This Sausage Broccoli Pasta is tossed in a buttery garlic sauce with freshly grated Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon. I make it with Italian pork sausage, fresh broccoli, and orecchiette pasta for a flavorful dinner that's ready in 30 minutes.
I use fresh garlic cloves to give the butter sauce A LOT of robust garlic flavor, while the Parmesan adds a salty, savory finish, and the lemon juice brightens everything up.
Orecchiette pasta is my first choice because the little pasta shells catch the crumbled sausage and garlic-butter sauce, but other short pasta shapes work, too.
- Ready in 30 minutes: Everything comes together at the same time. The pasta and broccoli cook in one pot, while the sausage and butter-garlic sauce take turns cooking in a skillet.
- Garlic butter flavor: Fresh garlic, butter, and lemon juice create a simple, flavorful sauce without the need for heavy cream or white wine.
- Easy to customize: You can swap in your favorite Italian sausage, a different pasta, or adjust the garlic and red pepper flakes to your taste.
Sausage and broccoli pasta is a filling, satisfying meal on its own, but I like to round it out with my buttery broiled garlic bread and a fresh vegetable side.
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Key Ingredient Notes
- Orecchiette noodles are the perfect vehicle for scooping up the garlic butter sauce. Shells, penne, or rigatoni are good substitutes.
- Sausage - I originally tested this recipe using chicken sausage. While chicken sausage saves fat and calories, pork sausage adds SO much savory flavor, making it my strong preference! (Grab an extra package and make these Italian sausage stuffed peppers next.)
- Broccoli - Fresh broccoli is best, as frozen broccoli overcooks and turns mushy quickly in the boiling pasta water.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic cloves are a MUST. They're a game-changer for ultra-intense garlic flavor. I'm usually fine with saving time and using minced garlic from a jar, but not with this recipe!
- Parmesan cheese rounds out this Sausage Broccoli Pasta recipe perfectly! Grated parm is mixed into the pasta and sprinkled on top right before serving. Choose Parmigiano Reggiano for the best flavor and texture.
- Red pepper flakes are an optional ingredient. They add a lot of spicy heat, so only add them if you're into that! I only use a pinch.
*See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities needed.
How to make Sausage Broccoli Pasta
Recipe rundown
- Boil the pasta and broccoli until tender.
- Cook the ground Italian sausage.
- Make the garlic butter sauce.
- Toss the sausage, broccoli, pasta, garlic sauce, and parmesan cheese together, then add the lemon juice.
- Serve and enjoy!
Step-by-step instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, then add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt for flavor.
Step 1: Cook your pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. During the last 3 minutes of cooking time, add the chopped broccoli. Drain and return the cooked pasta and broccoli to your stock pot.
Step 2: Meanwhile, cook the ground Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through, then transfer it to your stock pot with the broccoli and pasta.
Step 3: Add the butter and olive oil to the same skillet that you cooked the sausage in. When the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Pour the garlic butter sauce over the sausage, broccoli, and pasta and mix well, then, mix in the fresh lemon juice.
Step 5: Toss the sausage broccoli pasta with as much grated parmesan cheese as your heart desires!
Step 6: Serve the broccoli, pasta, sausage immediately, and enjoy!
Expert tips
- Add more or less garlic. This recipe has a seriously intense garlic flavor! Use more or less based on your personal preference.
- Salt your pasta water. Add salt to your pasta water after it comes to a boil. The salt will infuse the pasta with flavor while it cooks.
- Steam the broccoli separately if desired. Cooking the broccoli on its own will result in larger-sized broccoli florets. Personally, I like to add it directly to the boiling pasta water to minimize the number of dishes, despite the fact that it tends to break into smaller pieces this way. I also use this broccoli cooking technique in my chicken broccoli potato casserole recipe.
- Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, but don't chop it too small. You want the broccoli small enough to eat in a single bite, but not so small that it turns to mush while it's cooking.
