• Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 8 cups

This recipe is a great introduction to fresh fennel, which turns silky-soft when simmered with pasta. The light licorice taste of this fun root vegetable pairs perfectly with the earthy sweetness of butternut squash. Add a crunchy topping of chopped walnuts, and you have a five-star meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes. Be generous when adding the fennel fronds at the end so you get maximum flavor, and save any leftover fronds or stalks to add to salads later in the week!

Ingredients

  • 2 medium fennel bulbs
  • 8 oz. dry whole grain penne
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1½ cups cubed fresh butternut squash
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boiling. Remove stems from fennel bulbs; trim and coarsely chop the fronds. Halve bulbs, then cut into ¼-inch-thick slices.
  2. Add penne and onion to boiling water. Cook according to package directions for the pasta, adding squash and sliced fennel bulb the last 7 minutes of cooking.
  3. Reserve 3 cups cooking water. Drain pasta and vegetables. Return pasta and vegetables to pot. Add 1 to 1½ cups cooking water and ¼ to ½ cup chopped fennel fronds to pot; toss to coat. Add additional reserved cooking water if desired for saucier pasta. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Comments (7)

(3.25 from 4 votes)
Your Rating has been added Your Comment has been added
Add a Comment and/or Rating
Leave a Reply
Recipe Rating
Please provide a rating
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
You need to provide a comment or rating to submit
Wendy Neander1 year ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Tasteless is accurate, so add seasoning. I added salt, onion salt, chicken-style seasoning, pepper. Not bad after that. I wish I had thought of lemon, that would have brightened it a lot. I would leave the butternut out and put something else in. Almost everyone ate it thought, so not a complete failure.

I2 years ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Tasteless

Elizabeth Hague2 years ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Tasteless

Tom Breunig2 years ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Frankly, this is tasteless. Who develops these recipes? I am no longer using recipes from Forks over Knives, there are plenty of better tasting vegan recipes on the Internet.

Greyhound Mom2 years ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

This recipe seems unfinished. Maybe some lemon zest or garlic would help? I am not a huge fan of spice, but this is even too bland for me

Lindsay Parks2 years ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

Needs some “zip”. I will add halved cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and Herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning.

Theresa2 years ago
Reply
Do you want to report this comment as inappropriate?

A bit bland even with the fennel, but it was ok

SAVE $200ON OUR ULTIMATE COURSE

Join our best-selling cooking course at the lowest price ever!

Save $200 Now

Try Our Top-RatedMeal Planner Free

Forks Meal Planner takes the hard work out of making nutritious meals the whole family will enjoy.

Try it for free today
Headshot of Mary Margaret Chappell
about the author

Mary Margaret Chappell

When Mary Margaret Chappell first started out in the plant-based food world as a writer, editor, and recipe developer, she was a bacon-loving former pastry chef who didn’t think she could ever cook without butter. Fourteen years, four cookbooks, dozens of cooking classes, and hundreds of recipes later, her favorite thing in the world is sharing the tips, techniques, and recipes that show just how easy and delicious whole-food, plant-based cooking can be. The former food editor of Vegetarian Times magazine has done away with her dependency on butter and is honing her skills at baking with natural sweeteners. Chappell lives in France, where plant-based eating can often be a challenge, but the fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes available are simply amazing. Find her on Instagram and Facebook.

see more from this author
Forks Meal Planner Free Plan
Free download

Free 5-Day Meal Plan!

Get a taste for healthy, fuss-free meal planning with this free five-day meal plan from Forks Meal Planner!

More from Forks Over Knives

Join our mailing list

Get delicious recipes, expert health advice, culinary tips and
special offers from Forks Over Knives and our curated partners.

Copy link
Powered by Social Snap