--- title: "Zesty Fennel and Cherry Tomato Pasta" id: "10522" type: "post" slug: "zesty-fennel-and-cherry-tomato-pasta" published_at: "2020-10-02T18:22:32+00:00" modified_at: "2024-06-19T13:54:24+00:00" url: "https://mondaydreams.com/2020/10/02/zesty-fennel-and-cherry-tomato-pasta/" markdown_url: "https://mondaydreams.com/2020/10/02/zesty-fennel-and-cherry-tomato-pasta.md" excerpt: "We eat pasta at least once a week at our house. Can you blame us? Is there anything more perfect than a delicious plate of pasta? If you are addicted to pasta, like us, and want to try something new,..." taxonomy_category: - "Mains" taxonomy_language: - "English" --- # Zesty Fennel and Cherry Tomato Pasta by [Gaby](https://mondaydreams.com/author/gabysommer/) on [October 2, 2020](https://mondaydreams.com/2020/10/02/zesty-fennel-and-cherry-tomato-pasta/) in [Mains](https://mondaydreams.com/category/mains/) [Jump to Recipe](#recipe) [Print Recipe](https://mondaydreams.com/wprm_print/zesty-fennel-and-cherry-tomato-pasta) We eat pasta at least once a week at our house. Can you blame us? Is there anything more perfect than a delicious plate of pasta? If you are addicted to pasta, like us, and want to try something new, this zesty fennel and cherry tomato pasta might be just what you are looking for. It´s FRESH, CITRUSY, AROMATIC AND A LITTLE BIT LUXURIOUS thanks to the addition of white wine (I just love cooking with wine. And drinking wine while cooking. And drinking wine after cooking too. Well, you get the picture). This recipe is perfect for the weekend, I always make it on a Friday night; like a little decadent treat to celebrate the end of the week. Have you tried fennel before? I tried fennel for the first time five or six years ago and immediately fell in love with it. So, why isn’t this amazing plant more popular? It’s packed with a delicate, almost sweet anise flavor and tastes so different from all the other veggies. Fennel also provides some incredible health benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-tumor and antispasmodic properties -you can check out this [link](https://draxe.com/nutrition/fennel-benefits/) if you want to know more-. Better yet, it’s ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS; especially when sautéed, as it gets tender and a little bit sweeter. That’s why it pairs amazingly well with citrus fruits, juicy tomatoes and tangy capers. Add a little white wine and your choice of pasta and… YUM! This pasta is also really easy to make and if you like leftovers, it keeps in the fridge for a couple of days (I’ve even had it cold the day after and it still tastes great!). You can choose your favorite kind of pasta. I used red lentil pasta (which I absolutely love), but whole wheat, spelt, farro and chickpea pasta are also delicious in this recipe. If you try it, let us know what you think. Tag us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mondaydreamsblog/) [@mondaydreamsblog](https://www.instagram.com/mondaydreamsblog/) or leave a comment below, we love hearing from you! ## Zesty Fennel and Cherry Tomato Pasta This amazing zesty fennel and cherry tomato pasta will have you going back for seconds! Simple, quick and so flavorful! It’s also vegan, GF, quite healthy and light. A delicious, indulgent meal that’s 100% plant-based and so good! [Print Recipe](https://mondaydreams.com/wprm_print/zesty-fennel-and-cherry-tomato-pasta) [Pin Recipe](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/bookmarklet/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmondaydreams.com%2F2020%2F10%2F02%2Fzesty-fennel-and-cherry-tomato-pasta%2F&media=https%3A%2F%2Fmondaydreams.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F12%2F0022-zesty-fennel-and-cherry-tomato-pasta-02-web.jpg&description=Zesty+Fennel+and+Cherry+Tomato+Pasta&is_video=false) Prep Time 5 minutes mins Cook Time 15 minutes mins Servings 2 ### Ingredients #### PASTA - 2 servingsof red lentil pasta or pasta of choice -(6 ounces – 170 grams)* #### SAUCE - 1 ½Tbspolive oil - 2garlic cloves,minced - ½tspchili flakes - 1small/medium fennel bulb,thinly sliced. See notes** - ¼cupwhite wine, plus more to sip while you cook 😉 - ¾cupcherry tomatoes,halved - 2Tbspcapers - 1-2tsplemon zest - Salt and pepper to taste #### TO SERVE - Vegan parmesan, not optional if you ask me*** - Few fennel fronds - Drizzle of olive oil,optional ### Instructions - Cook the pasta according to instructions. When done, drain and set aside until needed. - While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic, chili flakes and sauté for 1 minute. - Add sliced fennel and a good pinch of salt. Lower the heat and sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning. - Stir in the white wine and cook, covered with the lid ajar, for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. - Add cherry tomatoes and capers and cook for 2 minutes. - Add pasta and stir for another 1 minute, until the pasta is warm. - Turn off the heat and add lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings. - Serve immediately and top with vegan parmesan, fennel fronds and an extra drizzle of olive oil. - Pour yourself a glass of white wine and enjoy! ### Notes *I used red lentil pasta for this recipe, but I’m also a huge fan of farro pasta! Spelt pasta is also really good and quite similar in taste. Or choose your favorite brand of GF pasta.**How to cut a fennel bulb: First trim off the stalks and fronds (save the fronds for later, they are delicious on pasta, salads, roasted vegetables) so that you are left with the white bulb. Halve fennel bulb lengthways. Then remove (and discard) the root and the tough part of the core. And slice into thin strips.*** I think vegan parmesan is quite delicious in this recipe, it makes it 100% better (and it’s already delicious without). But feel free to omit it. My recipe for [vegan parmesan](https://mondaydreams.com/sides/simple-vegan-parmesan/) takes less than 2 minutes to make and it's perfect for this dish. ### Search ### Recent Post - [Single-Serve Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie](https://mondaydreams.com/2025/12/04/single-serve-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookie/) - [Herbed Quinoa Pea Salad](https://mondaydreams.com/2025/10/21/herbed-quinoa-pea-salad/) - [Greek-Inspired Potato Stew](https://mondaydreams.com/2025/09/30/greek-inspired-potato-stew/) - [No Churn Vegan Chocolate Almond Ice Cream](https://mondaydreams.com/2025/09/23/no-churn-vegan-chocolate-almond-ice-cream/) - [Apple Pecan Cookies](https://mondaydreams.com/2025/08/18/apple-pecan-cookies/) ### Archives Archives Select Month December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 June 2025 April 2025 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 January 2017 ### Leave a Reply [Cancel reply](/2020/10/02/zesty-fennel-and-cherry-tomato-pasta/#respond) You must be [logged in](https://mondaydreams.com/wp-login.php?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fmondaydreams.com%2F2020%2F10%2F02%2Fzesty-fennel-and-cherry-tomato-pasta%2F) to post a comment.