Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Pasta
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Sausage and broccoli rabe pasta is a classic — without a doubt, this is one of my favorite family-style pasta recipes. The hearty sauce is made with crumbled, browned Italian sausage, leafy broccoli rabe, fresh garlic, and olive oil and tossed together with round orecchiette pasta (you can use any short pasta shape).
This a classic, Italian-style pasta dish that’s pretty much on nonstop weekly rotation in our house, along with pasta with broccoli sauce. Cook this easy pasta dinner at home in about 30 minutes, using a pasta pot and a large skillet.
Start off with juicy Italian sausages, a big bunch of broccoli rabe and dried pasta — you’re already halfway to dinner!
Time-saving shortcut:
After years of cooking this recipe, I’ve finally streamlined the process so there’s no need to blanch the broccoli rabe separately.
Using a method called pan-steaming, the greens cook in the same pan as the sausage. You’re welcome!
~Karen
About the ingredients
- Broccoli rabe: Also called rapini, broccoli rabe is a dark, leafy green in the Brassica family, with a robust, bitter flavor. Bundles of broccoli rabe were a regular sight when I was growing up in an Italian-American family in New England. It’s a classic veggie, and simple sautéed broccoli rabe alone is an easy side dish. Instead of broccoli rabe, try making this pasta with the same amount of broccoli, or another type of leafy vegetable such as spinach or kale.
- Italian sausage: I favor pork sausage because it’s nice and juicy, but you can use Italian-seasoned sausage made with chicken, turkey, or even plant-based sausage.
- Dried pasta: Orecchiette (which means “little ears” in Italian) is a cute button-shaped pasta originating from the Italian area of Puglia. It’s the authentic type of pasta to use in this recipe. It has a wonderfully chewy texture, and its cup shape holds the chunky, meaty sauce and greens perfectly. You can any other short pasta noodle types you have in your pantry, such as rigatoni, penne, or ziti.
- Fresh garlic: You don’t need to add a crazy amount of garlic here — the sausage should already be seasoned with it. I use about 1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic, about 1 plump clove or 2 smaller ones.
- Grated cheese: Use freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano if you enjoy its sharp taste (it’s a bit saltier than Parmesan.
Fun fact: A California produce company came up with the genius idea to sell market broccoli rabe, a one-time niche vegetable, a leafy green on par with kale. It’s definitely gained traction in the food world, showing up not only in Italian cuisine, but in recipes inspired by global cooking.
How to prep broccoli rabe for cooking
1. Give the the greens a quick rinse to remove any clinging dirt. Slice off and discard 3-4 inches of the thick lower stalks — they can be tough and fibrous. Pick out any yellowish or damaged leaves. 2. Lay the bunch on your cutting board and chop the greens and tender stems into large bite-size pieces (2-3 inches long).
Recipe rundown (in photos)
1. Remove the sausage meat from the casings: Use a small, sharp knife to make a slit and pull out the meat. Discard the casings. 2. Soften chopped onions in olive oil. Pro tip: I add a pinch of salt to help the onion release water more quickly. 3. Add the crumbled sausage to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, then stir in red pepper and garlic.
4. Pour in chicken broth (or pasta water) and pile the broccoli rabe in the pan. 5. Cover the pan. Cook 5 minutes, until the broccoli rabe is wilted and bright green. 6. Stir in cooked pasta and grated cheese over low heat to combine the ingredients and marry with the sauce.
Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound (450 g) Italian sausage, hot or sweet, made with pork, turkey or chicken; removed from casing if not bulk purchased
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 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 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
- 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 the olive oil in a large (12-inch) deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and a big pinch of salt (it helps to release water and soften the onions). Cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Meanwhile, bring 4-5 quarts water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta until al dente — the time will depend on the brand and shape. If you're using pasta cooking water instead of chicken broth, scoop out ½ cup then drain the pasta.
- Turn the heat up under the sauté pan to medium-high. Crumble the sausage and add to the pan with the onion. Cook, using a spatula to break up the clumps of meat, until the sausage is cooked and lightly browned, stirring frequently, 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the red pepper and garlic and cook about 1 minute, until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth or pasta water. Pile the broccoli rabe on top of the sausage. Cover the pan and cook 5 minutes. The broccoli will steam and turn vibrant green.
- Add the cooked pasta and cheese to the pan, Stir everything together over low heat.
- Serve the pasta hot, with additional cheese on the side.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- 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.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes or slow-roasted tomatoes with the cooked pasta for extra color and flavor.
- 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, I thought the consistency wasn’t as saucy as I wanted. You can scale up the recipe to serve 8 (double the recipe and use 2 large skillets).
Nutrition
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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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!