Recipe variations and substitutions
- Use macaroni, ziti, farfalle, rigatoni, or penne pasta in place of the orecchiette shells.
- If crumbly pork sausage isn't available, use uncooked sausage links in the casing. Slice the casing open and squeeze the sausage out. While it's cooking, break it up into a crumbly texture.
- Choose mild, sweet, or hot Italian sausage.
How to store, freeze, and reheat
- How to store: Store leftover sausage broccoli pasta in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- How to reheat: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in one-minute intervals until warmed through, stirring between each minute. Alternatively, reheat leftovers on the stovetop in a small saucepan over low heat.
- How to freeze: Transfer cooled pasta to a plastic freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
Serve Sausage Broccoli Pasta with salad, baguette garlic bread, fresh dinner rolls, or sautéed veggies.
Here are a few of my favorites!
FAQs
Yes, fresh broccoli is best. Frozen broccoli will become too soft and mushy when it boils with the pasta.
Use hot Italian sausage and add red pepper flakes for a spicy broccoli sausage pasta dish.
Yes, sausage links or sausage patties will work if that is all you have. Chop them up into very small pieces and cook as directed.
After multiple rounds of testing the recipe, I found that no matter what I did, the lemon juice consistently caused the freshly minced garlic to turn a bright blue. This happens due to the presence of sulfur compounds and an enzyme called alliinase. When these compounds are exposed to an acid, such as lemon juice, they react, resulting in the blue coloration of the garlic. Despite its unappetizing appearance, the taste remains the same, and the garlic remains safe to eat. I prefer to avoid this reaction completely and add the lemon juice at the very end.
Why is this recipe made with orecchiette pasta?
Orecchiette tossed with sausage and broccoli is the traditional way to make this Italian pasta recipe. Orecchiette translates to "little ears" in Italian, which describes the pasta's unique shape. They're perfect for scooping up buttery garlic sauce!
If you tried this Sausage Broccoli Pasta Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sausage Broccoli Pasta (30-Minute Meal)
Sausage Broccoli Pasta is a classic Italian main dish whipped up in 30 minutes using just 8 main ingredients. Savory ground pork sausage, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and garlic butter sauce combine to make an absolutely irresistible weeknight meal!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: ~8 servings
- Category: lunch, dinner
- Method: stove top cooking
- Cuisine: Italian American
Ingredients
- 1 lb. orecchiette pasta
- 4 cups chopped broccoli florets (1-2 heads)
- 1 lb. Italian pork sausage (crumbly)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 large cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Optional: Kosher salt for the pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, then add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt for flavor.
- Cook your pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. During the last 3 minutes of cooking time, add the chopped broccoli. Drain and return the cooked pasta and broccoli to your stock pot.
- Meanwhile, cook the ground Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through, then drain any excess fat and transfer it to your stock pot with the broccoli and pasta.
- Add the butter and olive oil to the same skillet that you cooked the sausage in. When the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Pour the garlic butter sauce over the sausage, broccoli, and pasta and mix well, then, mix in the fresh lemon juice.
- Toss the sausage broccoli pasta with the grated parmesan cheese.
- Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftover sausage broccoli pasta in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- This recipe has a seriously intense garlic flavor! Use more or less based on your personal preference.
- Add salt to your pasta water after it comes to a boil. The salt will infuse the pasta with flavor while it cooks.
- Steam the broccoli separately if desired. Cooking the broccoli on its own will result in larger-sized broccoli florets. Personally, I like to add it directly to the boiling pasta water to minimize the number of dishes, despite the fact that it tends to break into smaller pieces this way.
- Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, but don't chop it too small. You want the broccoli small enough to eat in a single bite, but not so small that it turns to mush while it's cooking.
- The nutrition information shown below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 458
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 433.1 mg
- Fat: 20.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 46.5 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 66.9 mg
Katie says
Full of flavor! My family loves it!