• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sugar & Snap Peas
  • Home
  • Course
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Sides
    • Salad Dressing
    • Marinades
  • Dietary
    • Gluten Free
    • Vegetarian
  • Cooking Basics
  • About me
  • Contact me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Snapchat
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About me
  • Recipes
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About me
    • Recipes
    • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Course

    Pasta with Sausage and Broccolini

    Published: Feb 19, 2022 by Katie · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a comment.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Pasta with Sausage and Broccolini is a crowd-pleasing dinner recipe. Not only is it filling, but it's also simple to make and covers your carb, protein and veggie servings all in one bowl!

    Pasta with sausage and broccolini is shown in a beige pottery bowl, a spoon is laying next to the bowl, a wooden bowl of extra parmesan cheese is in the top right corner and a red and white striped dish towel is in the top left corner.

    Whenever I'm short on time or don't have a dinner plan, pasta is my go-to dish. Pasta is versatile, cooks up quickly and the add-ins are endless!

    Whenever I make pasta, vegetables and protein are must-have. I just don't feel full and satisfied if all I've eaten is a bowl of pasta and sauce. I truly envy those who DO feel satisfied after a simple bowl of spaghetti.

    Pasta with Sausage and Broccolini fills you up thanks to the crumbled chicken sausage and the fresh broccolini. The flavor of the dish is enhanced with garlic, ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese.

    If you think you'll like this recipe, then you should definitely try my Pink Pasta Sauce with Ground Turkey recipe too! Both recipes pair well with my Garlic Bread and my Dutch Oven Overnight Bread.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Equipment needed
    • How to make
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Top tips
    • Pin me!
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Food safety
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make pasta with sausage and broccolini. Broccolini, dry pasta shells, parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, minced garlic, olive oil and sausage links are shown in the photo.
    • Macaroni shells- Many pasta, sausage and broccolini recipes call for orecchiette pasta. I find that orecchiette is not readily available in most grocery stores. It certainly wasn't in the stores near me! I swapped the orecchiette noodles for medium-sized macaroni shells. They are a similar shape to orecchiette and made the perfect substitution!
    • Mild Italian chicken sausage - I purchased a mild Italian sausage in casing and squeezed the sausage out of the casing. You can do what I did or purchase a pound of ground chicken sausage.
    • Broccolini - Broccolini is similar to broccoli, but has smaller florets and a long thin stalk. Flavor wise, broccolini is a bit mellower and less bitter than broccoli. Broccolini is NOT broccoli rabe though and you should not substitute one for the other.
    • Garlic - I used fresh, minced garlic.
    • Parmesan cheese - I used a fresh, grated parmesan cheese. Shredded would work as well if that is all you have.
    • Ricotta cheese - I chose part-skim ricotta cheese. Full fat would work fine too. I love the creamy texture ricotta cheese added to this dish. Not many other sausage and broccolini pasta dishes called for ricotta cheese. I loved the addition of ricotta!
    • Extra virgin olive oil - The olive oil is only needed to sauté the chicken sausage. Since it's not a main, vital ingredient, you could swap the olive oil for butter, canola or sunflower seed oil if needed. My post on substitutes for ghee is an excellent resource on different types of cooking oil.
    • Red pepper flakes - Crushed red pepper flakes are optional! If you like a little heat, then a small sprinkling of red pepper flakes on your finished dish will do the trick.

    *See recipe card for specific quantities and detailed instructions.

    Equipment needed

    • Large stock pot - This is needed to cook the pasta.
    • Medium to large sauté pan with a lid - You'll use this to cook the chicken sausage, garlic and broccolini.
    • Measuring cups and spoons

    How to make

    1. Make the pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta water and set aside.
    2. Cook the chicken sausage in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. At the end of cooking time, add the fresh minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
    3. Add the broccolini florets to the pan with the chicken sausage. Cover the pan and let the broccolini steam until tender, about 8 minutes.
    4. Remove the broccolini from the pan and set aside.
    5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage from the sauté pan to the pasta. Add the ricotta cheese and the parmesan cheese to the pasta. Toss the pasta, sausage, and cheeses together until well combined.
    6. Serve the sausage pasta in individual serving bowls with 1-2 broccolini florets on top. Top with additional parmesan cheese and and a pinch of red pepper flakes... if you like the heat! Enjoy!
    • Mild Italian chicken sausage is shown being sautéed in a pan.
    • Minced garlic is added to the pan with the cooked chicken sausage.
    • Steamed broccoli is laying on top of the cooked chicken sausage in the sauté pan.
    • A large stock pot of cooked macaroni shells, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and cooked sausage is shown.

