A Broccoli Pasta with Sausage recipe (Orecchiette con Broccoli) that is packed with tantalising tastes and textures and on the table in just 25 minutes. Whether you opt for dome-shaped orecchiette or another pasta shape of your choice, you're sure to love the brilliant blend of savoury sausage and earthly broccoli.
Speedy, versatile and very tasty, sausage and broccoli pasta is one of my go-to's for a weeknight dinner along with Linguine Pesto Pasta and Green Spinach Pasta.
The post contains additional information and helpful tips to ensure the recipe turns out great the first time. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you are in a hurry!
Jump to:
4 reasons why you'll love this recipe
- Savoury sausage and earthy broccoli are made for each other.
- Easy and speedy. With just 25 minutes of cooking and prep time.
- Made with 10 simple everyday ingredients.
- Adaptable. Easy to customise to suit your preferences or make use of the ingredients you have available.
🛒 Key ingredients:
- Pasta: I use orecchiette because I love how the other ingredients and flavour in the dish settle into its indentation. However, other types of short pasta will work well.
- Broccoli: You can use regular broccoli, tenderstem or broccolini chopped into even bite-sized pieces.
- Sausage: I recommend using high-quality Italian sausage if you can. They are seasoned with herbs and spices that give them is punchier taste than regular sausage. There are some that are more herby and others that are spicy. Feel free to use what you fancy. I like to use a fennel sausage from my local Italian store.
- Fresh red chilli: For a hint of spice. Feel free to omit this if you prefer not to add any heat to the dish.
Substitutions:
Note that the recipe has not been tested with all the substitutions and variations below, so the results cannot be guaranteed.
- Pasta - Fusilli, rigatoni, farfalle, conchiglie and penne will also work well.
- Sausage - Feel free to use what's available if you aren't able to buy Italian sausage. Chorizo will also work well with the broccoli.
- Red chilli. You can swap this for red pepper flakes.
- Chicken stock. Substitute with vegetable stock.
Variations
- Pancetta broccoli pasta: Swap the sausage for bacon or pancetta
- Spicy: Made with a spicy sausage like chorizo and extra chilli
- Creamy. Stir in a little cream just before serving.
- Vegetarian option: Switch the sausage for veggie sausage or some toasted nuts.
- Gluten-free: Made with gluten-free pasta.
🧑🍳 Recipe steps
Step 1: Fill a large saucepan with water, salt generously, bring to boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Remember to reserve a little pasta water before you drain it.
Step 2: Place a frying pan on a medium to high heat and add the olive oil. Add the chilli and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then add the chopped sausage and fry it for a few more minutes until it is cooked.
Step 3: Add the broccoli and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then add the chicken stock and simmer for a few minutes until the broccoli is tender and the stock has evaporated.
Step 4: Reduce the heat of the pan to low and add the cooked pasta and toss everything together until it is mixed. Stir in the butter and add 1-2 tablespoons of the pasta water if the pasta requires additional moisture. Serve immediately and top with freshly ground black pepper and grated Parmesan.
🍽️ Serving suggestions
Packed with protein-rich sausage and nutritious broccoli this tasty pasta dish is certainly a standalone meal. However, there are lots of sides that will go nicely:
- A refreshing side salad like this Arugula, Parmesan and Tomato Salad or Blue cheese, apple, grape and walnut salad recipe.
- A few slices of fresh crusty bread, sourdough or garlic bread.
- A glass of wine like a Chainti, Shriaz or Pinot Noir.
- Complete the meal with a dessert like Mini Lava Cakes or Biscoff Cheesecake.
Top tips
- Salt the pasta water generously - the pasta water should taste salty like the ocean. It's likely you'll need to add a small handful of salt to achieve this. If the thought of this makes you feel concerned about your sodium levels, don't worry. Most of this salt will go down the drain with the pasta water.
- Reserve some pasta water - the starchy pasta water is a great way to add extra moisture to the finished dish if needed. Just dip a mug/cup into the pasta water before you drain it. It's likely you'll only need a small amount so add it one tablespoon at a time if the pasta seems a little dry.
- Serve with parmesan and black pepper - fresh parmesan and black pepper complete the dish so don't hesitate to add them liberally.
🙋 FAQs
This dish tastes best when eaten fresh but the leftovers will last in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave.
Broccolini (otherwise known as tenderstem broccoli in the UK) has smaller florets and longer more delicate stems than regular broccoli. Broccolini is slightly sweeter than regular broccoli but otherwise has a very similar taste. Both varieties taste great with sausage and pasta.
Orecchiette works well for this dish because the flavours from the ingredients and seasoning sink into the dome shape of the pasta making each mouthful a real delight. However, there are other short pasta shapes that will work well in the dish like Rigatoni, penne or conchiglie.
Italian sausage has a more robust flavour profile from herbs and spices like fennel, garlic, and paprika and will bring more depth of flavour to the dish. Regular sausage will also work, but has a milder taste.
Fresh broccoli is recommended. The recipe hasn't been tested with frozen broccoli, but you can use it. Just bear in mind that it will add more moisture and won't be as crisp.
📖 Recipe
Broccoli Pasta with Sausage (Orecchiette con broccoli)
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) dried orecchiette (or other short pasta of choice) (Note 1)
- 1 tablespoon (0.99 tablespoon) olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 (1) red chilli finely chopped (Note 2)
- 200 g (0.85 cups) high-quality Italian sausages skins removed and chopped into small 2cm or ½ inch pieces (Note 3)
- 200 g (7 oz) broccoli roughly chopped into small bite-sized pieces (Note 4)
- 125 ml (½ cup) chicken stock (Note 5)
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) butter room temperature
To serve
- Freshly ground black pepper to serve
- Freshly grated Parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Bring a medium to large pan of generously salted water to boil, add the pasta and simmer until al dente. This normally takes 10-12 minutes. (Note 6)
- Meanwhile, set a large frying pan to a medium heat, add the olive oil and sauté the garlic and chilli for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chopped sausage and fry for a few more minutes until cooked.
- Add the broccoli and fry for 2 minutes.
- Pour the chicken stock into the pan and leave to simmer on a medium to high heat until the broccoli is tender and stock has evaporated.
- At this point, the pasta should be al dente. Reserve a cup of the pasta water before you drain it with a colander.
- Add the cooked pasta to the broccoli / broccolini and sausage mixture and mix and stir in the butter.
- Add the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if required to moisten the pasta.
- Serve with freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated Parmesan.
Notes
- Pasta: I use orecchiette because I love how the other ingredients and flavour in the dish settle into its indentation. However, other types of short pasta, like fusili, rigatoni, farfalle, conchiglie and penne, will work well.
- Fresh red chilli: Swap for chilli flakes or feel free to omit this if you prefer not to add any heat to the dish.
- Sausage: I recommend using high-quality Italian sausages if you can because their robust seasoning will add more flavour to the dish. Feel free to use what's available if you aren't able to buy Italian sausages.
- Broccoli: You can use regular broccoli, tenderstem or broccolini chopped into even bite-sized pieces.
- Chicken stock: Substitute with veg stock.
- Pasta water: Should taste salty like the sea so salt generously. It may seem like a lot of salt but remember that most of it will go down the drain with the pasta water.
Leave a Reply