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Creamy Pappardelle Pasta

Featured in: Comforting Pasta Recipes for All Tastes

This spicy pasta combines Calabrian chili, fennel, and sausage in a creamy sauce for an indulgent meal that tastes gourmet. The secret is layering flavors from browned sausage, caramelized fennel, and deglazing with wine. It’s quick but feels fancy, finished with heavy cream and parmesan for a silky finish.
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Updated on Sat, 10 May 2025 18:27:59 GMT
A pasta bowl topped with meat and cheese. Pin it
A pasta bowl topped with meat and cheese. | tastefullyrecipe.com

Velvety Calabrian pappardelle blends spicy Italian sausage with sweet fennel in a smooth chili-laced sauce. Every forkful of this pasta offers comfort and satisfaction, hitting just the right notes between heat and creaminess that coat each ribbon of egg pappardelle. The sauce grows more intricate as everything cooks together, making a stunning yet simple dinner you can whip up any night.

I cooked this up when friends came over last weekend, and everyone kept talking about how good it tasted. My buddy who usually stays away from hot stuff ended up taking another helping, saying how nicely the cream balanced out the spiciness.

Key Ingredients

  • Egg Pappardelle: Try to get DeLallo's kind for its great chew and textured surface that catches all the sauce
  • Italian Sausage: Forms the tasty base and adds the main protein punch
  • Fennel Bulb: Gives a lovely licorice sweetness that works magic with the sausage
  • Calabrian Chili Paste: The key player bringing fruity warmth without going overboard
  • Heavy Cream: Makes everything smooth while cooling down the chili kick
  • Fresh Oregano: Adds a green, herby lift to cut through the richness
  • Parmesan Cheese: Brings nutty flavor and helps the sauce get nice and thick
  • Tomato Purée: Gives the sauce backbone and a touch of tang against the cream
  • White Wine: Scrapes up all the tasty bits and makes the sauce more interesting

Making Your Dish

Start Cooking:
Get your pan really hot first, then add olive oil. Drop in small sausage chunks with space between them so they brown up nicely.
Build Flavor Base:
Toss butter into the same pan, then drop in onion and fennel. Let them cook slowly until they turn see-through and get slightly golden.
Cook The Pasta:
While your veggies soften, boil the pappardelle in really salty water. Give it a stir now and then so it doesn't clump together.
Create The Sauce:
Mix garlic with your veggies and cook just until you smell it. Add tomato paste and chili paste, letting them cook a bit to deepen their flavor.
Bring It All Together:
Pour in the tomato purée and heavy cream, then add the browned sausage back in. Toss in fresh oregano and some pasta water. Let everything bubble gently.
A bowl of pasta with meat and cheese. Pin it
A bowl of pasta with meat and cheese. | tastefullyrecipe.com

The Calabrian chili paste really makes this dish special to me. My grandma showed me these peppers when we visited southern Italy a while back. She'd throw them into almost everything she cooked, always saying their fruity taste set them apart from other chilies.

Tasty Side Matches

This hearty pasta goes great with sides that cut through the richness. Try serving it with a simple salad of bitter greens dressed with just lemon and olive oil. Don't forget some crusty Italian bread to wipe up every last bit of sauce.

Ways To Switch It Up

You can easily change this dish to suit your needs. For something lighter, use half pasta water instead of all the cream. If you don't eat meat, swap the sausage for some browned mushrooms to get that meaty feel and deep flavor.

Storing What's Left

Once it cools down, put any extras in sealed containers and keep them in the fridge for up to three days. The funny thing is, it often tastes better the next day after all the flavors have mixed more.

