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A bowl of fusilli pasta mixed with broccoli florets and ground meat, topped with grated Parmesan cheese. A fork is resting in the bowl. The bowl is on a textured gray surface, and a second similar bowl is partially visible in the background.
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Sausage and Broccoli Pasta

A simple pasta dish with golden-browned sausage, tender broccoli, and a light, glossy sauce made from butter, olive oil, and parmesan. Great for weeknights or casual dinners with friends.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: dinner party, easy
Servings: 6 people
Author: Marissa Stevens

Ingredients

  • 1 pound broccoli cut into bite-sized florets
  • 12 ounces rotini or other short pasta like strozzapreti, fusilli, or rigatoni
  • 1/4 cup olive oil divided
  • 1 pound Italian sausage sweet or spicy
  • 4 large garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 ounces grated parmesan cheese or more

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add broccoli florets and cook 2 minutes (3 minutes if the florets are large); with a slotted spoon, transfer broccoli 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). Scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water (see recipe note), then drain pasta over broccoli in the same colander.
  • Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive 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 lightly toasted, about 1 minute more.
  • Add drained pasta, broccoli and 1/2 cup of reserved cooking water to sausage mixture and toss to combine. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with butter and gently stir until butter melts and pasta is well coated, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving platter or divide among 4 pasta bowls; sprinkle evenly with parmesan cheese and serve.

Notes

  • If you end up with leftovers, refrigerate any extra cooking water to add moisture when reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 654kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 778mg | Potassium: 585mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 694IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 2mg

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