Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli
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Packed with flavor and easy to make, this orecchiette pasta dish is a longtime favorite—the whole family gobbles it up, broccoli and all!
Sometimes it seems impossible to make a meal that pleases the whole family. What one child happily eats, the other one is “not in the mood for.” But every once in a while, I come upon a recipe that everyone lvoes, like this orecchiette pasta dish adapted from Lidia’s Italian Table by Lidia Bastianich. Not only is it quick and easy to make—25 minutes tops—but the whole family devours it, broccoli and all.
Table of Contents
“My whole family loves this (even my 5 year old who doesn’t typically like pasta). It’s so nice to have an easy go-to meal for the middle of the week that my small children get excited about and so does my husband. Thank you!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Orecchiette With Sausage & Broccoli
Orecchiette is named for its shape, which resembles a small ear (the Italian word orecchiette means small ear). If you can’t find it, it’s fine to substitute another pasta, like farfalle or fusilli.
Italian sausage is a great ingredient to have on hand for weeknight dinners. Not only is it quick and easy to cook, but it’s also flavored with a variety of aromatics, herbs and spices, such as garlic and fennel, which add depth and complexity to pasta dishes without the need for a lot of additional seasoning. This makes it an easy and convenient way to add flavor to pasta dishes, such as baked ziti and lasagna. Buy bulk sausage, or sausage meat without the casing, if possible (it’s often easy to find around holiday season as it’s used in stuffing recipes). Otherwise, just squeeze the sausage meat out of the casing.
Pecorino Romano is a hard, salty, and pungent Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk. It’s readily available in grated form in the cheese section of most large supermarkets but if you can’t find it, it’s fine to substitute Parmigiano Reggiano.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by cooking the pasta.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet and add the sausage.
Cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until the sausage starts to brown, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook a minute more.
Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, broccoli, chicken broth, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the broccoli is tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the butter until melted and simmer for a few minutes to reduce and concentrate the sauce.
Add the sausage and broccoli mixture to the drained pasta and toss well, along with half of the grated cheese.
Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl or individual bowls and top with the remaining grated cheese.
Video Tutorial
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Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli
Packed with flavor and easy to make, this orecchiette pasta dish is a longtime favorite—the whole family gobbles it up, broccoli and all!
Ingredients
- 1 pound orecchiette
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, removed from casings
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 pound broccoli florets
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette and cook according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic; cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, chicken broth, broccoli, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan to release the flavorful brown bits, until the broccoli is tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted and simmer for a few minutes to reduce and concentrate the sauce.
- Drain the pasta well and place back in the pasta pot. Add the sausage and broccoli mixture, along with half of the cheese, and toss to blend. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls and pass the remaining grated cheese at the table.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This dish can be frozen for up to 3 months and reheated on the stovetop. If the dish has dried out a bit in the freezer, add a little water or broth while reheating. Just take care only to reheat it and not continue to cook it.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 624
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Sodium: 692 mg
- Cholesterol: 51 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This. Was. Awesome! Made it for dinner tonight and it was a total hit. So much flavor! Can’t wait for lunch tomorrow to eat the leftovers! My teenagers gobbled it right up and both commented on how much they enjoyed it. Another one for the “keeper” file. Thanks Jenn!
Omg! This is easy Peasy & the bonus is, it’s absolutely delicious! My husband is Italian & he loved it.Once again, thanks for a great recipe Jenn! 👍😊
I made this over the weekend and it was delicious. My garlic seemed large, so I used only one, which was perfect…..and, I ran out of olive oil, so it got only 3 Tbls, but it was enough. When I reheated it tonight, I spritzed it with olive oil spray before reheating it and added more cheese on the top…..still delicious. I think I might use less pasta next time or substitute it with something a little lighter. This was heavy; almost like little dumplings. Maybe ditalini or small bowties?
Just made this as a quick dinner for my son and his family. Easy list of ingredients, I did it while watching a two-year-old, and it was delicious! Agreed that there is too much pasta, you could probably cut it in half.
Once again Jenn comes through
I just made this dish, for a quick lunch option and maybe enough to have for lunch at work. Delicious!! I didn’t change a thing and I’ll definitely make again. Thanks Jenn.
Followed the suggestions in the reviews to use 1/2 lb pasta and less than half the oil called for. My family would have liked more broccoli and I weighed out a pound of trimmed florets! Would definitely make this again.
Loved it!
Yummers!!
