Penne with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Penne with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe is a hearty dish combining pasta with sweet Italian sausage links and semi-bitter greens.  But the key to sweetening broccoli rabe is in one simple trick that will make this pasta dish sensational! 

I haven’t made pasta in a while, and since my family was craving it, I decided to make this penne dish with sausage and broccoli rabe for dinner. 

Penne is a hearty pasta and it goes well with crumbled sausages and tender greens.  

Southern Italians absolutely LOVE broccoli rabe!  I don’t know why…they just do. 

And for years, I personally didn’t care for it, until my brother showed us how to make it, and how to make it taste delicious and not bitter!   

We have been making his version of Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed ever since! 

I paired his recipe with sweet sausages and tossed them over pasta, and … Mmmmm – it’s so good – you’ll want to eat two bowls of it. 

OK, WHAT IS BROCCOLI RABE?

Broccoli rabe is a green vegetable usually found in the height of the fall and winter season when the broccoli rabe is at its peak. 

It is known to be a semi-bitter green vegetable, mostly popular in Italian cuisine.  

Loaded with iron and Vitamin C, Broccoli Rabe is a high nutrient-dense vegetable that’s satisfying and will keep you feeling full longer. 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING BROCCOLI RABE? 

• For the best quality, look for the “ANDY BOY” brand on the label. 

• Make sure the little florets are totally green, and not showing any signs of yellow in them. 

• The ends should look crisp, and not mushy to the touch.  

HOW TO CLEAN BROCCOLI RABE?

• First, cut off the ends (about 2 to 3-inches from the bottom) of each bunch, and discard them. 

• Then remove the very large leaves from each bunch, and throw those out as well.  Those large leaves are the bitter-part of the vegetable.

• Next, cut the remaining bunch into thirds again.  It’s easier to grab a forkful when the length of stems is about 2-inches long. 

• 

• Submerge the cut broccoli rabe into a large bowl of running water. 

• Rinse the broccoli, drain and discard the water, then refill the bowl again with water.  Rinse them the second time and drain them in a colander.

• Now they are ready for the recipe.

SO WHAT’S THE SECRET? 

When we cook broccoli rabe with fresh garlic and some vegetable broth, it changes these semi-bitter greens to a sweeter, more delicious tasting vegetable.   

They make a healthy side dish that goes perfectly with some protein, and especially with Italian sweet sausages.

Four Easy Steps to Making this Delicious Dish…

1.  First, cook the crumbled sausage until it’s brown and fully cooked (follow directions in the recipe card below).  Transfer the cooked sausage into a nearby bowl.

2.   Next, toss in the broccoli rabe, with a few more ingredients.  Cover and simmer for about one minute, or until the rabe wilts.  Keep in mind, broccoli rabe cooks up quickly. 

3.   Transfer the crumbled sausage back into the skillet with the broccoli rabe. Pour in some broth and butter, and COVER.  Continue to simmer for a few minutes more.  The broccoli rabe should be a dark green color and tender to the bite. 

4.   When ready, turn off the heat and uncover.  Otherwise, the rabe will continue to cook and will become too soft and mushy.   

Meanwhile, boil water in a large pot and toss in the penne pasta.  Drain when the pasta is ready.  Then toss everything together and serve with some grated Locatelli Pecorino Romano cheese at the table.

COOK’s NOTE and TIP…

• Sometimes both the sausage and broccoli can absorb most of the liquid in the skillet.  If it does, you can drizzle additional extra virgin olive oil into the pot with the entire mixture to give it more moisture before serving.  

Penne with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe will make a hearty meal, and it’s ready to serve in under 30 minutes.  Perfect!

ENJOY!!

Finally, additional One-Skillet or One-Pot Wonders…

• Butternut Squash Ravioli with Gorgonzola Sauce

• Spinach Ravioli with Asparagus Sauce

• Butternut Squash Risotto with Cheese and Sage

• Orecchiette with Sausages and Spinach

• Rigatoni all’Amatriciana

• Bucatini with Truffle Oil and Ricotta Salata

• Pasta with Smoked Salmon

• Vegetable Bolognese with Pappardelle

Yield: 4 to 5 servings

Penne with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Print

Penne with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe is a popular Italian dish combining pasta with sweet sausage links and healthy greens. A delicious dinner in one dish, and sweetening the broccoli rabe will make this pasta dish even more sensational! 

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Italian sweet sausage links, casings removed, and break up into chunks.
• 5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil - DIVIDED, plus extra
• 5 to 6 garlic cloves - diced or minced
• 2 bunches of broccoli rabe, florets plus tender stems and leaves only
• 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth
• 4 Tbsp. butter - divided
• 3 to 4 Tbsp. grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and extra for serving
• 3/4 pound penne pasta

Instructions

1. In a large pot, filled with water for the penne pasta. Place it on the stovetop and bring the water to boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then, with a slotted spoon, remove the cooked crumbled sausages and transfer them to a nearby bowl.
3. Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Toss in the garlic and saute the garlic until it softens about 1 minute.
4. Add the wet broccoli rabe along with any water that clings to the leaves. COVER with a lid. As soon as the broccoli wilts, about 30 seconds - add in the red pepper flakes and salt to the broccoli.

NEXT, Transfer the cooked sausage back into the skillet. Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock, and 2 tablespoons of butter (or instead of butter, you can add extra virgin olive oil).

COVER and cook over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces a little, about 2 to 3 minutes. Broccoli rabe cooks quickly and should be dark green and fork-tender. Taste, and season with salt and pepper to your preference. Then turn off the heat. ... and UNCOVER the skillet.

5. Meanwhile, toss in penne pasta into the boiling water and cook the pasta,, until al-dente. Drain the pasta and transfer the pasta back into the large pot. Toss in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
6. Toss with the broccoli-rabe mixture and 3 tablespoons of grated pecorino cheese.
7. Optional: You can drizzle additional 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over the entire pasta mixture, stir, and serve.
8. Serve immediately with grated pecorino cheese at the table.

Notes

Keep in mind, after the broccoli rabe is cooked to your liking, you must remove the cover from the skillet. Otherwise, it will continue to cook the greens and they will get overcooked, and even mushy.

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Thanks for stopping by! 

xo Anna and Liz