Pappardelle with Crispy Fennel + Fresh Herbs

There’s something seductively simple about pappardelle—the way it holds onto a delicate sauce, the way it softens yet asserts itself on the tongue. At HomeandFashion.love, we believe pasta should feel handmade, soulful, and quietly luxurious.

This recipe marries the silkiness of egg-rich pappardelle with the sweet snap of crispy fennel, and finishes with a confetti of fresh herbs and lemon. It’s not just a meal—it’s a sensory retreat.

Why This Works

  • Crispy fennel becomes caramelized and tender with a hint of anise.
  • Fresh herbs brighten and perfume the dish like a spring garden.
  • Lemon juice lifts the whole bowl with citrusy elegance.
  • The wide ribbons of pasta are the perfect canvas.

Want to make your own pappardelle? Use our H&F Pasta Roller Machine for buttery sheets that rival nonna’s.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seed
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium fennel bulbs, very thinly sliced (reserve 1 tbsp chopped fronds)
  • 8 oz dried egg pappardelle (or homemade using H&F’s pasta roller)
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 3 tbsp chopped chives
  • 1 tbsp chopped basil
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Boil pasta water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Sauté aromatics: In a wide skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add bay leaf, fennel seeds, and garlic. Cook until bay leaf begins to brown, about 1–2 minutes.
  3. Crisp the fennel: Turn heat to medium-high. Add half the sliced fennel in a single layer. Cook without stirring until the edges caramelize (about 3 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining fennel.
  4. Cook the pasta: Boil pasta according to package directions (or to al dente if homemade). Drain and toss immediately in a large bowl.
  5. Assemble: Add crispy fennel, fresh herbs, lemon juice, and reserved fennel fronds. Remove the bay leaf.
  6. Season: Toss gently and finish with salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.

Grocery List 

  • Olive oil
  • Bay leaf
  • Fennel seed
  • Garlic cloves
  • 2 fennel bulbs
  • Dried egg pappardelle (or make fresh!)
  • Fresh parsley
  • Fresh chives
  • Fresh basil
  • Lemon
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh ground pepper