    Substitutions

    All recipe creators would prefer that you don't make substitutions to a recipe. However, we're human and know that often times, substitutions are necessary! Here's a few ingredient substitutions that you could make if needed.

    • Sausage - You could replace the chicken sausage with pork sausage or turkey sausage. The pork sausage would have more fat, so you would want to drain the fat off at the end of cook time.
    • Broccolini - If you cannot find broccolini, then fresh broccoli or frozen broccoli would work as well.
    • Pasta - Instead of macaroni shells, you could use orecchiette, ziti, farfalle... really any kind of noodle that you prefer!

    Variations

    • Gluten free - If you need this recipe to be gluten free, use gluten free pasta and also make sure that any other packaged ingredients that you purchase are also gluten free. My favorite, tried and true gluten free pastas are the Bionaturae Gluten Free Pastas.
    • Vegetarian - Swap the Italian chicken sausage for a vegan sausage. I've never tried any vegan crumbly sausages before but I have tried Field Roast Plant Based Sausage many times. I find them to be delicious! They would be a great meat-free substitute.
    • Spicy - I have red pepper flakes as an optional ingredient. If you like the heat, then add some red pepper flakes! They definitely do the trick.
    • Extra garlic - Personally, I LOVE garlic and usually add extra garlic when a recipe calls for it. I know not everyone loves garlic as much as I do though so I held back a bit with this recipe. If you find you want more garlic flavor, then I would add some garlic powder to the pasta when you are mixing the sausage and cheeses in.

    Storage

    Store the sausage broccolini pasta dish in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

    Reheat the Pasta with Sausage and Broccolini in the microwave for 1 minute at time. Stirring in between minutes and adding additional minutes until you have achieved your desired temperature. You may need to add more ricotta cheese during reheating to make the pasta creamy again.

    Freeze for up to 3 months.

    Top tips

    • Generously salt your pasta water while the pasta is cooking. No other salt is added to this recipe so you'll want some salty pasta water.
    • To save time, purchase garlic that is already minced and in a jar. If you purchase pre-minced garlic, then this recipe requires zero chopping or dicing ahead of time!

    Pin me!

    Image for pinterest. The image is the main recipe photo with text overlay describing the name of the recipe.
    Print

    📖 Recipe

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Pasta with sausage and broccolini is shown in a beige pottery bowl, a spoon is laying next to the bowl, a wooden bowl of extra parmesan cheese is in the top right corner and a red and white striped dish towel is in the top left corner.

    Pasta with Sausage and Broccolini

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Pasta with Sausage and Broccolini is a crowd-pleasing dinner recipe. Not only is it filling, but it's also simple to make and covers your carb, protein and veggie servings all in one bowl! 

    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 8, 1 cup servings 1x

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 16 ounces medium sized macaroni shells
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 16 ounces mild Italian chicken sausage 
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
    • 8 ounces fresh broccolini (about 12 stalks)
    • ½ cup ricotta cheese
    • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • Optional: red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    1. Cook the pasta shells in salted boiling water according to package instructions.  Drain and set aside.
    2. While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat in a medium-sized sauté pan.  Add the Italian chicken sausage to the pan.  If the sausage is in casings, simply squeeze the sausage out of the casing. 
    3. Using a spatula, break up the sausage into small pieces while it is cooking.  Cook until no pink remains, about 5-7 minutes.  
    4. Add the minced garlic to the sausage and cook for an additional minute.  
    5. Lay the broccolini on top of the cooked sausage, cover the pan with a tight fitting lid, and let the broccolini steam until tender, about 6-8 minutes.  
    6. Remove the broccolini and sausage from the heat.  Remove the broccolini from the pan and set aside.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken sausage to the stock pot with the cooked pasta.  Add the ricotta cheese and the parmesan cheese to the pasta and sausage.  
    7. Mix the pasta, ricotta, parmesan and sausage together, until well combined.  
    8. Transfer the pasta to serving bowls.  Serve each bowl of pasta topped with the broccolini and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if desired).  

    Notes

    • Only add the red pepper flakes if you like the extra heat!  
    • If your sausage is in casings, simply squeeze the sausage out of the casings and straight into the hot sauté pan. 
    • Reheat leftover pasta in the microwave for a minute at a time, until desired warmth is reached.  You may need to add extra ricotta cheese when reheating to make the pasta creamy again.  
    • Author: Katie
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 minutes
    • Category: lunch, dinner
    • Method: stove top cooking
    • Cuisine: Italian American

    Keywords: pasta with broccolini and sausage, broccoli sausage pasta, sausage pasta

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag @sugar_and_snap_peas on Instagram - we can't wait to see what you've made!

