Broccoli Rabe Pasta

Name: Broccoli Rabe Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lbs (454 g) orecchiette pasta; 1 bunch broccoli rabe; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil; 1 lbs (454 g) mild Italian chicken sausage; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter; 1/3 cup Italian cheese blend; Red pepper flakes; Juice from 1/2 a lemon

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Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Pasta, A simple weeknight meal that’s bursting with flavor. This pasta recipe is about to become a favorite.

Back in the day, I used to receive a subscription to a mini food magazine called “Everyday Food“, a Martha Stewart publication that began before the days of “Real Simple.” I loved cooking out of these magazines because they really did contain basic recipes for beginners that were just interesting enough in flavor and technique to justify a minor mess in the kitchen.

This recipe was one of the ones that caught my eye, specifically because of the use of broccoli rabe which, according to my 2012 self, I had never cooked with or eaten before. The original recipe called for blanching, then roasting the vegetable before adding it to the pan where the sausage is cooked, then adding the pasta and so on. Back then, that may have seemed like a perfectly reasonable request… but Dianna of 2019 “ain’t got time for that”, so I streamlined the process in order to 1. Cut down on the amount of pans to wash, and 2. Have dinner ready even faster. You’re welcome.

Broccoli rabe may be unfamiliar to you {as it was for me in 2012}, so I thought I’d make the proper introductions. Reader? This is broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe? This is the reader. It goes by various names, including: raab, rapa, rapine, rappi, turnip broccoli, and Italian or Chinese broccoli. Though its name implies that it’s related to broccoli, it’s actually a relative of turnips and wild herbs.

Flavor-wise, it has a slight bitterness to it, which may be unexpected at first, but I think it can be quite pleasant once you get accustomed to it. The leaves, buds and stems are all edible, and just need a rinse and a trim at the ends before cooking.

Blanching — a cooking method that involves a quick boil immediately followed by a plunge in ice water or rinse under cold running water — can help to mellow out the bitterness if you’re not fond of that pungent kick. {But again, I urge you to try it a few times before you turn your nose up at it.} Once the broccoli rabe is blanched, you can saute it, roast it or grill it to your liking.

After doing a good amount of Googling, I came to find that broccoli rabe is often served with both pork dishes and one specific kind of pasta: Orecchiette.

The literal meaning of “Orecchiette” is “little ears”, which makes total sense when you take a look at their scooped out shape. I’m not sure what about Orecchiette makes it such a popular pairing for broccoli rabe, but who am I to mess with tradition?

If you can’t find Orecchiette and don’t particularly mind going against the grain, I’ve also made this successfully with pasta shells, which happen to be my 4 year old’s preferred pasta shape, and therefore, can almost always be found in my pantry.

Now that you know a little about the stars of this dish, let’s talk about the big picture. Perfectly al dente orecchiette pasta, browned sausage, sauteed broccoli rabe and the best part of most pasta dishes — cheese! — come together to create something so simple, but so good and flavorful!

A few notes:

I used a mild Italian chicken sausage, but you can use whatever type you prefer, even vegan sausage! Or leave it out altogether for a veggie-forward pasta dish.
There’s no need to drain your pasta water and start with fresh water for blanching. Just cook your pasta and scoop it into a bowl, then you can reuse that water to quickly cook your broccoli rabe.
As directed, save a little bit of that starchy pasta water to toss in at the end. It will help create a “sauce” when it combines with the cheese.
I used an Italian cheese blend with Parmesan, Romano & Asiago, but you can use your favorite. For a little more “cheese pull”, try adding some shredded mozzarella.
I added a hint of red pepper flakes for some heat and a squeeze of fresh lemon over the top at the very end for a little acidity and brightness. If you really enjoy that pop of lemon flavor, you can toss in a bit of lemon zest.