Food & Cooking Recipes Ingredients Seafood Recipes Caramelized Fennel, Celery, and Sardine Pasta 5.0 (4) 3 Reviews This flavorful quick pasta dish is made with convenient canned sardines. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 18, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Brie Goldman Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 4 This recipe for a quick pasta with caramelized fennel, celery, and sardines is one of our favorite fennel recipes and is based on the Sardinian dish pasta con le sarde. It takes just 30 minutes to make and starts with fennel being gently cooked with celery and garlic until sweet and caramelized. At the same time, whole wheat, tube-shaped pasta is cooked until al dente. Then, the pasta and some reserved pasta water are added to the vegetables in the skillet along with fennel fronds, celery leaves, and lemon zest for a dose of brightness. Finally, the sardines are added and the whole mixture tossed together. Packed with flavor and nutrients, it’s a light yet satisfying dish that can be made all year round. Tinned Fish Is a Pantry Essential—Here Are 12 Delicious Ways to Use It All About Canned Sardines If you're new to using canned sardines at home, we've got all you need to know about the small, oily fish that have been gaining popularity in recent years (though they've been eaten around the world for far longer than that). Taste and Texture: Sardines are meaty little fish with a mild yet present fishy flavor. The small swimmers are packed into tins with their heads and tails removed and can be sold either boneless and skinless or with their skin and bones still intact (though you'll hardly notice either when eating). Nutrition Sardines are a nutritional powerhouse. They're packed with protein and are a good source of vitamin D and calcium, both of which are important for bone health. They're also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce your risk of heart disease. For the biggest nutritional payoff, choose sardines with their skin and bones intact. Buying and Preparing Sardines packed in olive oil will have the best texture and flavor, though, like tuna, they contain a bit more fat than those packed in water. They're sold plain, lightly smoked, or flavored with everything from lemon to peppers to tomato sauce and more. For this recipe, we recommend buying bone-in, skin-on sardines that haven't been smoked. Sardines can be eaten straight out of the can on their own or on toast with butter and a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy them in pastas, salads, or even pan-fried and served as an appetizer. Take care when opening sardines as the oil can easily splatter. To keep things mess free, open the tin a small amount and drain the oil, then carefully open it the rest of the way. Buying and Preparing Fennel When shopping for fennel, look for tight, firm bulbs that feel heavy for their size and aren't soft or wrinkly. The stalks and fronds should be bright green and bushy. To cut fennel for this recipe: Trim off the stalks and slice the bulb in half from top to bottom. Cut along both sides of the firm core in the center of each half and discard it, then thinly slice the bulb. Tear off about one-quarter cup of fronds to toss with the pasta. Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 large bulb fennel, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced, plus ¼ cup chopped fennel fronds 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the bias, plus ¼ cup celery leaves 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 10 ounces short tubular whole-wheat pasta, such as penne rigate or elicoidali Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 can (4.2 ounces) sardines packed in olive oil, drained Directions Brie Goldman Cook fennel, celery, and garlic: Heat oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and deep golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Brie Goldman Cook pasta; reserve water and drain: Meanwhile, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain. Brie Goldman Combine pasta and pasta water with vegetables: Add pasta and pasta water to skillet with vegetables. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring to coat pasta, until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Brie Goldman Add fennel fronds, celery leaves, and zest: Stir in fennel fronds, celery leaves, and lemon zest. Brie Goldman Fold in sardines; season and drizzle with oil: Break up sardines into large pieces and gently fold into pasta. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil. Brie Goldman Storing and Reheating Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat pasta in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. What to Serve with Caramelized Fennel, Celery, and Sardine Pasta This quick pasta dinner would be excellent accompanied by a simple green salad and some crusty bread. Sautéed greens or green beans would make a welcome accompaniment, as would a simple dish of roasted carrots. A glass of wine perhaps? To balance out the sweet and briny flavors of the dish, try pairing it with a high-acid wine like albariño or vinho verde. More Seafood Pasta Recipes to Try: Pasta Peperonata With Tuna and Olives Sea Scallops Over Shallot-Herb Pasta Pasta With Preserved Lemon and Anchovies Martha's Spaghetti alle Vongole One-Pan Creamy Tuna Pasta Spaghetti With Shrimp and Olives Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, November 2013 Rate It PRINT Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and freelance writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.