DELICIOUS Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe (QUICK & EASY!)

Italian sausage

🥗Healthier: turkey sausage

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Turkey sausage reduces fat while maintaining flavor.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free alternative with a cheesy flavor.

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Heat a separate pan over medium-high heat for sautéing the sausage.

Remove the sausage from its casing by making a slit down the length with a knife and discarding the casing.

Test the pan's heat by dropping water in it; when it dances around, it's ready.

Add a generous amount of olive oil to the hot pan before adding the sausage.

Cook the sausage over medium-high heat until browned, then set aside on a plate.

Peel and chop 4 garlic cloves finely.

In the same pan, add more olive oil and the chopped garlic; sauté for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Chop the broccoli rabe roughly and add it to the sautéed garlic, including the stems if desired.

Cover the pan to allow the broccoli rabe to steam while the pasta boils.

Add white wine to deglaze the pan and help the broccoli rabe steam better.

Once the broccoli rabe is wilting, add salt and more olive oil to taste.

Return the browned sausage to the pan and stir everything together.

Reserve some pasta water before draining the orecchiette once it's al dente.

In a larger pot, combine the reserved pasta water, a big dollop of butter, and grated pecorino romano cheese; stir to combine.

If the pasta fits in the pan with the sausage and broccoli rabe, add it there; otherwise, mix the sausage mixture into the larger pot with the pasta.

If using mild sausage, consider adding red pepper flakes for extra heat.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens