Main Course · Dinner · Italian ·

Earthy Italian Fennel and Sausage Risotto

Name: Earthy Italian Fennel and Sausage Risotto
Prep time: 22 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 87 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: 1 cup Arborio rice; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 250g Italian sausage, casing removed; 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon fennel seeds; 4 cups chicken stock, warmed; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; Salt and pepper, to taste

This rich and creamy risotto features savory Italian sausage paired with aromatic fennel, creating a comforting main course dish perfect for an intimate dinner.

4(371 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·October 20, 2025

Earthy Italian Fennel and Sausage Risotto — Main Course served and photographed from above

Prep

22 min

Cook

1 h 5 min

Difficulty

Intermediate

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Risotto Base

For the Sausage Mixture

For the Broth

For the Finishing Touch

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 588 kcal
Protein: 18.25 g
Carbs: 50.25 g
Fat: 31 g
Fiber: 3.4 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 2352 kcal
Protein: 73 g
Carbs: 201 g
Fat: 124 g
Fiber: 13.6 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
1 cup Arborio rice	720	13	153	1	3
1 tablespoon olive oil	120	0	0	14	0
1 small onion finely chopped	40	1	9	0	1.5
2 cloves garlic minced	9	0	2	0	0.1
250g Italian sausage casing removed	800	30	4	69	0
1 medium fennel bulb thinly sliced	73	3	17	0	7
1 tablespoon fennel seeds	20	1	3	1	2
4 cups chicken stock warmed	60	6	7	2	0
1/2 cup dry white wine	100	0	3	0	0
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese	210	19	3	14	0
2 tablespoons unsalted butter	200	0	0	23	0
Salt and pepper to taste	0	0	0	0	0

These are estimates, not dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Preparing the Sausage Mixture

1
Brown sausage
Heat a pan over medium heat and add the sausage. Cook until browned and crumbly.
2
Sauté fennel
Add sliced fennel and fennel seeds to the pan, sauté for 5 minutes until fennel is tender.
3
Set aside
Set the cooked sausage mixture aside.

Preparing the Risotto Base

1
Heat olive oil
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
2
Cook onion and garlic
Add onion and garlic, cooking until translucent.
Tip: Constantly stir to prevent rice from sticking.
3
Toast rice
Stir in Arborio rice and cook for 2 minutes until lightly toasted.
Tip: Use warmed stock to maintain consistent cooking temperature.

How to Make Earthy Italian Fennel and Sausage Risotto

Total time: 1 h 27 min · Yields 4 servings

1
Simmer rice
Gently ladle in warmed chicken stock to the rice, one cup at a time, stirring consistently and letting the rice absorb the stock.
2
Add wine
Once half your stock is used, pour in the wine, allowing the rice to absorb fully before adding more stock.
3
Finish risotto
Stir in the cooked sausage mixture, then fold in Parmesan cheese and butter, seasoning with salt and pepper.