Orecchiette With Sausage And Broccoli

This super delicious Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli is an Italian classic that is hearty, flavorful, and filling! It’s tasty Italian sausage, fresh broccoli, lots of garlic, and a pinch of chili flakes all sautéed together and then tossed with perfectly cooked “little ears” pasta. This is a quick and easy 30-minute recipe that is sure to become a family favorite!

Orecchiette With Sausage And Broccoli Recipe

Before I even dive into this amazing recipe, I need to tell you about orecchiette pasta! If you’ve had it then you know how yummy it is! But if you haven’t, orecchiette is a small circular-shaped pasta with a bit of a curve that forms a small dent in the middle, giving the pasta its name, which translates to ‘little ears’ in Italian. It can be used in any pasta dish and is often used in recipes like my Asparagus and Peas Pasta Salad in place of bowtie pasta.

But in this recipe orecchiette is tossed together with some flavorful Italian sausage, perfectly cooked broccoli, and lots of garlic! I also added a pinch of red chili flakes for a bit of spice and finished it with plenty of parmesan cheese. I must say, it’s pretty fantastic! Full of lots of savory goodness and layers of complex Italian flavor. 

And the recipe is an all in one meal! You’ve got your protein, carb, and veg all in one dish. So there is no need to add a side, which makes this orecchiette with sausage and broccoli a perfect weeknight dinner. However, this quick and easy Garlic Bread takes just minutes to make and is amazing with this dish!

• Broccoli – Fresh broccoli is best for this recipe. However, frozen will work if that is all you’ve got on hand.
• Orecchiette Pasta – I recommend you use orecchiette pasta, but any bite-size pasta will work such as penne, farfalle, or fusilli. 
• Butter – Always use unsalted butter to control the amount of added salt. You can also use a few tablespoons of olive oil if you prefer.
• Italian Sausage – You’ll need some of your favorite Italian sausage for this recipe. Both pork or turkey sausage will work perfectly. 
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic cloves are always best. Store-bought jarred garlic can sometimes have a bitter taste due to the added preservatives.
• Salt – Needed to season the pasta cooking water and the whole dish.
• Black Pepper – Use fresh ground black pepper if you have it on hand. 
• Red Pepper Flakes – Adds a bit of spice to the dish. However, you can omit the chili flakes or add even more if you like.
• Parmesan Cheese – Used to garnish the dish at the end. I love to use Parmigiano Reggiano for the most refined cheesy flavor.

This recipe is simple! The broccoli and pasta are cooked in the same pot and there is almost no prep involved. Just make sure to save a bit of the pasta water and you’ll have a delicious dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less!

To begin, you’ll cook the broccoli first. So bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Next, add the broccoli and cook it for 5 minutes until it’s tender. Then transfer the cooked broccoli to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and set it aside for a later step. But do not discard the water.

Once the broccoli is done cooking, bring the broccoli cooking water back to a boil. Next, add the orecchiette pasta to the boiling water and cook it according to the package directions until al dente. Then when the pasta is done, reserve a cup of the cooking water and then drain the rest. Now, set the cooked pasta aside.

To cook the meat, melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Then add the sausage and cook it for about 5 to 7 minutes or until it’s cooked through. You need to break it up into crumbles with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Then after it’s done cooking, stir in the minced garlic and cook it with the sausage for just 30 seconds more until it’s aromatic.

Now that the pasta, broccoli, and sausage are all cooked you can complete the dish! To do this, add the broccoli florets to the skillet with the sausage. Then season it with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Next, add half a cup of the pasta water and the cooked pasta to the pan.

Now, toss everything together and cook the dish for a few more minutes. Finally, add the Parmesan cheese to the pasta, drizzle it with a bit of extra virgin olive oil to finish and toss well.

Once the orecchiette with sausage and broccoli is ready, transfer it to your favorite dish. Then serve it immediately with some delicious quick and easy Cheesy Breadsticks if you like!  

What Is The Best Replacement For Orecchiette?

If you can’t find orecchiette or just don’t want to run out to the store, some good alternatives are farfalle, fusilli, and penne. However, any type of pasta can be used to make this orecchiette with sausage and broccoli.

What Else Can I Add To The Pasta?

Anything you like! You can use any type of meat you like in place of the sausage or in addition too. As well as, whatever veggies you like. Don’t have any broccoli on hand!?! No problem! You can use green beans or even kale. Better yet, use some broccoli rabe like they do in Italy. Just remember to keep the ratios of the ingredients about the same so that you have enough sauce to coat all of the pasta.   

Storage

Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. To reheat, just sprinkle it with a bit of water or chicken broth and then put it in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power. You can also reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat. However, leftover pasta does not tend to freeze well.

Other Delicious Pasta Recipes To Try

• Broccoli Pasta
• Beets And Goat Cheese Pasta
• Pasta Pomodoro
• Pasta Puttanesca
• Fettuccine Alfredo
• Aglio e Olio
• Pasta Alla Norma