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Chili Pappardelle Pasta

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Experience the perfect blend of tender pappardelle, hearty sausage, and caramelized fennel in a luscious sauce infused with Calabrian chilies and tomatoes. A go-to for spice lovers.
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Aisha
Updated on Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:15:39 GMT
Wide pappardelle noodles swimming in meat sauce, topped with herbs and grated cheese, surrounded by garlic cloves and cheese wedges in the background. Pin it
Wide pappardelle noodles swimming in meat sauce, topped with herbs and grated cheese, surrounded by garlic cloves and cheese wedges in the background. | cookingflavor.com

This homemade Creamy Calabrian Chili Pappardelle with Sausage and Fennel isn't hard to make but delivers amazing comfort food for cold months. The wide pappardelle noodles get covered in a creamy, fiery tomato sauce that's packed with bold Calabrian peppers, sweet fennel, and tasty Italian sausage—just what you need when temperatures drop.

What Makes This Dish Special

You'll fall in love with how the flavors come together in this pasta. The thick sauce sticks perfectly to the noodles, while the browned sausage and fennel bring incredible depth. There's a nice kick from those Calabrian chilies that makes this dish both familiar and exciting. It comes together quickly and works great with some bread and a simple green salad on the side.

What You'll Need

  • Pappardelle: These broad, flat egg noodles really catch all that delicious sauce.
  • Italian sausage: Go with sweet or hot, whatever you like best for protein.
  • Fennel: Cut into thin slices for a light licorice-like sweetness.
  • Calabrian chili peppers: Diced up for their tangy heat.
  • Shallots & garlic: The flavor builders that start everything off right.
  • Butter: Brings creaminess and helps cook down the fennel and shallots.
  • Tomato paste & purée: Creates the hearty tomato backbone.
  • Heavy cream: Turns everything smooth and luxurious.
  • White wine: Cuts through richness with its bright tang.
  • Parmesan cheese: Finely shredded for that nutty finish.
  • Fresh oregano: Adds that pop of garden freshness.
  • Olive oil: Gets that sausage nice and golden.

Crafting Your Sauce

Get the Sausage Golden
Warm olive oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Cook the Italian sausage until it's nicely browned and done through, then take it out and put it aside.
Cook the Vegetables
Drop butter into the same pan and toss in your thin fennel and shallot slices. Let them soften and turn golden, then mix in garlic and Calabrian chilies and cook about 1–2 minutes until you can really smell them.
Create the Base
Mix in tomato paste and let it cook about 2 minutes to get more flavor. Pour in white wine to scrape up all the tasty bits stuck to the pan, then add your tomato purée, heavy cream, and fresh oregano. Let it bubble gently until everything comes together smoothly.

Putting It All Together

Cook your pappardelle in salty water until it's just firm, and save a cup of that starchy water. Dump the drained pasta into your sauce with a splash of the saved water to help everything stick together. Throw in your parmesan and cooked sausage, then toss everything around until each noodle is wrapped in that amazing sauce.

A close-up of a bowl of pappardelle pasta topped with meat sauce and grated cheese, surrounded by a rustic wooden table setting. Pin it
A close-up of a bowl of pappardelle pasta topped with meat sauce and grated cheese, surrounded by a rustic wooden table setting. | cookingflavor.com

Secrets for Amazing Results

Don't cook your pasta all the way through since it'll keep cooking in the hot sauce. Try to find good egg pappardelle for the best bite and taste. If you can't handle too much heat, just use fewer Calabrian peppers. Want to make it look fancy? Sprinkle some extra oregano or chopped parsley on top before serving.

