Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe is an old-school classic, easy to make for a weeknight meal, and absolutely delicious. Broccoli rabe is the perfect vegetable for this dish and makes this dish a 10/10 even if you're standing in front of the refrigerator, eating it cold.
Looking for more easy weeknight pasta? Try our Italian Summer Pasta with Zucchini or Creamy Pesto Shrimp Pasta.
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Easy Meals
I am ALWAYS looking for the next easy meal to make for my family. Any pasta meal that has meat, vegetables, and pasta combined is always a win because it's an all-in-one dish. This pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe is exactly that!
This dish will make it onto your weeknight rotation because it's quick and a complete meal like our Sausage and Fennel Pasta or Italian Pink Sauce with Sausage.
Broccoli Rabe is the king of vegetables. I will hear no arguments otherwise. I have such a tough time with leftover vegetables but I can eat Broccoli Rabe cold at 6 AM. This recipe heats up well with a little extra olive oil, so it's great for after-work leftovers too! And if you love these flavors, try our Broccoli Rabe and Tortellini Soup!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pasta. Typically, I make this recipe with farfalle or orecchiette. Orecchiette is the classic version but any flat pasta works really well with this because it makes it easy to get a forkful.
- Sausage. I use sweet Italian sausage and squeeze ½-inch to 1-inch pieces out of the casing. You can also make homemade ground sausage or use a hot Italian Sausage.
- Broccoli Rabe. People always want to know if broccoli is a good substitute. I would say it is a substitute, just not a good one. It's nowhere near the same flavor. I can't think of a single vegetable that is truly a broccoli rabe substitute.
- White Wine. Typically, I use a sauvignon blanc. It's the brightest flavor and I always cook with it.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.
How to Make Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
The best part about this delectable pasta recipe is that it's on the table in under 45 minutes. You can't beat that on a work night.
Step 1: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Chop 1 inch off of the ends of the broccoli rabe and boil it for 2 minutes. Then bring a large pot of water to a boil and boil the pasta until al dente.
Step 2: Strain the broccoli rabe and cut it into 2-inch pieces.
Step 3: Bring a large pan to medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the pan. Remove the sausage from the casing and break them apart placing them on the pan. Leave undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to develop a crust.
Step 4: Flip the sausage so each side gets a brown crust. Once both sides have a sear, break down the sausage into slightly smaller pieces with a wooden spoon.
Step 5: Lower the heat of the pan you used for the sausage to medium. Add the fresh chopped garlic and crushed red pepper and saute for 2 minutes.
Step 6: Pour in the white wine, and simmer the sauce stirring often until it is reduced by about half.
Step 7: Add the chopped broccoli rabe and 1 cup of pasta water and stir into the sauce. Return the sauce to a simmer and season with salt and pepper.
Step 8: Stir in the farfalle and simmer for 2-3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and add parmesan cheese!
Pro-Tips
- The pasta water will help a light sauce like this stick to the pasta and it will make the sauce creamier.
- When searing the sausage, allowing it to sit undisturbed will help it develop a crust which will give it a nice texture with the pasta. It won't be chewy or feel steamed.
- When sauteing the garlic, it usually takes 1-2 minutes, but if your pan is too hot, you can burn the garlic. If the garlic looks like its starting to brown, add the white wine earlier to avoid a burnt garlic or bitter flavor in the sauce.
Serve this pasta with as much parmesan as you can. I'm sort of kidding but the parmesan will add a level of creaminess to the pasta. And do not forget to eat with a loaf of crusty bread to soak up some of the sauce.
Pasta with sausage broccoli rabe is so filling and delightful and is one of my favorite types of pasta to eat cold.
Do you love this sausage pasta? You might also like our Sausage and Lentil Soup or Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage!
Recipe FAQs
I would use a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. 99% of the time I'm using sauvignon blanc because I love to drink it. Always pick a wine that you would drink. I hate the phrase, "It's a cooking wine." If it's going in your food, you want it to taste good.
Cooking it will effectively make it not bitter but some people choose to blanch it which will make it less bitter, but it will also lose some of its flavor. Another option is to substitute broccoli in this dish.
More Simple Pasta Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs sweet Italian sausage
- 1 lb farfalle or orecchiette
- 1-2 heads broccoli rabe
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup white wine
- salt and pepper
- parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Chop 1 inch off of the ends of the broccoli rabe and boil the broccoli rabe for 2 minutes. Strain the broccoli rabe and cut it into 2-inch pieces.
- Bring a large pan to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan. Remove the sausage from the casing and break it apart placing the ½-inch pieces on the hot pan. Sear the sausage on both sides.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the pasta. Boil until al dente.
- Lower the heat of the pan to medium. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add chopped broccoli rabe to the pan and stir around until it is slightly coated. Add 1 cup of pasta water. Return the sauce to a simmer. Then add the pasta to the dish and combine well. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly about 3 more minutes.
- Remove from the heat and serve with parmesan and crusty Italian bread.
Notes
- Add a little bit of pasta water to the pasta when mixed with the sausage and broccoli rabe and stir over the heat to finish for a creamy texture. Add some parmesan to add to the creaminess.
- When searing the sausage, allowing it to sit undisturbed will help it develop a crust which will give it a nice texture with the pasta. It won't be chewy or overcooked.
Vinny
This is my all time favorite pasta recipe. The combination of sausage and broccoli rabe is the perfect flavor combo. Let us know what you think!