Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli
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Packed with flavor and easy to make, this orecchiette pasta dish is a longtime favorite—the whole family gobbles it up, broccoli and all!
Sometimes it seems impossible to make a meal that pleases the whole family. What one child happily eats, the other one suddenly isn’t “in the mood for.” But every once in a while, I come across a recipe that everyone loves, like this orecchiette pasta dish adapted from Lidia’s Italian Table by Lidia Bastianich. Not only is it quick and easy to make—25 minutes tops—but the whole family devours it, broccoli and all.
“My whole family loves this (even my 5 year old who doesn’t typically like pasta). It’s so nice to have an easy go-to meal for the middle of the week that my small children get excited about and so does my husband. Thank you!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Orecchiette With Sausage & Broccoli
Orecchiette is named for its shape, which resembles a small ear (the Italian word orecchiette means small ear). If you can’t find it, it’s fine to substitute another pasta, like farfalle or fusilli.
Italian sausage is a great ingredient to have on hand for weeknight dinners. Not only is it quick and easy to cook, but it’s also flavored with a variety of aromatics, herbs and spices, such as garlic and fennel, which add depth and complexity to pasta dishes without the need for a lot of additional seasoning. This makes it an easy and convenient way to add flavor to pasta dishes, such as baked ziti and lasagna. Buy bulk sausage, or sausage meat without the casing, if possible (it’s often easy to find around holiday season as it’s used in stuffing recipes). Otherwise, just squeeze the sausage meat out of the casing.
Pecorino Romano is a hard, salty, and pungent Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk. It’s readily available in grated form in the cheese section of most large supermarkets but if you can’t find it, it’s fine to substitute Parmigiano Reggiano.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by cooking the pasta.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet and add the sausage.
Cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until the sausage starts to brown, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook a minute more.
Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, broccoli, chicken broth, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the broccoli is tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the butter until melted and simmer for a few minutes to reduce and concentrate the sauce.
Add the sausage and broccoli mixture to the drained pasta and toss well, along with half of the grated cheese.
Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl or individual bowls and top with the remaining grated cheese.
Video Tutorial
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Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli
Packed with flavor and easy to make, this orecchiette pasta dish is a longtime favorite—the whole family gobbles it up, broccoli and all!
Ingredients
- 1 pound orecchiette
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, removed from casings
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 pound broccoli florets
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette and cook according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic; cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, chicken broth, broccoli, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan to release the flavorful brown bits, until the broccoli is tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted and simmer for a few minutes to reduce and concentrate the sauce.
- Drain the pasta well and place back in the pasta pot. Add the sausage and broccoli mixture, along with half of the cheese, and toss to blend. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls and pass the remaining grated cheese at the table.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This dish can be frozen for up to 3 months and reheated on the stovetop. If the dish has dried out a bit in the freezer, add a little water or broth while reheating. Just take care only to reheat it and not continue to cook it.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 624
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Sodium: 692 mg
- Cholesterol: 51 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Great recipe, quick and easy. I love broccoli rabe, but my grandchildren like the taste of broccoli better. Will be making this recipe tonite!
I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this recipe. It seemed so simple and rather plain at first glance but I gave it a shot based on the rave reviews. I’m glad I did! I love a recipe that includes meat, veggie and a starch so you have an entire meal in one pan. Plus it was delicious! My husband thought it was a little greasy so I may cut back on the oil next time. I thought it was great as is.
I’ve made so many of your recipes, and all are 5 stars. I have such faith in your recipes I tend to do them for parties when typically I’d stick to the tried and true- I can do this because they always work out. This one was so good and easy, I made it for my boyfriend and I as well as for my parents the very next day. Thanks for being such a great resource!! You’ve helped an avid baker with her cooking skills haha.
– Melissa
I made this for my family. I am not a meat eater but my husband and two hungry teenagers all said this was delicious and ate huge bowls of it. They said the flavor was really good and we have now all discovered how fabulous pecorino-romano cheese is! I used “hot” Italian sausage (availability), and 1/8t. red pepper flakes and 1/8t. coarse ground black pepper. Curiously my son who doesn’t like broccoli ate all of his!
Hi Jenn,
Wondering if this would work with gnocchi??
Thanks!
Sure, I think that would work!
I forgot to mention that I added 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and some chopped fresh rosemary leaves. I’m also thinking that little shells, rotelle (wagon wheels), or macaroni could be used for the pasta.
Very good….and it makes A LOT so use a big skillet! A wonderful way to add broccoli into a one dish meal.
Since it is caloric as written, I used only 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter and I drained the sausage fat. In doing so, I sacrificed some of the yummy richness and flavor, but we still enjoyed the dish and will make again. To reheat, I added a little milk before microwaving it.
Great tasting. My husband and I loved it.
Why 4 stars if it is “Great tasting” and you “loved it”? There is no place for improvement if it is “Great”.
I’ve made this recipe on several occasions and each time its a hit! it looks simple and bland but its amazing! its a fav in my household. I have even made this for friends who had just welcomed a new baby and both she and her husband loved it! tastes just as good as leftovers too. thank you!!!
I just made this for dinner tonight. It was a big hit. I used frozen broccoli as that what I had in the house.