Pasta with Sausage and Fennel
Pasta with Sausage and Fennel is a rustic Italian pasta dish, typically featuring hearty Italian sausage, thinly sliced fennel bulb, and a simple sauce often built on olive oil, garlic, and sometimes tomato. It hails from Southern Italy, particularly regions like Calabria and Sicily, where fennel and pork are staple ingredients.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is generally high in carbohydrates from the pasta and protein from the sausage, with a significant amount of fat, especially if using traditional pork sausage. It provides key nutrients like iron, B vitamins, and fiber (if using whole-grain pasta or extra vegetables), with a typical serving containing roughly 600-800 calories.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 480 kcal |
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbs | 48 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
| Potassium | 420 mg |
| Iron | 3.2 mg |
| Calcium | 65 mg |
| Vitamin A | 45 mcg RAE |
| Vitamin C | 8 mg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.4 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 5.5 mg |
| Folate | 80 mcg DFE |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, the combination of fennel and pork is a classic Italian pairing, with fennel seeds often used in sausage seasoning itself, creating a harmonious flavor loop. Nutritionally, fennel adds a unique anise-like flavor and is a good source of vitamin C and potassium, offering a fresh, aromatic contrast to the rich sausage.