    Food safety

    • Cook poultry to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    More recipes

    • Boil chicken thighs on a plate garnished with fresh thyme.
      How to Boil Chicken Thighs (Fresh or Frozen)
    • Small glass jar of Caesar dressing without anchovies with a spoon, lettuce leaves in the background, a striped towel in the background, and shredded parmesan cheese around the jar.
      Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies
    • Sliced spiral ham with maple dijon glaze, on a round plate and a light blue napkin.
      Dutch Oven Ham
    • Up close image of cooked Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian rolls.
      Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls

    Subscribe

    for your weekly recipe fix.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Search my Site

    Katie in front of a tree

    I’m Katie, the food blogger, recipe creator, and food photographer at Sugar & Snap Peas. I specialize in easy, budget-friendly, family recipes. My goal is to help you take the stress out of cooking and provide you with simple, creative recipes.

    More about me →

    Summer Recipes

    • Four sauerkraut and hot dogs recipe hot dogs, with mustard in a small white dish in the top right, onions in a small white dish in bottom left and more cooked hot dogs in bottom right.
      Sauerkraut and Hot Dogs Recipe
    • BBQ grilled chicken drumsticks recipe cooked and on a round plate, on top of brown parchment paper, a dish towel is in the corner and a basting brush with bbq sauce is in the top left corner.
      BBQ Grilled Chicken Drumstick Recipe
    • Summer tortellini salad in a large bowl, shredded parmesan cheese is sprinkled around the bowl. Extra ingredients are in the top left corner.
      Summer Tortellini Salad with Arugula
    • Pesto pasta salad with sundried tomatoes in a large mixing bowl, a tan napkin and silver serving spoon is in the background.
      Pesto Pasta Salad with Sundried Tomatoes
    • feta and white bean salad vegetarian in a white bowl, feta cheese in a measuring cup in the top right corner, lemon wedge on top, red onion in top left corner
      Feta & White Bean Salad (Vegetarian)
    • Mediterranean cucumber tomato salad in a round, white bowl, on top of a yellow napkin, fresh herbs in a smaller bowl at the top with a silver spoon.
      Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad
    • Overhead view of the Marinated Vegetable Salad on a large plate, with a blue napkin, and wooden salad tongs.
      Marinated Vegetable Salad Recipe
    • Potato salad without eggs in a large round white bowl, with a spoon, blue cloth napkin on the left, fresh parsley on the top right.
      Easy Potato Salad without Eggs
    • Grilled shrimp and chicken kabobs on a parchment lined sheet pan, lemon wedges in the top right corner and a yellow napkin in the top right corner.
      Grilled Shrimp and Chicken Kabobs
    • Bowl of Caesar Salad topped with cornbread croutons and shredded parmesan cheese.
      Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons

    Popular dinner recipes

    • Baked panko chicken on a plate with greens and lemon wedges.
      Crispy Baked Panko Chicken
    • Honey butter garlic chicken in a blue bowl, served over white rice.
      Honey Butter Garlic Chicken
    • Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken in a blue bowl with a fork.
      Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken
    • Up close image of cooked Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian rolls.
      Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls
    • Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs on a sheet pan with a fork and knife in the bottom right corner and a small bowl of BBQ sauce in the top right corner.
      Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
    • Cooked chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet, garnished with fresh parsley.
      Easy Dijon Chicken Thighs
    • Buffalo Chicken Thighs on a parchment paper, with a fork and knife in the bottom right corner and a bowl of blue cheese dressing in the top left corner.
      Baked Buffalo Chicken Thighs
    • Final image of the cheeseburger pasta skillet recipe, in a red cast iron pot with handles, a wooden spoon and garnished with fresh parsley.
      One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet Recipe

    Trending Recipes

    • How to make Pinwheel Sandwiches
    • Salmon pasta without cream in a large blue bowl.
      Salmon Pasta without Cream
    • Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs on a sheet pan with a fork and knife in the bottom right corner and a small bowl of BBQ sauce in the top right corner.
      Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
    • Teriyaki turkey and rice in a bowl.
      Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowl

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of use
    • DMCA
    • CCPA

    Newsletter

    • Newsletter signup coming soon!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About me

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Sugar & Snap Peas