A bowl of pasta with meat and cheese. Pin it
A bowl of pasta with meat and cheese. | tastefullyrecipe.com

This Calabrian chili pappardelle has turned into my go-to dish when friends come over. There's something magical about how the spicy Calabrian chilies and the creamy sauce work together to make something way better than either could be alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What can I use instead of Calabrian chili peppers?
Swap them with red pepper flakes and some tomato paste, or jarred peppers like cherry peppers. Start small and add more for heat.
→ Are there substitutes for pappardelle?
Wide pasta like fettuccine or tagliatelle works well too. Even tube shapes like rigatoni or penne can handle the sauce nicely.
→ Can I prep this meal in advance?
You can make the sauce a day or two ahead. When ready, cook the pasta fresh and warm the sauce gently before mixing.
→ What wine goes with this meal?
Try a Chianti or Sangiovese for reds. Prefer whites? A full-bodied Chardonnay complements the richness beautifully.
→ Is a vegetarian version possible?
Leave out the sausage and cook mushrooms for a hearty substitute. Add more olive oil and herbs to boost the flavor.

Creamy Pappardelle Pasta

This creamy pasta dish blends savory sausage, fennel, and a kick from Calabrian chilies in a luscious sauce that coats the wide pappardelle noodles.

Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook Time
25 Minutes
Total Time
40 Minutes
By: Patricia


Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Italian

Yield: 6 Servings

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

→ Main Ingredients

01 Egg pappardelle pasta, 1 pound
02 Raw mild Italian pork sausage, 1 pound
03 Unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons
04 One small onion, chopped into small pieces
05 Two small fennel bulbs, diced up
06 Olive oil, enough to coat the pan
07 6 garlic cloves, minced finely
08 Tomato paste, 1/4 cup
09 Calabrian chili peppers, 2 tablespoons
10 Heavy cream, 1 cup
11 1/2 cup of dry white wine
12 One jar (24 ounces) of tomato purée
13 Fresh oregano leaves, chopped (1 tablespoon)
14 Fresh parmesan cheese, shredded (1/2 cup), plus more for garnish
15 A dash of freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Step 01

Fill up a big pot, add a lot of salt, and heat it until it boils.

Step 02

Warm up a medium-sized stainless steel pan on medium-high heat. Pour in olive oil to cover the base lightly, toss in the sausage, and break it into small chunks with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle some salt while it's browning (takes about 5 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to move it to a plate once done.

Step 03

Turn the heat to medium and toss the butter into the same pan. Wait until it melts, then add the fennel and onion. Let them cook (stirring occasionally) for around 8 minutes, or until soft and slightly caramelized. Sprinkle a bit of salt.

Step 04

Add the pappardelle to the rolling boil, give it a quick stir, and cook until it's firm but not hard ('al dente'), as the package says.

Step 05

Toss the garlic into the pan with the fennel mix for about 30 seconds. Follow with the tomato paste and Calabrian chili paste, stirring for a minute. Pour in the wine and simmer it down for 2 minutes.

Step 06

Add the heavy cream, tomato purée, oregano, and cooked sausage back in. Scoop up a cup of the water from the pasta pot and stir it in. Turn down the heat to medium-low and let everything bubble gently for 5 minutes, giving it an occasional stir.

Step 07

Strain the pasta and return it to the big pot. Pour over the sauce and mix until fully combined. Gradually stir in the parmesan until it's melted and clinging to the pasta. Adjust the thickness with more pasta water if needed. Add salt if it needs it, then plate with extra cracked black pepper and some parmesan sprinkled on top.

Notes

  1. This creamy dish balances spicy peppers, sweet fennel, and flavorful sausage perfectly.
  2. Egg pappardelle is the best fit, but you can swap in another wide pasta if you'd like.

Tools You'll Need

  • Big pot for boiling the pasta
  • Medium stainless sauté pan
  • Wooden spoon for stirring and breaking up the sausage
  • Slotted spoon to remove sausage pieces

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Has dairy (butter, cream, parmesan)
  • Includes eggs (from the pasta)
  • Contains gluten (due to the pasta)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 645
  • Total Fat: 36 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 58 g
  • Protein: 22 g