Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Pasta
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If there’s one pasta recipe worth having on permanent rotation, this is it. Sausage and broccoli rabe is a true Italian-American classic — and in my house, it’s basically a weekly non-negotiable. Savory, garlicky sausage with slightly bitter rapini, chewy orecchiette. One pan, 30 minutes.
I’ve been making this dish for years (ask my kids), and after making it more times than I can count, I landed on a pan-steaming method that skips the separate blanching step entirely — the broccoli rabe goes straight into the skillet with the sausage and comes out tender, bright green, and just bitter enough every time. One less pot to wash!
Three key ingredients
- Broccoli rabe: This is the ingredient that makes the dish. Rapini has a robust, pleasantly bitter flavor that cuts right through the richness of the sausage — and that contrast is exactly what you’re after. Growing up in an Italian-American family in New England, broccoli rabe was on the table frequently. If you can’t find it, kale or broccoli will work, but expect a milder, less complex result.
- Italian sausage: I always reach for pork sausage. It has enough fat to essentially sauce the pasta as it browns, which chicken or turkey sausage won’t do in quite the same way. Hot Italian is my default for the heat, but sweet works well if you’re cooking for kids. Either way, I recommend buying it in links and remove the casing yourself. Bulk sausage tends to be packed tighter and doesn’t crumble as nicely in the pan.
- Dried pasta: The cup shape isn’t just cute, it actually does something. Each little bowl catches a pocket of sausage or a bit of broccoli rabe, so you get a bit of everything in each bite. If orecchiette isn’t in your pantry, use another short, chunky shape like rigatoni or penne — just avoid anything long or flat, which won’t hold the sauce the same way. I specify 1/2 pound, but you can use up to 12 ounces of dried pasta in this recipe for 4 servings. After testing with a full pound of pasta, the consistency wasn’t as saucy as I wanted.
How to trim and prep broccoli rabe
1. Give the greens a quick rinse to remove any clinging dirt. Slice off and discard 3–4 inches of the thick lower stalks — these are the woodiest, most bitter part and won’t soften in the pan. Pick out any yellowish or damaged leaves. 2. Chop the greens and tender stems into large bite-size pieces, roughly 2–3 inches long. Don’t stress about uniformity — it all wilts down.
How to make sausage and broccoli rabe pasta
1. Remove the sausage from the casings by slitting each link and pulling out the meat. If you bought bulk sausage, skip this step entirely. 2. Soften the onion in olive oil over medium heat, 2–3 minutes. Pro tip: a pinch of salt helps it release water and soften faster. 3. Add crumbled sausage and cook over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it goes. You’re looking for deep golden-brown edges. Stir in the red pepper and garlic for the last minute.
4. Pour in the chicken broth (or pasta water) and pile the broccoli rabe on top — yes, all of it. It looks like too much, but it isn’t. 5. Cover the pan and cook 5 minutes. The broccoli rabe will wilt down and turn bright green — if it still looks a little tough after 5 minutes, give it another minute. 6. Add the cooked pasta and grated cheese and stir everything together over low heat until the sauce coats each piece of pasta.
Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Pasta
Sausage and broccoli rabe pasta is made with crumbled, browned Italian sausage, leafy broccoli rabe, fresh garlic, and olive oil, all tossed together in one pan with orecchiette pasta (you can use any short pasta shape). Cook this easy pasta dinner at home in about 30 minutes, using a pasta pot and a large skillet.
Equipment
12-inch everyday pan or sauté pan
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 pound (450 g) Italian sausage, hot or sweet, casing removed
- Kosher salt
- ½ pound (225 g) orecchiette, or other short chunky pasta such as rigatoni
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or 1 teaspoon (extra spicy!)
- 2 finely chopped or grated garlic cloves
- ½ cup chicken broth, or pasta cooking water
- 1 pound (450) broccoli rabe, (1-2 bunches), trimmed and sliced into 2-3-inch pieces (see how-to photos here).
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or grated pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large (12-inch) deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add ½ cup chopped onion and a big pinch of salt — it helps release water and soften the onions faster. Cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes until softened.
- Meanwhile, bring 4–5 quarts of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook ½ pound orecchiette until al dente. If you're using pasta water instead of chicken broth, scoop out ½ cup before you drain — it's easy to forget and you'll need it in step 4.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add 1 pound Italian sausage, hot or sweet (with casings removed) to the pan, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks. You want deep golden-brown edges, not just cooked through. This takes 5–7 minutes so don't rush it.
- Stir in ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper and 2 finely chopped or grated garlic cloves and cook about 1 minute, until fragrant. Pour in ½ cup chicken broth or reserved pasta water. Pile the broccoli rabe on top — it will look like too much for the pan. It isn't. Cover and cook 5 minutes, until the rabe wilts down and turn bright, vibrant green.
- Add the cooked pasta and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Stir everything together over low heat until the sauce coats the pasta. Taste for salt and pepper before serving.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- You can scale up the recipe to serve 8 (double the recipe and use 2 large skillets).Â
- Stir in 1/2 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes or slow-roasted tomatoes with the cooked pasta for extra color and flavo— either one adds a concentrated sweetness that balances the bitterness of the rabe really well.Â
- Leftovers will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator. If the pasta has absorbed the sauce, reheat with a few splashes of chicken stock or broth.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 542kcal Carbohydrates: 34g Protein: 21g Fat: 36g Sodium: 802mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 2g
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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Made the broccoli rabe sausage pasta today. It was delicious. I Make it as the recipe exactly did not change a thing. Will Make it again.
10/10 – This recipe came together so easily and wow it is packed with flavor! This will definately be making its way into our cookbook 🙂
This is a family favorite! Often requested on for birthday dinner! I usually use asparagus instead- but it’s still delicious! We fight over the leftovers! Also love the cheese!
What a fabulous dish !
Last night while the kids trick or treated, I prepared this elegant and super easy meal.
It was a hit! Everyone oohed and awwed and annihilated it in no time.
This is a keeper and I will use this both for special occasions and regular meal rotation.
Kathie, you made my day! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. And I love that you took the time to cook while the kids were out, too. Halloween is usually the hardest night for me to cook, because I’m usually on door duty at the same time!