Main Course · Dinner · Italian ·

Hearty Sicilian Pasta con le Sarde with Raisins and Fennel Pollen

Name: Hearty Sicilian Pasta con le Sarde with Raisins and Fennel Pollen
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: 400g spaghetti or bucatini pasta; Salt, for boiling water; 500g fresh sardines, cleaned and filleted; 50g pine nuts, toasted; 50g raisins, soaked in warm water; 4 anchovy fillets, chopped; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp fennel pollen; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 bulb fennel, sliced thinly; 1 small pack saffron threads, soaked in 2 tbsp warm water; 1 cup vegetable or fish stock; Salt and pepper, to taste; Fresh parsley, chopped; 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Discover the bold and unique flavors of Sicily with this classic pasta dish, enhanced with sweet raisins and aromatic fennel pollen.

4.7(447 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·November 10, 2025

Hearty Sicilian Pasta con le Sarde with Raisins and Fennel Pollen — Main Course served and photographed from above

Prep

30 min

Cook

1 h 30 min

Difficulty

Intermediate

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Pasta

For the Sardine Sauce

For the Flavor Base

For Garnishing

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 573 kcal
Protein: 46.8 g
Carbs: 89.3 g
Fat: 32 g
Fiber: 5.8 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 2293 kcal
Protein: 187 g
Carbs: 357 g
Fat: 128 g
Fiber: 23 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
400g spaghetti or bucatini pasta	1400	52	294	5	11
Salt for boiling water	0	0	0	0	0
500g fresh sardines cleaned and filleted	1020	120	0	60	0
50g pine nuts toasted	335	7	6	34	3
50g raisins soaked in warm water	150	1	39	0	2
4 anchovy fillets chopped	28	4	0	1	0
1 large onion finely chopped	45	1	11	0	3
2 cloves garlic minced	10	0	2	0	0
1 tbsp fennel pollen	5	0	1	0	0
2 tbsp olive oil	240	0	0	28	0
1 bulb fennel sliced thinly	27	1	6	0	3
1 small pack saffron threads soaked in 2 tbsp warm water	2	0	0	0	0
1 cup vegetable or fish stock	15	1	3	0	0
Salt and pepper to taste	0	0	0	0	0
Fresh parsley chopped	4	0	1	0	0
1 lemon cut into wedges	12	0	4	0	1

These are estimates, not dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Preparing the Sardines

1
Clean and fillet sardines
Clean and fillet the sardines, removing any bones.
Tip: Refrigerate the filleted sardines until just before cooking to keep them fresh.
2
Pat sardines dry
Pat dry with a paper towel.
3
Chill sardines
Set aside in the refrigerator until needed.

Creating the Flavor Base

1
Heat oil and sauté aromatics
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2
Add onions and garlic
Add onions and garlic, sauté until translucent.
Tip: Do not let the garlic burn as it will turn bitter.
3
Cook fennel
Stir in the sliced fennel and cook until softened.

How to Make Hearty Sicilian Pasta con le Sarde with Raisins and Fennel Pollen

Total time: 2 h · Yields 4 servings

1
Sauce Creation
Add sardines to the pan with onions and garlic, gently breaking them apart.
2
Simmering
Incorporate the toasted pine nuts, raisins, anchovies, and saffron mixture. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
3
Combining with Pasta
Cook pasta until al dente, drain, and toss with the sardine sauce in the pan.