Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Pasta is a beautifully balanced dish despite its fiesty flavor components. Starchy pasta mellows a medley of savory pork sausage, pleasantly bitter broccoli rabe (rapini), spicy red pepper flakes, and nutty parmesan cheese.
I say "pleasantly bitter" because broccoli rabe has a reputation for being bitter. It's true. Fortunately boiling it in water for just one minute is an effective remedy.
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Tips for Best Results
You'll already be boiling water for pasta and it's easy and economical to use the same water for blanching the broccoli rabe. It's important to the overall flavor of the dish and partially cooks the broccoli rabe as a bonus (and seasons it too if you salt your water).
Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Pasta is a classic Italian pasta dish that's often made with orecchiette pasta (meaning "little ears" in Italian). But I've found that any short pasta stands in nicely. And most are less likely to stick together, as orecchiette likes to do.
Make sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking water to create a silky texture in your finished dish and for storing any leftovers. A splash of cooking water in the bottom of your container makes it easy to reheat this dish without the pasta sticking to the bottom of the pan. (I like to add a splash of olive oil and some salt and pepper as well.)
Ingredients You Need to Make Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Pasta
- Broccoli Rabe (rapini): Look for fresh looking bunches with perky greens and buds. Avoid those that are discolored or wilted.
- Sausage: This recipe calls for Italian sausage. Sweet Italian sausage is what I typically use, controlling the heat with the red pepper flakes. Use hot Italian sausage if you want extra kick. I used pork sausage, but for a lighter version, feel free to use turkey sausage instead.
- Fresh Garlic: Look for smooth, dry skins and plump bulbs. Avoid those that have shriveled cloves or are starting to sprout.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Or crushed red pepper (same thing).
- Olive Oil: Use a good, flavorful olive oil. Because you're cooking with it, it doesn't necessarily need to be extra virgin olive oil (though it's typically all I have on hand).
- Pasta: Most short pasta shapes work well here. I used strozzapreti, but rotini, fusilli, and penne are also good choices.
- Parmesan Cheese: Ideally Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano. You could also use pecorino cheese if you prefer.
FAQ
You can find broccoli rabe, also called 'rapini,' in most major grocery stores and often at farmers markets.
If you can't find broccoli rabe, substitute another bitter green like mustard greens, turnip greens, or curly kale. If you dislike the bitterness of broccoli rabe, broccolini is a good substitute.
More must try Italian pasta recipes
- Pasta Aglio e Olio (Fast and fabulous - perfect for date night!)
- Bucatini all'Amatriciana (Everyone loves this dish! Make your own pancetta too.)
- Bucatini Carbonara (With a no-fail method!)
- Shrimp Carbonara (Another version of carbonara, loaded with juicy shrimp.)
- Mushroom Carbonara (Loaded with succulent mushrooms.)
- Bolognese Sauce (We learned this recipe in a cooking class in Bologna, Italy - it's stellar.)
- Ragu Sauce (Another cooking class gem, this one from Tuscany. You won't believe how simple it is to make.)
- Pasta alla Norma (A hearty, tasty pasta made with custardy roasted eggplant and silky tomato sauce.)
- Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (A big flavor pasta dish that you can whip up in 30 minutes with pantry staples.)
- Broccoli Pasta (A 20-minute pasta dish that's hearty enough to be a meal on its own!)
- Lemon Garlic Pasta (A reader favorite! Made with long pasta or Gemelli pasta.)
How to Make Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Pasta
Step 1: Coarsely chop and blanch broccoli rabe for 1 minute. Transfer rapini to colander and return water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions; drain and reserve 1 cup of cooking water.
Step 2: Meanwhile brown sausage in oil, breaking up with a spoon. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute more. Add broccoli rabe and pasta; toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper; serve topped with parmesan cheese.