I’ve made this a few times for family and company, and it’s always a hit. My wee grandchildren absolutely love it!!!
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe 😊
This has become a go to meal for us on busy nights and it turns out fantastic everytime! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
This dish was fast, easy and good. I would not use oil to brown the sausage next time and I would only use about 12 ounces of pasta and not 16 ounces. Will be making this again.
Outstanding! I used bulk Italian sausage without casings and a 12 ounce box of pasta. Delicious! Will definitely make again!
Made this for the first time tonight. I’d add more broccoli next time and possibly another veggie such as quartered zucchini. I also added half a diced onion to the sausage while cooking. I used 16 oz pasta and had a lot left over. Very good flavor and relatively easy! Will definitely fix this again!
Great easy dish that has become a regular
I totally loved how easy and delicious this recipe was. The only sub I made was that I used broccoli rabe. This will definitely join my weekday recipe rotation.
It is 12 midnight and I just made this wonderfully different Italian dish ahead for my husband and son to eat tomorrow( I will be involved in a major organizing project 🙃). I couldn’t wait till tomorrow to taste it, delicious! I will serve this with a salad which I also made ahead and a wonder artisan bread. I can hardly wait to make this for my grandchildren when I visit them in Florida. I had already promised to make the spaghetti and meatballs which is their favorite. Thank you again for your wonderful tested recipes.
Hope they enjoy it!! 🙂
Recipe was simple and I enjoyed it. I think next time I might add some diced tomatoes and mushrooms
Jenn,
I’d like to make this for someone else but she doesn’t like Italian sausages because of the fennel seeds that they’re always made with! Can you suggest any other sausage/meat that would pair well with the pasta?
Joy
Hi Joy, You could use ground beef in place of the sausage, but the sausage is so much more flavorful! You’ll likely need to add some more salt and Italian seasonings to the dish to amp up the flavor a bit. Also, you could try andouille sausage here but keep in mind that if the andouille sausage is already cooked, you’ll just need to brown it. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you make it!
Do I need to add more flavoring if I use a plain sausage that’s not sweet or spicy?
No, Joyce, that shouldn’t be necessary. Hope you enjoy!
Easy and delicious meal. My husband and I enjoyed this meal so much. I did remove the sausage to a bowl with a paper towel to drain it, while I cooked the garlic with seasoning blend. I added a can of Campbell’s Healthy Cream of Mushroom soup with a 1/4 cup of Half and Half, and used veggie pasta. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
You changed the recipe significantly, so how does one value your rating?
I’ve made this several times now. My kids love it. It’s one of the very few recipes they ask for seconds.
Delish! I had this for the first time at a restaurant recently – actually twice at two different locations and was in search of duplicating it. They use broccolini so that’s what I went with – the second restaurant added fresh lemon juice so after trying this as is – which I love – I added a quarter of fresh squeezed lemon to it. I did not saute the sausage in the 1 Tbl. of olive oil, also reduced the oil by half in the sauce; and next time, will reduce the butter to 2 Tbl. This is my first time on your site and I look forward to trying many of your recipes. Thanks much!
I’m not really sure I agree with the common complains of bland, greasy and too much pasta. I found this recipe to be none of those things! An easy weeknight meal that can easily be memorized and ingredients swapped depending on taste or availability. I will probably omit some of the olive oil and butter next time and try the suggestions of adding lemon juice or white wine and add more broccoli because I like veggies. My partner would probably prefer more red pepper (easily added to the plate) or hot sausage. My new favorite recipe! Thanks Jenn!
This is so easy and delicious!! My husband and 11 year old son had three helpings. : )
We will definitely be having this again.
This is a nice dish with great flavors. In a effort to cut down on fat and calories, the next time I make it, because I will, I will use turkey Italian sausage, only 1/2 lb of pasta, add more red peppers flakes and black pepper, cut the evoo to 2 T total, and omit the butter addition. And finish it all off with a few squeezes of lemon juice. Thank you for a simple recipe that is easily adaptable.
This dish was absolutely delicious and so easy to make!! The only thing I did different was that I covered the pan for a few minutes after adding the broccoli so it would cook a little faster. I am 100% making this again and again!
Thanks for another great recipe, Jenn! Lots of great flavor from not too many ingredients, and super easy to fix. I’m looking forward to eating the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
Thank you so much for this great recipe! We’ve made this several times and every time we are amazed at how good it is! We always hope that they’ll be leftovers the next day, but there never are. The “ear” pasta is absolutely perfect with it, but you have to really look for it in the pasta section. All of the ingredients meld really well and you don’t really miss a “sauce” because the oil, butter, and chicken broth just taste great together.
