Sicilian Sardine Pasta with Fennel Pollen

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A vibrant coastal Italian pasta dish featuring briny sardines, sweet fennel, and the floral essence of fennel pollen, true to Sicily's seafood traditions. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs Pasta (spaghetti), Sardines in olive oil, Fennel bulb for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 580 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 20 min Serves 2 Italian cuisine 580 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Cook 200g spaghetti in salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes until al dente; reserve 100ml pasta water before draining.
  2. Step 2: Finely chop fennel bulb and mince 2 garlic cloves. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add fennel and garlic, and cook for 4 minutes until fennel is softened.
  3. Step 3: Add 150g drained sardines (broken into chunks) and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes to the skillet; cook for 2 minutes until sardines are heated through and oil is fragrant.
  4. Step 4: Add drained spaghetti to skillet with 100ml reserved pasta water, toss vigorously for 2 minutes until sauce coats pasta. Stir in 1 tsp fennel pollen, 20g chopped parsley, and 1 tsp lemon zest until combined.
  5. Step 5: Serve immediately, garnished with additional fennel pollen and parsley.

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