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.
Notes
- You can scale up the recipe to serve 8 (double the recipe and use 2 large skillets).
- 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.
- 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
Calories: 542kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 21gFat: 36gSodium: 802mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2g
