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Tender broccoli florets and chunks of spicy sausage are scattered through every bite of this hearty, satisfying pasta. When you’re craving pasta comfort food, but still want to enjoy a generous serving of vegetables (without messing around with a salad), this is the answer.
Sausage Broccoli Pasta
This is a 30-minute meal that tastes like you worked a lot longer than that in the kitchen. Sausage is a bit of a magic ingredient in this recipe, as it contributes a huge amount of flavor to the dish. We like to use hot breakfast sausage for this recipe most of the time, but any sausage that you enjoy eating will work well here.
The sausage brings a little bit of heat and depth, while the broccoli lightens it up with a fresh green bite. Tossed with some butter and a sprinkling of Italian spices, you don’t need much more to pull this meal together.
Finish it with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, and the dish is a whole new level. That tiny bit of cheese melts right into the pasta, coating everything with salty, nutty deliciousness, and the parsley brightens all the flavors, pulling them together.
I adore vegetable filled pasta dishes, about half vegetables and half pasta is my happy place. And broccoli tends to win out more often than anything else when I am picking my pasta vegetable, most of the time.
That’s partly because my entire family will happily eat broccoli, but also for the way it carries so much flavor from the dish in every bite. The florets hold sauce well, and the spices and pasta will cling to the broccoli as well, adding a great deal more flavor than broccoli is known for on its own.
Broccoli Pasta
Want a few more delicious ways to combine broccoli with your pasta nights? You can make this creamy, rich, and extra saucy broccoli mac and cheese – completely from scratch – in the same amount of time it takes to cook a box of mac and cheese!
Broccoli cheddar pasta salad with tiny broccoli florets, diced red pepper, red onion, and cheddar cheese in every bite is a perfect combination of flavors and textures. I LOVE the crunch in this salad.
This ultra-simple broccoli pasta is made with a bit of garlic, lemon, and Parmesan cheese to create a light, flavorful main dish or a perfect side dish for grilled chicken or steak. And this tender pasta with broccoli and mushrooms in a garlicky cream sauce is a quick dinner that my whole family enjoys.
Broccoli Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bite size pasta (I used trottole.)
- 1 cup reserved pasta water OR chicken broth
- 1 pound hot sausage
- 6 cups broccoli florets cut into 1 inch or smaller pieces
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
- ½ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, adding a generous tablespoon or so of kosher salt to the water as it cooks. When the pasta is al dente, drain it into a large colander. Do not rinse the pasta.
- In the same pot used to cook the pasta, cook and crumble the sausage over medium-high heat. When the sausage is nearly done cooking, add the broccoli florets and the butter. When the butter has melted, add the reserved pasta water and the Italian seasonings. Cook, stirring frequently, until the broccoli is tender crisp.
- Add the pasta to the pot with the sausage and broccoli and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Stir and taste. Adjust the salt and pepper, as desired.
- Top with parsley and additional cheese, if desired, before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Used hamburger instead with a bit of smoked Paprika.yummy
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!