Use This Underrated Meat And Spice Combo For Next-Level Tomato Sauce

Many cooks have a tried-and-tested tomato sauce recipe that they don't like to mess with, but sometimes it can be nice to spice things up. If you feel like experimenting, there is one underrated combo you need to try: pork and fennel seeds. The pairing might not be new to you — many pork dishes out there highlight fennel like roast pork tenderloin — but the duo isn't typically found in a lot of tomato sauce recipes.

Fresh fennel is a common ingredient in Italy, and its seeds, which are more aromatic and taste different from the plant, are actually utilized in many Italian kitchens too (especially in Sicily). Yet the seeds are typically used to spice things like soups, salami, and even cookies rather than marinara sauces — unless pork is involved. When it comes to adding fennel to sauces, Anthony Paone, executive chef at Campanella in Sebastopol, California, told The Takeout, "As someone who is cuckoo for fennel and its seeds, truly, I am at a loss unless some pork braised element to the sauce was included, like sweet Italian sausages."

This is because the slightly sweet, anise-like flavor of fennel seeds helps balance the richness of pork, and it pairs beautifully when making a tomato-based ragu. The spice not only works well with the acidity of the tomatoes, adding a pleasant fragrance without overpowering the natural flavors, but it also adds a layer of complexity not typically found in a quick tomato sauce.

According to Anthony Paone, it's better to use fennel seeds, rather than fresh fennel, for tomato sauces. You can toast them in some olive oil in a pan for a few seconds to unlock the flavors, or grind the seeds for a softer bite. Or make life even easier and use fennel-flavored sausage. As the sausage breaks down, the fennel slowly releases into the sauce, infusing it with warm aromas.

Fennel seeds are pungent, so you only need about a teaspoon, depending on how much sauce you're making. Again, simply toast them in oil along with garlic, onion, or any other aromatics you're using, and then make your sauce as normal. If you need some inspiration, consider making a classic ragu alla Bolognese.

Fennel seeds also play well with fish-based sauces, such as creamy seafood-stuffed shells, and dishes that are slightly briny, like shrimp puttanesca with bucatini. The spice might help amp up jarred sauces too. It's best to avoid adding the strong flavor to already heavy dishes, such as pasta with whipped ricotta, or delicate bases like pizza sauce. However, as long as sausage is involved, it should be a safe bet.

Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and The Takeout.