I am ALWAYS looking for the next easy meal to make for my family. I get attached to a certain meal and make it over and over again for a few weeks and this farfalle with sausage and broccoli rabe has been on the menu for the past couple of weeks. My family doesn't mind, because this recipe is a family favorite.
I love to make this recipe extra spicy and delicious with hot Italian sausage and crushed red pepper. The flavor clash with the spicy sausage, bitter broccoli rabe, and nutty parmesan just hits the taste buds hard.
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.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs hot Italian sausage
- 1 lb farfalle or orecchiette
- 1 head broccoli rabe, roughly chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- salt and pepper
- parmesan
Typically, I make this recipe with orecchiette but I couldn't find it anywhere! Farfalle works just as well for sausage and broccoli rabe though. Any flat pasta will do.
If you don't like spicy, substitute the hot Italian sausage with sweet Italian sausage and adjust the crushed red pepper as necessary. My son doesn't like hot Italian sausage unless it is in sauce, so the sweet Italian sausage works better for him.
How to Make Farfalle 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. I like to eat something fresh for dinner. I'll eat all the leftovers for lunch, but it can be disappointing to eat leftovers for dinner after a long day. And it's even worse to know you have a couple of hours of cooking to go after work, so anything under an hour for weeknights is excellent!
Brown the Sausage
Bring a large pan to medium-high heat. Remove the sausage from the casing and flatten them out. Place them on the hot pan as close together as you can. When browning sausage, it's best to have as little steam as possible to get a good crust on the sausage.
Flip the entire "flat" of sausage so each side gets a brown crust. Once both sides have a sear, break down the sausage until it is no longer pink. Remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Boil your the Farfalle
In a large pot bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the pasta. Boil until al dente because you'll finish the pasta in the sauce. Save a little bit of the pasta water for the sauce.
Making a FIRE sauce
Lower the heat of the pan you used for the sausage to medium. Add olive oil to the pan, and adjust the amount as necessary if there is remaining oil from the sausage. You should have about 3 tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add the fresh chopped garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. The garlic shouldn't brown. Then add crushed red pepper and stir for 1 more minute.
Pour in the white wine, and simmer the sauce stirring often until it is reduced by half. When you run a spoon through the sauce it should leave a trail of the sauce. Add the chopped broccoli rabe to the pan and stir around until it is slightly coated. Pour in the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan on simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
Remove the cover and stir. If broccoli rabe has not softened, cover for another 2 minutes and add more chicken broth.
Finally, add the hot Italian sausage back in and stir until combined. Then stir in the farfalle with a little pasta water and combine. Simmer for 2 more minutes.
Remove from the heat and add parmesan cheese!
Serve Farfalle with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
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 broccoli rabe is so filling and delightful and is one of my favorite types of pasta to eat cold. Some people eat pizza cold, I eat pasta cold. And I eat it for breakfast, too. This recipe is filling and nutritious.
This Italian delight will serve 6-8 people or will be great for meal prep with leftovers. It has plenty of protein and vegetables and energizing carbs! Basically, it is a complete meal.
If you loved this pasta, I'm sure you'll love some of our other pasta recipes. Check out some of our fast favorites!
Simple Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes
15-Minute Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil
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📖 Recipe
Farfalle with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs hot Italian sausage
- 1 lb farfalle or orecchiette
- 1 head broccoli rabe, roughly chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- salt and pepper
- parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a large pan to medium-high heat. Remove the sausage from casing and place them on the hot pan. Brown the sausage before breaking it up. Once both sides have a sear, break down the sausage until it is no longer pink. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
- In a large pot bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the pasta. Boil until al dente.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add olive oil to the pan, and adjust the amount as necessary if there is remaining oil from the sausage. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Then add crushed red pepper and stir for 1 more minute. Pour in white wine, and simmer until it is reduced by half.
- Add chopped broccoli rabe to the pan and stir around until it is slightly coated. Add chicken broth, salt, and pepper, and cover the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir. If broccoli rabe has not softened, cover for another 2 minutes. Add the sausage back in and stir until combined. Then stir in the pasta and combine.
- Remove from the heat and stir with parmesan and crusty Italian bread.
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