An incredibly rich and delicious Tuscan Sausage Pasta made with tomato, white wine, fennel seeds and garlic. This recipe is super easy to make and ready in around 30 minutes. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce!
This is a recipe we've been making for years and years and it never gets old. The most important ingredient for sure is the Tuscan sausages.
They're bursting with flavour made with red wine, garlic and fennel seeds. The sausages are also heavily seasoned with salt so I always recommend tasting the sauce before adding any extra.
You should be able to find Tuscan sausages in an Italian supermarket or deli but not all are the same. The brand we've found to be closest to our favourites are Salcis fennel sausages and if you ever find yourself in Tuscany the Coop supermarket's own sausages are an absolute must they're just incredible.
See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step-by-step photos, tips, and variations. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below
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Ingredients
See the photo below that shows you everything you need to make Tuscan Sausage Pasta plus some important notes on ingredients.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Tuscan sausages - If you can't get Tuscan sausages then high-quality Italian sausages will also work. Look for those with fennel and garlic in them.
- Garlic - fresh garlic is a must, don't substitute it with dried garlic powder. Use 1-2 cloves depending on your taste.
- Fennel seeds & chilli flakes - these two ingredients are a match made in heaven. We don't add too many chilli flakes it's just for a subtle heat.
- White wine - we often use an Italian white like Pecorino or Vermentino. Red wine also works just as well.
- Passata - known as tomato puree in the US it's super important to use good quality tomatoes such as Cirio or Mutti (use a brand you trust).
- Pici Pasta - Pici can be hard to find outside of Italy but it's so easy to make at home with semolina pasta dough (no eggs). The sauce will also go well with spaghetti or a short pasta shape such as rigatoni.
Step by step photos and instructions
Brown the sausage - Add the olive oil to a large frying pan. Remove the sausages from their casings and break them up with the side of a wooden spoon whilst frying until browned.
Next, add the chopped garlic, fennel seeds and chilli flakes and saute for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant but not browned. Add the white wine and let it reduce by half (photos 1 & 2).
Add the tomato & simmer - Add the passata and stir everything together. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste (photos 3 & 4).
Add pasta - 10 minutes before the sauce is ready cook your pasta according to packet instructions until al dente (for long pasta we recommend using Pici or use a short pasta shape such as rigatoni, penne or trofie). Remember to always add your pasta straight into the sauce and toss until thoroughly coated before serving. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Use high-quality ingredients - It's so important to use high-quality ingredients especially when it comes to the sausages and tomatoes.
- Taste before seasoning - Tuscan sausages are heavily seasoned so I don't usually need to add any additional salt to the sauce. Make sure to taste the sauce at the end of cooking and add any extra salt to taste.
- Pasta - If you want to use a long pasta shape we recommend using Pici pasta (dried or homemade) or if using a short shape we love using Trofie or Rigatoni.
Italian sausages vary from region to region and town to town. Supermarkets in Italy usually sell sausages that are local to the area. Tuscan sausages are sweet and heavily seasoned with salt. They also contain red wine, fennel and garlic.
More Italian sausage recipes to try
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📖 Full Recipe
Easy Tuscan Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3-4 large Tuscan sausages with fennel (400g) see notes
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 ½ cups passata (tomato puree US) tomato puree US
- ¼ cup white or red wine (70ml)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 1 lb Pici pasta (dried or fresh) or other pasta of choice (500g)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large frying pan. Remove the sausages from their casings and break them up with the side of a wooden spoon whilst frying until browned.
- Next, add the chopped garlic, fennel seeds and chilli flakes and saute for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant but not browned. Add the white wine and let it reduce by half.
- Add the passata and stir everything together. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
- 10 minutes before the sauce is ready cook your pasta according to packet instructions until al dente (for long pasta we recommend using Pici or use a short pasta shape such as rigatoni, penne or trofie). Remember to always add your pasta straight into the sauce and toss until thoroughly coated before serving. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
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- Tuscan sausages - Italian sausages vary from region to region and town to town. Supermarkets in Italy usually sell sausages that are local to the area. Tuscan sausages are sweet and heavily seasoned with salt. They also contain red wine, fennel and garlic.
- Use high-quality ingredients - It's so important to use high-quality ingredients especially when it comes to the sausages and tomatoes (I recommend Mutti or Cirio passata).
- Taste before seasoning - Tuscan sausages are heavily seasoned so I don't usually need to add any additional salt to the sauce. Make sure to taste the sauce at the end of cooking and add any extra salt to taste.
- Pasta - If you want to use a long pasta shape we recommend using Pici pasta (dried or homemade) or if using a short shape we love using Trofie or Rigatoni.
- Storage - The sauce will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days and can be reheated in a pan until piping hot (add water to loosen). You can also freeze the sauce in suitable containers for up to 4 months.
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Nutrition
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
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