Spicy Italian Sausage and Broccolini Pasta

I am a sucker for a satisfying yet easy pasta dish and this one hits all the notes. With protein, a hearty eg and a great oil based sauce this Spicy Italian Sausage and Broccolini Pasta recipe is a must try. It’s one of those pasta dishes that will have you standing over the stove, eating straight out of the pot. With just a few simple ingredients and 35 minutes dinner is served.

What You’ll Need For Sausage and Broccolini Pasta

• Italian Sausage – Despite what the title of this post suggests, you actually only need mild Italian sausage for this recipe, not spicy. The spiciness comes from another ingredient. If you have a great go-to meat counter, get 1 1/2 pounds of loose Italian sausage; this recipe makes a generous portion. If not, purchase pre-cased sausage and remove the casing yourself. Most of the time, cased sausage is sold in 1 lb packs, so use 1 1/2 lbs worth and save the rest for another recipe.
  • Substitute: Don’t eat pork? Feel free to swap it out for uncooked chicken sausage. I say uncooked to avoid confusion with the small pre-cooked vacuum-sealed chicken sausages
• Broccolini – Not to be confused with broccoli or broccoli rabe, broccolini is actually a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It is easily identifiable by its long, woodsy stems with only a few florets, unlike broccoli. Broccolini should be easy to find in your local supermarket throughout Spring and Summer. Depending on how large the bunches are you may need to buy 2 or approx. 10-12 oz.
  
  If you can’t find broccolini, don’t worry! You can substitute it with broccoli rabe. While broccoli rabe has a slightly bitter flavor, it yields the same cooking time and preparation as broccolini. Truth be told, I love the slightly bitter flavor it imparts.
• Pasta – Since this is an oil-based sauce, opt for a premium pasta if possible. Higher quality, slower-dried pasta tends to have a better texture, allowing for better sauce-to-pasta grip. I particularly enjoy using a larger, heftier pasta for this recipe, such as rigatoni, or something that can hold an oil based pasta well like an orecchiette pasta.
• Crushed Calabrian Chilis – Surprise, surprise! Not only do the Calabrian chilis offer fantastic flavor, but they also allow you to easily adjust the heat levels according to your preference.
• Garlic – Fresh only!
• Olive Oil – Pick a good flavorful extra virgin olive oil.
• Burrata – Absolutely optional, but if you’re looking to add a creamy component and a touch of coolness to round out the dish, burrata is a fantastic addition.
• Parmesan Cheese – Also completely optional, but if you’re not opting for burrata, Parmesan is another excellent addition to enhance the flavor further.

How To Make Sausage and Broccolini Pasta

1. Prepare the Pasta – Cook the pasta in a heavily salted large pot of water as per packaging instructions and save about 1/3 cup of pasta water. You won’t need it all but I always suggest you save more water than you need. Even better freeze some reserved pasta water for an easy reheating hack.

2. Cook the Sausage – If your sausage is still in its casing, remove the sausage meat by cutting open the casing and sliding it off. Discard the casing. In a large pan over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. Once hot, add the sausage. Use the back of a spoon to break up the sausage with a twisting motion until you are left with smaller, bite-sized pieces. This process becomes easier as the sausage begins to brown.

Cook the sausage until it has browned and is cooked through, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan and set it aside for later use.

3. Assemble the Sauce – Reduce the heat to low and add 3 out of the 6 tablespoons of olive oil. We add only a portion because the broccolini tends to absorb a lot, and we want to reserve some after it has cooked. Add in the crushed Calabrian chilis and garlic. Cook the garlic until it is soft and fragrant but not browned. If it begins to brown, reduce the heat further.

4. Add the Rest – Add the chopped broccolini and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Stir occasionally to evenly cook the greens. Salt to taste with kosher salt. Add the sausage along with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Drizzle in 2-3 tablespoons of pasta water and cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes, allowing the spicy oil to adhere to the pasta.

5. Finish – Complete the pasta with broken up burrata or a heavy hand of parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

How To Serve Sausage and Broccolini Pasta

Italian sausage and broccolini pasta is a well-balanced, hearty dish. If you’re looking for a side to round out the meal, might I suggest a salad? Maroulosalata, Beets & Greens, and my original Kale Caesar salad are all great options that won’t compete with or take away from the richness of the pasta. If you want to get a bit fancy and have some extra time, I highly suggest pairing it with my Sourdough Focaccia bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing/Reheating

Store this Italian sausage and broccolini pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. When ready to reheat, place it back in a pan with a few tablespoons of either leftover pasta water (which you should always save) or chicken broth or water. Heat it on low with a lid on, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is warm throughout.