Simple plant-based fennel pasta
| Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
| 340 | 6g | 60g | 10g |
Have you got a fennel bulb but don’t know what to do with it? This easy recipe for plant-based fennel pasta is a quick and delicious way to enjoy this Mediterranean vegetable.
Ingredients
4 servings
300g (10.5 oz) pasta penne, fusilli
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 fennel bulb sliced, fronds reserved
1 large onion sliced
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
60-120ml (¼ – ½ cup) pasta cooking water
Method
- Bring a large, high-sided saucepan filled ⅔ with water to a boil. Add in the pasta along with 1-2 tsp of salt and cook the pasta until al dente, or according to instructions on the package.
- In the meantime, heat up olive oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced fennel, onion and the sugar to the frying pan and give it a good stir.
- Gently fry while stirring regularly for about five minutes, until the fennel and onion are soft and evenly caramelised to a golden brown colour. Turn down the heat a bit if the fennel and onion get dark brown too quickly.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir in the lemon juice.
- Fry for two more minutes, then deglaze the pan by adding the ¼ to ½ cup of starchy water from the pan of boiling pasta. If you’ve already drained the pasta at this point, just use tap water. Turn heat to low.
- When the pasta is cooked, drain and add it into the frying pan. Turn off the heat and stir the pasta into the fennel and onion. Adjust sauciness with extra water if necessary.
- Serve up and garnish with the reserved green fennel fronds.
- Optionally top the pasta with toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds, or a sprinkle of vegan parmesan.