Sausage Broccoli Pasta
Jump to Recipe Sausage Broccoli Pasta is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal. Made with spicy Italian sausage, broccoli, pasta and parmesan. When you’re short on time there is nothing better than a quick and easy dinner that is both flavorful and hearty. One that is loaded with protein, veggies and carbs all in […]
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Sausage Broccoli Pasta is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal. Made with spicy Italian sausage, broccoli, pasta and parmesan.
When you’re short on time there is nothing better than a quick and easy dinner that is both flavorful and hearty. One that is loaded with protein, veggies and carbs all in one. That is exactly what this Sausage Broccoli Pasta is. It’s not too heavy, full of flavor and can be on the table in under 30 minutes.
This means that it is absolutely perfect for those busy weeknights where you need to get dinner on the table quickly and you’re not ready to sacrifice flavor or book it to the drive through. Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it.
Sausage Broccoli Pasta Ingredients:
- ITALIAN SAUSAGE: You can use spicy or mild Italian sausage. If you can only find it in the casing, simply remove the casing before cooking.
- OLIVE OIL: To sauté the onion and garlic
- YELLOW ONION
- GARLIC
- CHICKEN BROTH: This is used to help create the sauce and deglaze the pan.
- CRUSHED RED PEPPER: Adds a little bit of heat.
- FENNEL SEED: Fennel seed has a bit of a mild anise or licorice flavor and chances are the Italian sausage that you use will have fennel seed in it. I like to add a bit more because it has a ton of flavor to this dish.
- BROCCOLI: You will need to use fresh broccoli cut into florets for this recipe. Don’t use frozen, you will not get the same texture or final product.
- PASTA: I prefer to use a short pasta for this like rigatoni (pictured), penne or elbows. Use your favorite.
- SALT
- PARMESAN: Plenty of freshly grated parmesan will add a cheesy, salty flavor to the dish.
Step by Step Photos and Instructions:
One of my favorite things about this Sausage Broccoli Pasta is that it can come together in about the time that it takes to make the pasta.
- STEP #1: Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain.
- STEP #2: While the pasta is cooking, cook the sausage in a large skillet until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- STEP #3: Heat olive oil in the same pan that you cooked the sausage. Add the onion, garlic, crushed red pepper and fennel seed. Continue to cook 1 – 2 minutes or until the onions are softened and the garlic is fragrant.
- STEP #4: Pour chicken broth into pan to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the browned bits on the bottom. That is where a lot of the flavor for the sauce will be.
- STEP #5: Add the broccoli florets to the pan, stir. Cover and cook for 5 – 6 minutes or until the broccoli is fork tender. The size that you cut the broccoli will greatly impact the cook time. If the florets are really small it may take less than 5 minutes.
- STEP #6: Add cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat. If the pasta seems dry, add a little bit of the reserved pasta water. Serve immediately with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Storage and Leftovers:
This pasta reheats beautifully! A quick zap in the microwave is all you need. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and use within a few days.
I served this Sausage Broccoli Pasta with a green salad with Garlic Vinaigrette and my Easy Garlic Bread.
Recipe FAQ:
Deglazing a pan means to add a liquid (stock or wine) to a hot pan. This will loosen the browned bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. These pieces are known as “fond” and have a ton of flavor. Deglazing the pan will add all of that flavor to the dish you are making.
Reserving pasta water can help thicken a sauce and help it stick to the pasta better.
If you loved this easy Sausage Broccoli Pasta, check out these other easy pasta dishes!
Creamy Cajun Tortellini is another great weeknight pasta! Creamy, spicy and decadent.
Pasta Amatriciana is an Italian classic and easy to make!
Boursin Cheese Pasta is a quick, easy and a great meatless meal option!
Broccoli Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound rigatoni pasta or other short pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage casings removed if present
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 4 cups broccoli florets
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain pasta.
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Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain to remove excess grease.
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To the same pan that you cooked the sausage, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, crushed red pepper and fennel seed. Cook just until the garlic is fragrant and the onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes.
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Pour the chicken broth into the pan to deglaze. Be sure to scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. This is where the flavor is!
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Reduce heat to low and add broccoli to the pan. Cover and cook for 5 – 6 minutes or until the broccoli is fork tender.
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Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat. If the pasta seems too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. Season to taste with salt. Serve with plenty of Parmesan and more crushed red pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
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