Sausage and Broccoli Pasta
A quick and delicious weeknight dinner featuring savory Italian sausage, tender broccoli florets, and perfectly cooked pasta tossed in a light garlic Parmesan sauce. Ready in 30 minutes.
Equipment
- 1 Large pot for boiling pasta
- 1 Large skillet or sauté pan
- 1 Colander
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Wooden spoon or spatula
- 1 Grater for cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage mild or spicy
- 3 cups broccoli florets fresh or frozen
- 12 ounces pasta penne, rigatoni, or rotini
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 2 cups pasta cooking water reserved
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add your pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
- Add the broccoli florets to the boiling pasta water during the last four minutes of cooking time. This cooks the broccoli and pasta together.
- Reserve two cups of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining. Set the drained pasta and broccoli aside in the colander.
- Heat olive oil in your large skillet over medium heat. Remove the sausage from casings and add to the hot pan.
- Break the sausage into bite-sized pieces using your wooden spoon. Cook until browned on all sides, about six to eight minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the sausage. Cook for one minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Pour one cup of the reserved pasta water into the skillet. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet with the sausage. Toss everything together to combine well.
- Add more pasta water as needed to create a light sauce that coats the pasta. The sauce should be silky, not watery.
- Remove from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. The residual heat melts the cheese into a creamy coating.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and toss once more. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls with extra Parmesan cheese on the side for topping.
Notes
This dish works best when served immediately. The pasta water creates a silky sauce that coats everything perfectly. You can adjust the spice level by using mild or hot Italian sausage and varying the amount of red pepper flakes. Fresh Parmesan cheese makes a significant difference in the final result.