Enjoying Your Pasta

This spicy, creamy Calabrian chili pappardelle is best eaten right away, with some crusty bread for sauce-sopping and a green salad on the side. If you've got leftovers, they'll last in the fridge for about 3 days in a closed container. When warming it up, do it slowly on the stove and add a little cream or pasta water to bring the sauce back to life. Don't try freezing this one—the cream sauce won't hold up well, so it's better eaten fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What's special about Calabrian chilies?
These Italian peppers from Calabria are spicy and slightly fruity, bringing an exciting kick to sauces.
→ Is it okay to swap the pasta?
Sure, use any wide pasta like fettuccine or tagliatelle. Just pick a sturdy type to handle the sauce.
→ Why keep some pasta water?
That starchy water gives the sauce a silky texture, helping it coat the pasta and blend with the cheese perfectly.
→ What works instead of fennel?
Try celery for crunch or more onions for flavor. But fennel adds a special taste that pairs nicely with sausage.
→ How hot does this get?
Most of the heat comes from the chilies. Start light and add more if you're feeling bold!

Conclusion

Experience the perfect blend of tender pappardelle, hearty sausage, and caramelized fennel in a luscious sauce infused with Calabrian chilies and tomatoes. A go-to for spice lovers.

Chili Pappardelle Pasta

Wide ribbons of pappardelle mingling with sausage and fennel in a rich, spicy cream sauce packed with bold Calabrian chili flavors.

Prep Time
20 Minutes
Cook Time
30 Minutes
Total Time
50 Minutes
By: Aicha

Category: Main Dishes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Italian

Yield: 8 Servings (1 big pot of pasta)

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

01 As much olive oil as you need for cooking.
02 1 pound of uncooked, mild Italian sausage (made with pork).
03 4 tablespoons of plain butter, not salted.
04 One small onion, chopped into little pieces.
05 Two small fennel roots, finely chopped.
06 1 pound of wide egg noodles like pappardelle.
07 6 garlic cloves, minced into tiny bits.
08 1/4 cup of thick tomato paste.
09 2 tablespoons of spicy Calabrian chili peppers.
10 A half-cup of dry white wine.
11 One jar (24 ounces) of smooth tomato purée.
12 1 cup of rich, heavy cream.
13 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano, finely chopped.
14 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving.
15 A sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper, as required.

Instructions

Step 01

Fill up a big pot with water, season it well with salt, and bring it up to a boil.

Step 02

Place a stainless steel sauté pan (3-quart size) on medium-high heat. Once warmed up, dribble in olive oil to lightly coat the surface. Toss in the sausage. Break it into chunks with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Sprinkle a little salt over it. Cook just until it's browned, around 5 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a plate.

Step 03

Turn the heat down to medium. Add the butter and let it melt. Toss in the chopped onion and fennel. Stir frequently while they cook for 8 minutes until they're soft and golden brown. Add a pinch of salt for flavor.

Step 04

Stir the pappardelle into the boiling water. Let it cook until it's tender but firm to the bite ('al dente'), following the directions on the package.

Step 05

Add the garlic to the sautéed onion and fennel. Let it cook briefly for about half a minute. Then, mix in the tomato paste and chili peppers, cooking for another minute. Pour in the white wine and allow it to simmer gently for 2 minutes.

Step 06

Add the tomato purée, cream, oregano, and cooked sausage into the mixture. Scoop out 1 cup (or a touch extra, if needed) of pasta cooking water and mix it into the sauce. Stir everything together. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, giving it a stir now and then.

Step 07

Drain the noodles, then put them back into the big pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well. Slowly add in the grated parmesan cheese, stirring until it melts and the sauce coats the noodles evenly.

Step 08

Adjust the salt to your liking. Dish up the pasta and sprinkle more parmesan and some black pepper on top before serving.

Notes

  1. Add extra pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce, or let it cook a little longer if it's too runny.

Tools You'll Need

  • A big pot.
  • Medium-sized sauté pan (holds 3 quarts).
  • Wooden cooking spoon.
  • Slotted spoon for draining.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains dairy.
  • Has eggs.
  • Includes wheat.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: ~
  • Total Fat: ~
  • Total Carbohydrate: ~
  • Protein: ~