fridge? Grated courgette stirred through with the spinach works particularly well.

Step 1

Remove the skins from the sausages and place the sausage meat in a bowl.

Step 2

Add the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and mix until thoroughly combined.

Step 3

Pour the olive oil into a frying pan on a medium heat. Using a teaspoon, carefully place pieces of the sausage meat into the pan and fry until crispy, caramelised, and cooked through, turning regularly.

Step 4

Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the sausage meat, along with the reserved pasta water, and stir.

Step 5

Add the spinach and continue to mix until the spinach has wilted.

Step 6

Place into a serving bowl, top with a pinch of the fennel seed and chilli flakes and serve.

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