Rigatoni with hot Italian sausage and broccoli rabe is Southern Italian cooking at its simplest, and I would take it over most restaurant pasta. The slight bitterness of the greens plays off the rich, spiced pork sausage in a way that no other vegetable quite manages. Garlic, red pepper flakes, Pecorino Romano, and a cup or so of starchy pasta water finish it, and the whole thing takes about 25 minutes. Drop the broccoli rabe into the pasta pot for the last 3 minutes.
It tames the bitterness without a separate pot and infuses the cooking water with extra starch and flavor. When you toss everything together in the skillet with a generous splash of that pasta water and a pile of sharp Pecorino, it emulsifies into a creamy, clingy sauce rather than a greasy mess. Use hot sausage if you can handle it. The spice is traditional here, and it stands up to those assertive greens better than sweet sausage does. If you would rather go easy on the heat, sweet sausage still works. Pretty damn satisfying for 25 minutes of work.
Brown the Sausage
Get a big pot of heavily salted water on first, since the sausage browns while the pasta cooks. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, add the sausage (casings removed) and break it into crumbles. Let it brown without stirring for the first few minutes so it develops good color. Once it’s browned on one side, break it up further and continue cooking until it’s cooked through and crispy in spots. The whole thing takes about 7 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute, until the garlic is golden.
Cook the Broccoli Rabe
Trim the tough ends off the broccoli rabe and cut it into 2-inch pieces. Cook the rigatoni in the salted water until 2 minutes shy of al dente, and add the broccoli rabe to the pot for the last 3 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and greens together.
Combine with Pasta
Add the drained rigatoni and broccoli rabe to the skillet with 1 cup of the pasta water. Toss over medium heat for 2 minutes, adding more pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta. Take the pan off the heat, toss in the Pecorino, and serve immediately.
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Rigatoni with Hot Italian Sausage, Broccoli Rabe and Pecorino
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
Hot Italian sausage and broccoli rabe tossed with rigatoni, garlic and red pepper flakes, then finished with Pecorino Romano and starchy pasta water. About 25 minutes with one skillet and one pot.
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 1 lb Italian sausage (hot), casings removed
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Add the broccoli rabe to the pasta water during the last 3 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain together.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage, breaking into crumbles, about 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute until the garlic is golden.
- Add the drained rigatoni and broccoli rabe to the skillet with 1 cup of pasta water. Toss over medium heat for 2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed.
- Remove from heat and toss with the Pecorino. The starchy water and cheese should create a creamy coating. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Blanching the broccoli rabe in the pasta water tempers its bitterness and saves a pot.
- Hot sausage is traditional and the spice complements the bitter greens. Use sweet sausage if you prefer less heat.
- Finish the pasta in the skillet with pasta water — this technique emulsifies the oil and cheese into a sauce rather than leaving it greasy.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 820
- Fat: 26
- Carbohydrates: 56
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 55
Frequently Asked Questions
How much pasta water do I save, and what is it for?
Reserve 1 1/2 cups before you drain. Toss the pasta and greens in the skillet with 1 cup of it for 2 minutes, then add more a splash at a time. The starch in that water turns the oil and Pecorino into a creamy coating instead of a greasy pool.
Why does the broccoli rabe go into the pasta pot?
It cooks in the water for the last 3 minutes of the rigatoni, which softens the bitterness and saves you a second pot. Drain the pasta and greens together.
Can I use sweet sausage instead of hot?
Yes. Hot sausage and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes is the traditional match for bitter greens, and sweet sausage gives you a milder pot of pasta. Use the same pound, browned for about 7 minutes.
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