Orecchiette pasta with sausage, broccoli rabe, and roasted red peppers is my new go-to pasta! It's such a great mix of spicy, sweet, and crunchy, and can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. A weeknight game changer, for sure!
Use any type of sausage you like best - spicy or sweet - but don't swap out the broccoli rabe for another vegetable until you've tried it. Yes, it can be bitter, but by boiling it in salt water for a few minutes before adding it to the pan, you decrease the bitterness substantially. And it pairs so well with the sweet roasted red peppers!
Perhaps the best part of this recipe is that it's just as delicious at room temperature as it is served hot from the pan, so no excuses not to prep, cook, and bring the most delicious pasta ever into work this week. You're going to love this!
Recipe
Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage, Broccoli Rabe and Roasted Red Peppers
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6-8 servings
Description
Orecchiette pasta with sausage, broccoli rabe, and roasted red peppers is a mix of spicy, sweet, and crunchy, and is on the table in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed
- 1 lb. orecchiette pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ lb. sausage (sweet or spicy, either is fine), casings removed
- 1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup pecorino romano cheese, grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt, then add broccoli rabe and cook for 3 minutes. Use tongs to immediately remove the broccoli rabe and place in a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain and roughly chop. Set aside.
- Bring remaining water back up to a boil, then add pasta. Cook 11 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When hot, add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, for about 2-3 minutes, or until translucent. Add sausage, breaking apart with the back of a wooden spoon.
- When sausage is mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes, add the chopped broccoli rabe and roasted red peppers. Continue cooking until everything is heated through, another 2-3 minutes.
- Add cooked pasta to the skillet, season with 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and most of the pecorino cheese, then toss to combine. Serve immediately with extra pecorino on top.
- Prep Time: <10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
Lauren Clark says
I made this for a meeting and gave my son a taste. He was so disappointed that I was taking it, that I made another batch when my husband and son got home from hunting, and I got home from my meeting. For the second batch I used what I had which meant I substituted spinach and cheese tortellini for orecciette, onions for shallots, and 1/2 cup of red bell peppers instead of a cup. I used brocollini because I couldn't find broccoli rape. The first recipe was better! If you have had brocolini and it was bad, try this. Blanching and barely cooking is the key.
Enrico says
A recipe that must be tried absolutely!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Couldn't agree with you more! 😀
Holly says
I'm all about a 30 minute meal and this one looks so delicious! And your photos are just beautiful!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much, Holly!