Orecchiette With Sausage And Broccoli
Orecchiette With Sausage And Broccoli is a quick, flavor-packed Italian pasta made with savory sausage, tender broccoli, garlic, and Parmesan. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s an easy weeknight dinner that’s hearty without feeling heavy.
Servings: 6
Calories: 599kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli florets
- 12 ounces orecchiette pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound Italian sausage casings removed
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a large large bowl.
- In the same pot with broccoli water add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve about a cup of pasta water then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Add the butter to a large skillet and melt over medium heat. Once the butter is melted add the sausage and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until cooked through, breaking it up as you go along. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add the cooked broccoli florets, season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add about ½ cup of the pasta water and the cooked pasta.
- Toss everything together and cook for a couple more minutes. Finally, add the Parmesan cheese and another drizzle of some good extra virgin olive oil and toss well.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- You can substitute broccoli rabe for a more traditional Southern Italian version. Blanch it the same way before sautéing.
- Mild or spicy Italian sausage both work well. Adjust red pepper flakes to control the heat.
- Reserve enough pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed. The starch helps everything come together.
- For best texture, cook the pasta just to al dente.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of water to refresh the sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 599kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 850mg | Potassium: 581mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 743IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 262mg | Iron: 2mg