Recipe Video
Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli rabe (rapini)
- 12 ounces short pasta like strozzapreti, rotini, fusilli, or rigatoni
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage sweet or spicy
- 4 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 ounce grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Wash rapini (see recipe note); drain and coarsely chop.
- Heat a large pot of salted water to boil. Add rapini and cook 1 minute (working in batches if necessary); transfer rapini to colander to drain. Return water to boil.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente (tender, but firm to the bite). Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and brown, breaking up with a spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until garlic is fragrant and golden, about 1 minute more. Add broccoli rabe and toss to coat. Add pasta and stir to combine, adding reserved cooking liquid a few tablespoons at a time as needed to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 pasta bowls; sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.
Notes
- To wash rapini, submerge in a large bowl of water. Swoosh it around to dislodge all dirt and debris. Lift out rapini and transfer to a colander to drain.
I had a random bunch of broccoli rabe in my refrigerator and decided to use this recipe to get rid of it. OMG! It was absolutely divine! I followed your recipe exactly, except that I added a small chopped onion. My husband says this is company worthy. That is pretty much the ultimate compliment at our house - thank you for the recipe!
aww, I love to hear this, Diana! I'm so glad that you and your husband enjoyed this!
Delicious!!! Followed the directions and it came out perfect! So easy to put together! Will definitely be making this again. Thank you!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Lisa!
I made this tonight.... EXCELLENT ..thank you. I have made RB, sausage and pasta before and winged it, it was never that great... this recipe is a def keeper. thank you
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Tim! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
Spot on. Nicely written recipe. I use orecchiette. And i boil it in my broccoli water. Someone commented on adding a spot of cream. Nice!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Mark!
Delicious!!! Have made this a few times. So easy. Added a splash of half and half and made it a bit creamy this time. So good. Thanks for sharing this recipe. My husband loves it!
So glad you and your husband are enjoying this, Nancy! And I love that you added your own touch to the recipe.
I'm making Sunday dinner for my family, my sister and her family, and I chose your recipe. I've been dying for pasta, hot sausage and rabe! Looks and sounds delish. Will definitely let you know how it turns out, Marissa!
That's wonderful, Maria! Please let me know how it goes!
I'm loving the rapini kick. This delicious combination of flavors is so perfectly balanced. This is one my whole family will love. YUM!! 🙂 ~Valentina
Thank you, Valentina! I hope you'll give it a try!
I love the entire ingredient list Marissa and so would Tom. So hearty and flavorful! Can't wait to give your recipe a try!
Love to hear that, Mary Ann! Thank you.
This is my kind of recipe! Simple, comfort food but packed with flavor. I'm with Dawn here. Cook up a skillet of this pasta and open a nice bottle of wine, and I think you've got the formula for a great night in. Oh, and Netflix. Haha! Hope you have a great weekend, Marissa!
Sounds perfect to me! Hope you have a great weekend too, David!
This looks beyond delicious and so very comforting. Indeed a well balanced dish, Marissa.
Thank you so much, Angie!
Very clever to blanch the broccoli a bit to rid it of the bitterness! I have been craving this pasta since I first saw it on Facebook, Marissa. I love dishes like this! Pinning to try soon!
Yay! I hope you'll give this one a try, Katherine!
You always have the best flavor profiles and combinations of ingredients!!! I'm drooling over this pasta! I love everything in it and I'd be willing to bet it tastes even better than it looks! Most definitely adding this to the dinner rotation.. as long as I can find rapini at the store (what is available and not available seems to be an ever changing situation here). Wish me luck, because I need this in my life! 😉
You leave such sweet comments, Cheyanne. Thank you! I know what you mean about not knowing what will be in stock at grocery stores right now - we're running into the same issue. Hope you'll be able to give this one a try!
How could this possibly *not* taste good?? With all those flavourful ingredients, it must be heaven in every bite! Perfect for Friday night with a glass of vino, me thinks 😉 Have a great weekend ahead, my friend!
Love how you think, Dawn! Thank you. Have a great weekend!