Broccoli Sausage Pasta Recipe

5 from 11 votes

Broccoli Sausage Pasta is savory, satisfying, and surprisingly light! A sauce of olive oil, chicken broth, and Parmesan ties it all together—comfort food the whole family will love.

This recipe has slightly changed -- it used to be a one pot dish with a special type of pasta that cooked quickly ("pronto" noodles). The company no longer makes the pasta, so I updated the recipe with regular pasta instead. If you still would like to reference the old recipe, here it is.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Healthy, Italian

Keyword: Broccoli Sausage Pasta, Orecchiette, Orecchiette pasta, Orecchiette recipes, orecchiette, sausage, and broccoli pasta

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $13.45

Equipment

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) box orecchiette pasta see note 1
5 tablespoons olive oil divided
19 ounces Italian sausage sweet or spicy, see note 2
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken broth
4 cups broccoli florets
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for topping, see note 3
1 lemon optional
Fresh flat-leaf parsley optional

US - Metric

Instructions

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large pan. Heat to medium-high, add sausage (casings removed) and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook and crumble until browned, 5–7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, and red pepper flakes. Stir until fragrant, 30–60 seconds.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water (2 teaspoons) to boil. Cook pasta according to the package’s minimum time. Reserve a cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Do not rinse.
Add 4 tablespoons olive oil, chicken broth, and broccoli to the sausage pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until broccoli is crisp-tender, about 3–5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Simmer until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened.
Add drained pasta to the sausage and broccoli mixture; toss well. Gradually add cheese (2 tablespoons at a time) while tossing until well combined (add cheese slowly to prevent clumping). Add reserved pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Optionally add a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Divide among bowls, adding fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan if desired. Enjoy promptly!

Video

Notes

Note 1: If you can’t find orecchiette pasta, use fusili, farfalle, medium shells, or penne.

Note 2: Italian sausage: The better the sausage, the better this dish tastes! Remove the casings before cooking. Choose either mild or spicy sausage—either works and both are delicious. If some of your guests want more spice and others don’t, serve red pepper flakes on the side!

Note 3: Use a block of Parmesan and grate it on the small holes of a grater. Alternatively, use finely grated Parmesan cheese. Parmesan from the can will be too salty and won’t melt into the sauce nicely.

Note 4: Emulsifying combines ingredients so they stay mixed, unlike a separated mixture. Toss the sauce until it clings to the pasta, adding reserved pasta water if needed for a smooth, even coating.

Storage: As with most pasta dishes, this recipe is best enjoyed immediately. When reheating, you’ll likely need to add a splash more chicken broth to thin the sauce again. This dish doesn’t freeze/thaw well.

Nutrition