Spicy Sausage Broccolini Pasta

Spicy sausage broccolini pasta is the ultimate comfort food! This quick and easy pasta recipe is so simple, and the flavors are amazing.

You can use an Italian spicy sausage like Nduja or use normal sausage with the sausage casings removed and just season the dish with red chili pepper flakes to get the level of heat to your liking.

Jump to:

• What is the key to cooking good pasta?
• What is broccolini?
• Ingredients
• How to cook pasta with spicy sausage and broccolini
• Wine pairing for spicy sausage pasta
• Serving suggestions and ways to adapt this recipe
• Equipment
• Storage and reheating
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

What is the key to cooking good pasta?

The key to cooking good pasta is to use the pasta water in the sauce. The starch in the water helps everything cling to the pasta and forms an emulsion with the parmesan cheese and makes a creamy sauce, but there's no cream! I have got into the habit of removing a ladle full of pasta water from the pot and keeping it in a coffee mug next to the stove so it's always ready to use and I don't drain it all away by accident!

What is broccolini?

Broccolini (which is also known as tenderstem broccoli) is actually a hybrid variety that is a cross between Chinese kale and regular broccoli. Its long, thin stalks are a lot more palatable than broccoli stalks which are thick, dense, and often quite bitter to taste. The Brassica family of vegetables (which includes broccoli, kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts) is incredibly nutritious and contains powerful antioxidants, vitamins like Vitamin C and K, and a ton of fiber. These green cruciferous vegetables are a health goldmine. Love brassica recipes? Try my purple kale salad or this broccoli and Brussels sprouts salad.

Ingredients

One of the reasons I love making this sausage broccolini pasta so much is how easy it is, and it can be on the table in under 20 minutes.

1. Pasta: You can use whichever pasta shape you like, I prefer Rigatoni, Penne or orecchiette. A noodle like linguine or spaghetti will be harder to eat with broccolini though, so bear that in mind!
2. Sausages: I use Nduja spicy Italian sausage when I make this spicy sausage and broccolini pasta, which often comes as almost a spreadable paste that you can crumble up and fry until it's crisp around the edges. Alternatively, use normal sausages but remove them from their casing to achieve the same consistency.
3. Chilli flakes: You can adjust the spice levels in this spicy Italian sausage pasta to suit you, Nduja has its own spice but you can still add more!
4. Garlic: Food of the Gods! Fresh garlic is a favorite ingredient of mine, and I use it in copious quantities whenever I make this easy pasta recipe.
5. Broccolini: You can use either broccolini (tenderstem broccoli) or regular broccoli in this sausage broccolini pasta, but if using regular broccoli heads try and trim as much of the stalk as possible as it can be tough and bitter.
6. Parmigiano Reggiano: A strong Italian hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan) or Pecorino Romano cheese works best in this recipe. We need cheese with low moisture content and a nutty taste.
7. Olive oil: I like to cook with good-quality olive oil, which has a high smoke point and is a healthy fat to consume in sensible quantities. I generally don't fry with extra virgin olive oil, mainly due to the cost of it! I prefer saving extra viring olive oil for salad dressings or as a garnish.
8. Pasta water: A cup pasta water is the secret ingredient in cooking great pasta recipes, so always make sure you reserve some!

See the recipe card for all the quantities and full instructions.

PS. Feel free to go as heavy on the garlic as you like in this spicy Italian sausage pasta recipe, I know I always do.

How to cook pasta with spicy sausage and broccolini

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the pasta. Cook over medium and set the timer for one minute less than the recommended cooking time.
2. Fry the spicy sausage. Heat olive oil in a skillet/pan over medium heat, then add the spicy sausage in small 1-inch pieces. When cooked and crispy around the edges, remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
3. In the same pan, fry the broccolini for a few minutes until tender and slightly browned.
4. Add the diced garlic and return the sausage to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes as desired.
5. Add a ladle of reserved pasta water and the grated cheese to the pan and toss to form a creamy emulsion. Keep the skillet over medium heat.
6. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan and continue to toss the sausage broccolini pasta to coat everything in the sauce.
7. Add more pasta water/cheese as needed and remove from the heat and serve topped with freshly ground black pepper, extra cheese, and red pepper flakes.

Top tip: If you are worried about timing everything, cook and drain the pasta before starting everything else and keep it to one side, reserving a few cups of the starchy cooking water.

Wine pairing for spicy sausage pasta

Pairing wine with spicy food can sometimes be challenging, but a good wine pairing for Nduja sausage would be a Calabrian red like a Cirò Rosso as Nduja sausage is from the Calabria region of Italy. I also love a chilled glass of Gewürztraminer as a white wine to serve with spicy food like this spicy Italian sausage pasta.

Serving suggestions and ways to adapt this recipe

You could use shredded cooked chicken instead of sausage if you have any leftovers to use up.

Why not serve this spicy sausage and broccolini pasta with a side of delicious home-baked black pepper focaccia bread to mop up any delicious spicy sauce from the bowl? Easy beef cannelloni is another cozy Italian dish I love to make and mop up with fresh bread.

If you're in search of a dessert, I'd always recommend ending a meal with some freshly baked brown butter pecan cookies.

Equipment

You will need a large saucepan to cook the pasta and a large frying pan to cook this spicy Italian sausage pasta. Judge the size of the frying pan you need carefully as once you have added the pasta it is easy to spill over the sides! A ladle and a rubber spatula are always useful in the kitchen and allow you to remove and reserve some pasta water for using later and stirring everything together without damaging your nonstick cookware.

Storage and reheating

Store any leftover spicy sausage broccolini pasta in an airtight container in the fridge.

To reheat, toss in a frying pan with some hot oil and a splash of water. Alternatively, microwave in a suitable dish and stir every minute until piping hot. Consume leftovers within 2-3 days.

This spicy sausage and broccolini pasta dish does not stand up well to freezing.

FAQ

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