Sausage Broccoli Pasta Recipe
Updated May 21, 2025, Published May 04, 2022
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This Sausage Broccoli Pasta is an easy and delicious meal the entire family will enjoy! Perfectly cooked pasta with tender broccoli florets topped and browned sausage topped with parmigiano cheese is a recipe the whole family loves!
Pasta con broccoli with sausage is our favorite pasta dish! Add this to your list of meal plans as a go-to recipe.
More broccoli pasta recipes you will love: Cheese and Broccoli Pasta Bake with White Sauce, Broccoli Pasta, and Shrimp and Broccoli Pasta in Cream Sauce. Another sausage and pasta recipe: Orecchiette with Sausage Peppers and Arugula (video)
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
With a few simple ingredients, you will have a crowd-pleasing, easy recipe in 20 minutes!
- 1 pound short pasta
- Broccoli florets
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Ground Italian pork sausage
- Red pepper flakes (plus more to taste)
- Parmigiano (plus more for serving)
- Lemon zest
- Basil
Reserved pasta water
Equipment
I love how this meal is tossed in the large sauté pan after the pasta and broccoli are cooked. Here is my favorite large skillet that works well for this recipe.
When making one pound of pasta it is important to use a large pot that will allow the pasta to love freely. This provides even cooking.
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See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Sausage Broccoli Pasta
Follow these simple instructions with photos as a reference while making this quick dinner recipe.
- Heat large saute pan to medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Let cook for one minute to flavor the oil. Add Italian sausage and break it up as it begins to cook. Cook until the sausage is browned.
- Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water (4 quarts) to boiling. Once boiling salt (2 tablespoons, or to taste) the water and then add the pasta— boil the pasta to al dente (according to package instructions).
Follow this detailed guide to cook pasta perfectly every time!
- During the last three minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and broccoli mixture, and add to the skillet of cooked sausage. Stir in reserved pasta water and fresh lemon zest. Toss to combine.
- Serve hot! Buon appetito!
Make sure you use the right pasta tool for stirring your pasta!
Hint: If you forget to save your pasta water (it happens to the best of us!). Heat up a cup of chicken broth or veggie broth and use that instead! It won’t have the starches from the pasta water, but it will do!
Substitutions
- Spicy-Spicy – for an added kick use spicy Italian sausage and red chili flakes. This will really knock your socks off!
- Vegetarian – the ground sausage can be replaced with a plant-based variety to make this vegetarian, or leave it out!
- Kid Friendly – If you’re children or grandchildren don’t like spice, leave out the red chili flakes or hot Italian sausage entirely.
Variations
This recipe is simple and golden as-is. If you are looking to add a twist here are a couple ideas:
- Mix it up – Substitute the broccoli for asparagus or green peas.
- Extra topping – add some toasted breadcrumbs on top for a crunchy topping.
- Cheese – it is common to use Pecorino Romano cheese for broccoli pasta- you can use that instead of the parmesan cheese.
- Depth of flavor – add an extra depth of flavor by adding 1/4 of white wine after cooking the sausage.
If you like these flavors be sure to try this Italian sausage and peppers recipe.
FAQs
For this particular recipe, I use regular fresh broccoli and trim the ends and cut them into small pieces. This makes them cook faster and they are also easier to eat when prepared this way. You may also use: broccolini or broccoli rabe. They will require a slightly shorter cook time. TIP: If you have vegetables you need to cook right away- You can always par-boil the broccoli ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the dish.
I like to purchase Italian ground pork sausage from the meat counter of my local grocery store. I find that it tastes fresher this way. You may use any variety of Italian ground sausage you like. I like the Italian ground sausage variety since it has a hint of fennel seeds that make it unique!
I like to use short pasta for this recipe. The shape goes well with the rest of the ingredients, and it makes every bite contain the perfect ratios of each. Read more about pairing pasta shapes with sauce. I often use fusilli pasta for this recipe, but you can also use mezze (shorter) rigatoni, small shells, orecchiette pasta (little ears), farfalle, rigatoni, or penne.
I recommend fresh broccoli but you can certainly use frozen if that’s what you have on hand. Just make sure it is fully thawed before you add it in as the pasta finishes cooking.
Top tips
- Use freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Read why HERE.
- Reserve your pasta water to thicken the sauce and add flavor.
Watch this quick how-to video to see how this dish comes together in no time at all!
More meat pasta recipes: BEST Italian Beef Short Rib Ragu, Classic Italian Ragu Recipe (Meat Sauce), and Nonna’s Famous Traditional Italian Meatballs (Polpette).
You will love more pasta and vegetable recipes: Cream, Eggplant and Tomato Pasta Sauce, Shredded Zucchini and Cheese Pasta (easy), Pappardelle Pasta with Creamy Mushroom Sauce, and Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Asparagus.
Serving Suggestions
This is a great main dish for a busy weeknight. If you want to make it extra add some ciabatta bread, and a simple salad. Don’t forget dessert- Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl).
Storage
To store leftovers, make sure to use proper airtight containers for storage. Store in the fridge and consume after 2-3 days.
More recipes for you:
- BEST Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto Brown Butter
- Italian Stuffed Zucchini (vegetarian)
- Easy Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Best Italian Style Stuffed Peppers
- Italian Pink Sauce Pasta Recipe (Tomato Cream)
- Italian Braciole Recipe (Stuffed Beef with Sauce)
- Easy Tuscan Roasted Broccoli Recipe
💙 MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💙 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love connecting with you! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Pinterest.
This delicious broccoli pasta recipe is one that everyone loves! Make and share with your loved ones soon.
Sausage Broccoli Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound short pasta of choice
- 16 oz broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground Italian pork sausage
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- 1 cup grated parmigiano, plus more for serving
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup basil, torn by hand
Instructions
- Heat large saute pan to medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Let cook for one minute to flavor the oil. Add Italian sausage and break it up as it begins to cook. Cook until the sausage is browned. If the sausage releases a lot of fat you can remove some. Leave a little to create sauce!
- Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water (4 quarts) to boiling. Once boiling salt (2 tablespoons, or to taste) the water and then add the pasta—Cook the pasta to al dente (according to the package instructions).
- During the last three minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and broccoli and add them to the skillet of cooked sausage. Stir in the reserved pasta water, fresh lemon zest, basil, and cheese, and toss to combine. Add more cheese before serving.
- Serve hot! Buon appetito!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this last week for dinner. Really tasty and really easy recipe. My husband loved it and commented how tasty it was. I actually made it with a penne as I didn’t have orrichete pasta. It still turned our amazing. thanks for sharing I intend to make many more of your recipes. I’m based in Australia of Italian heritage so love all Italian food.
It is an easy recipe to make often with yummy flavors! I am happy you loved it. Keep me posted as you try more recipes! Stay connected and enjoy a taste of Italy in your home!
Hi, you mention 1 cup of grated cheese in the ingredients but don’t mention it again in the directions. I assumed to add it in with my pasta/sausage/broccoli but wanted to flag this with you! I love this recipe, it’s always a hit.
Yes! Thank you!
please send me the recipe so I can print out to try !
Please see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Thanks!
Delicious and easy! A great weeknight dinner.
Happy you loved it! It’s one we make often.