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Orecchiette Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli is one of my favorite weeknight pasta dishes, my family loves it!
Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli
It’s an easy pasta dish, ready in under twenty minutes and always a crowd pleaser! My husband Tommy loves it so much, he even goes back for seconds. This dish is a variation of my Pasta and Broccoli Recipe. Here I add Italian chicken sausage, you can use sweet or spicy and Orecchiette Pasta also known as “little ears” because of their shape.
I cook the pasta and broccoli at the same time all in the same pot, which creates a pesto-like broccoli sauce the kids can’t pick out (trust me, it’s so good!). This is the only way I can get Madison to eat broccoli cooked! If you like it hot, you can swap the sweet sausage for hot. I personally like to add some crushed red pepper flakes to my bowl, this way everyone’s happy!
But what I really love about this dish is that it’s ready in less than 20 minutes, and makes enough for leftovers which I often pack for lunch for Madison in her thermos (affil link).
Tips for Success
- Use quality grated cheese. My favorite cheese is Locatelli Pecorino Romano. Don’t use grated cheese from the shelves, it’s basically saw dust.
- Reserve some of the pasta water before you drain. Once you mix everything at the end, add some of that water back in to moisten everything without adding too much oil.
- Use the best quality pasta. I like to use imported Italian pasta from Delallo, their pasta is made with just two ingredients – spring water and flour. It’s not enriched like many other brands sold in stores.
- Cook pasta al dente. Don’t overcook the pasta, this will result in mushy pasta with an unpleasant taste.
How To Make Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli
More Pasta Recipe You May Like:
- Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
- Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
- Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- Baked Ziti with Spinach
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
Orecchiette Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli
Orecchiette Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli is one of my favorite weeknight pasta dishes, my family loves it!
Yield: 7 servings
Serving Size: 1 1/3 cups
Ingredients
- 14 oz package Italian chicken sausage, casing removed
- 12 oz uncooked Orecchiette pasta, or gluten-free pasta
- 6 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets, no stems (16 oz)
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile heat a large nonstick skillet and brown the sausage over medium-high, breaking it up as it cooks with a wooden spoon until browned, 5 to 7 minutes; remove from heat.
- When the water boils, add the pasta and bring back to a boil, when the water is boiling, add broccoli and cook according to pasta instructions for al dente.
- When pasta is almost done cooking, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and broccoli.
- Return the pot to the stove and set heat to high; add 1 tbsp olive oil, when hot, add garlic. Cook until golden, about 1 minute, reduce flame to low and add pasta back to the pot with the sausage.
- Mix well, add remaining olive oil, grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste mixing well and smashing any large pieces of broccoli to break up.
- Add 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water and mix well adding more if needed.
- Serve in pasta bowls with additional grated cheese on the side, if desired.
Last Step:
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Notes
Makes 9 1/2 cups.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 1/3 cups, Calories: 324 kcal, Carbohydrates: 42 g, Protein: 19 g, Fat: 10 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 2 mg, Sodium: 375 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 3 g
