Description
This orecchiette with sausage and broccoli is a delicious and nutritious weeknight dinner. Ready in 30 min + made with 5 simple ingredients!
Ingredients
- 16 oz. broccoli florets (about 2 small crowns)
- 1 lb. orecchiette pasta
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 16 oz. raw Italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 cups reserved pasta water
- topping: grated parmesan cheese, olive oil, red pepper flakes, freshly cracked pepper, flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Prep broccoli: clean and trim broccoli. Chop florets into small pieces.
- Cook pasta as directed on the package, but take off the heat 2 minutes early. BE SURE TO RESERVE 2 CUPS PASTA WATER.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. When it’s hot, add sausage to the pan, breaking it up with the back of a spatula or spoon. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until browned.
- Add chopped broccoli and garlic to the pan, tossing everything together. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until broccoli has softened. Add a sprinkle of water to help steam (and soften up) the broccoli.
- When pasta is finished cooking, add the drained pasta to the pan, along with 1/2 of the pasta water.
- Toss everything together and add extra pasta water if the mixture seems dry.
- Serve with desired toppings: parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, flaky sea salt, red pepper flakes, and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. Not ideal for freezing due to texture changes in the pasta and broccoli. Reheat the sausage pasta in a hot skillet or in the microwave until heated through. Drizzle with a little olive oil if it feels dry.
Ingredient notes: Use pork, chicken, or turkey sausage. Want to use less meat? Some Italian sausage is sold in 12-oz. packages, which would be fine to use here! If you have trouble finding orecchiette, you can use smaller pasta like medium shells or penne instead. Whole grain pasta normally isn’t my favorite, but it’s delicious in this dish!
Helpful tools: A pasta pot with a straining cover makes prep easy, though I also love a spider skimmer to scoop out the pasta right into the skillet.
Prep ahead: Broccoli can be chopped and ready.
Serve with: Italian chopped salad and garlic bread.