Sausage Broccoli Pasta
This Sausage Broccoli Pasta is an easy, flavorful meal the whole family will enjoy. Perfectly cooked pasta is tossed with tender broccoli and savory browned sausage, then finished with a sprinkle of Parmigiano cheese for a comforting, satisfying dish that is ready in under 30 minutes.
Servings: 6 servings
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
- Freshly Grated Cheese: Use freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano for your pasta. Read why HERE.
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: This ensures the noodles hold their shape when tossed with the sausage and broccoli.
- Reserve Pasta Water: This helps to thicken the sauce and add flavor.
- Forgot to Reserve Pasta Water? 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!
Nutrition
Calories: 656kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 851mg | Potassium: 623mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 679IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 267mg | Iron: 3mg
