As far as pasta dishes go, this recipe for Pasta with Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe has got to be one of the easiest. It’s also one of the most delicious, because with so few ingredients the flavors really shine through.
I created this recipe by combining one from my Sicilian Nana’s kitchen with something I’ve enjoyed in Italian restaurants. Our family loves it because of the flavors. One of the reasons I love to make it is that this recipe for Pasta with Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe is the epitome of Sicilian cooking. It uses seasonal ingredients fresh from the garden, so it’s fairly healthy as pastas go.
This recipe for Pasta with Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe is so easy to make.You might be wondering what is broccoli rabe. It’s a very leafy and unruly form of broccoli that has a nutty flavor more interesting than the regular thing. It’s also known as rapini, and can be found in most farmers markets and specialty produce sections of the supermarket. I grew ours in our the raised beds of our backyard vegetable garden.
Recipe for Pasta with Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Another great thing about this tasty dish is that it stores well in an airtight container, and you can enjoy it for lunch or dinner leftovers.
Fresh broccoli rabe has a sweet, nutty flavor.Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 6 stalks fresh broccoli rabe, chopped into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 lb pasta cooked (I prefer orecchiette)
- Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for topping
Chop the fresh broccoli rabe stems, leaves and buds.Instructions on how to make Recipe for Pasta with Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
- Fill a large pot half full of water, add two teaspoons of salt and place burner on high to boil.
- In a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil to warm. Remove skins from sausages and place meat in pan, breaking up with a spatula or wooden spoon to crumble. Cook for about 8 minutes until you see no pink, breaking apart regularly to create small pieces.
Crumble the sausage into little pieces as it cooks. - Remove cooked sausage from pan with a slotted spoon and place in bowl, leaving oils in the pan. Set sausage aside.
- Place onion in pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broccoli rabe and stir well, cooking for another 5 minutes while stirring every minute or so.
- Add garlic and sausage and mix well with other ingredients.
- Pour chicken broth and wine into pan and allow mixture to bubble for about 10 minutes.
- While sausage and broccoli mixture is cooking, add pasta noodles to pot with boiling water and cook as directed – about 10-12 minutes. When pasta is cooked al dente, drain and return to pot.
- Pour sausage and broccoli mixture into pot with cooked pasta and stir well.
- Ladle into deep bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Serve this recipe for Pasta with Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe hot with grated cheese on top.Variations
With this Recipe for Pasta with Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe, you can substitute regular broccoli if preferred. Many kinds of sausage will work in this recipe. I’ve made it with chicken sausage before and it was delicious.
For other pasta dishes check out these recipes:
Pesto Pasta with Meatballs and Green Beans
