3-Ingredient Sausage Dinner With Lentils and Fennel

From the kitchen of Carly

Sweet Italian sausages roast alongside caramelized fennel wedges while earthy lentils simmer below, soaking up aromatics and olive oil. A stripped-down dinner that tastes far more complex than its three main components suggest.

Prep
n/a
Cook
n/a
Total
n/a
Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 12 medium fennel bulbs with fronds
  • 16 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
  • 12 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 11/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 11 cup dried lentils (preferably French green lentils; about 7 ounces)
  • 14 sweet Italian sausages

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Finely chop half of 1 fennel bulb. Chop 2 Tbsp. fronds, transfer to a small bowl, and set aside.

  2. Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a 3–4-qt. heavy saucepan over medium. Cook chopped fennel, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

  3. Add lentils, 1 tsp. salt, and 4 1/2 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just tender but not falling apart, 15–25 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, cut remaining 1 1/2 fennel bulbs into 1" wedges.

  5. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Cook sausages, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides but still undercooked, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausages to a plate.

  6. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium-high. Cook fennel wedges and remaining 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, stirring, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Nestle sausages among fennel wedges, then transfer skillet to oven and roast until sausages are firm and fully cooked through, about 8 minutes more.

  7. Cut sausages diagonally into 1/2"-thick slices. Divide lentils among bowls, then top with sliced sausage, roasted fennel, a drizzle of oil, and reserved fennel fronds.