It’s on my list of meal ideas for if I’m ever asked to make a meal for someone.
I made this dish and actually moaned when I tasted it. It is superb.
I have been an avid follower of Jenn’s for years but this is probably my most made recipe! I was craving pasta in my last pregnancy and gave this a go and have been making it every other week since! It’s the perfect balance of spicy/texture/flavor with minimal ingredients and effort that my whole family loves – picky toddlers included. Bonus points – I can happily get all the ingredients at Aldi! I save the pasta water so that if there is any leftovers, I can drizzle pasta water on so the texture is better when reheated for lunch.
Hi Jen,
I’ve been making this dish for at least 2-3 years now, and it is a favorite. I got inspired to change it up a little by another of your recipes that is a favorite of mine – the vegetable dish of zucchini and cherry tomatoes. I make this pasta dish pretty much as written except add zucchini and cherry tomatoes instead of broccoli. I sometimes use half spicy and half sweet sausage, and usually use farfalle pasta (just because I like it).
HI Jen!
How did you get the pork brown?? I didn’t have any crispies either!
Hi Sam, the pork will naturally brown as you saute it, but it won’t get crispy. Hope that clarifies!
My husband and I made this dish on Sunday and it lasted us 3 meals! We didn’t add the red pepper flakes since I’m breastfeeding and also don’t like spicy food and we couldn’t fit all the broccoli in our pan so only used about12 oz of it. We used whole wheat penne pasta instead. It turned out delicious!!! It’s definitely going into our go-to recipe list!
OMG, this was so good and we had a friend over who hates broccoli and loved it so much he had 3 helpings. This will be one of my go-to recipes going forward. I used 20 ounces of sausage since they only had links that I took the meat from, never too much sausage.
This recipe is simple and delicious. It was straight forward directions, simple and fresh ingredients, and came together beautifully. I am not a great cook, so I need to follow Jen’s pictures and advice to a T. Easy weeknight dinner but pair it with a great loaf of bread and a nice red wine and you’ve got a great dinner for company too!
Made this for company. Great flavour and presentation, will definitely make again,
This dish is absolutely delicious! I substituted Al Fresco sweet Italian chicken sausage to cut back on the fat and it was so good! It’s quick and easy to make and the little ears pasta is adorable! Thanks for another winner, Jenn!
This recipe is fantastic! Both my husband and I love it so I make it often. It’s easy to prepare and the leftovers never last long as it is just as good as the day it was made
Great recipe and quick for after-work nights. I used hot Italian sausage and my family likes the broccoli a little softer (instead of crisp tender), so I steamed it before adding. The whole pound of pasta was starting to overwhelm the dish when adding, so I didn’t add it all (added about 3/4th of total). Loved it!
One of the very best pasta dishes I have ever eaten!!
This recipe is fabulously delicious. I make it often and the leftovers never last long as they are eaten cold right from the fridge. I also like to wilt baby spinach into the pan at the end for added vitamins.
This dish was to die for! My husband and I both kept commenting between bites! I will make again and again.
I love this dish and have made it several times. We have made it up at our ski house on a Friday night, because it is so easy to put together after we arrive. Lots of flavor and very satisfying.
Made this tonight
Added fresh basil
Loved it
This dish is so delicious, but my niece suggested that when serving, she
Adds a lemon wedge to each plate. The fresh lemon juice puts the flavor
Over the top! I tried it both without and with….she is so right.
Your recipes never disappoint! I love that I can try something for the first time with guests and know it will be perfect. This recipe is a standard at my house now. Absolutely no changes. It’s perfect and so easy to throw together. Thank you for sharing your gift!
The flavor in this dish was great. I followed the recipe as listed but tried to get “fancy” and used orecchiette from an Italian market. Not necessary! The fancy pasta was a little puffier and more gummy than we’re used to. Next time, I will just get a box from the grocery store!
I made this recipe tonight. I agree with others that 1/2 lb of pasta is more than enough for at least 5 people….maybe 6 depending on appetites. It was really good. The only thing that I would do differently is to drain the fat from the sausage before adding chicken broth. Less fat is always good! Thanks Jen for a great recipe!
Very nice and so simple. Used gluten free rotini (celiac) & turkey/spinach sausages (because that’s what I had on hand). Loved it.
Delicious and easy! We had a previous recipe for a sausage and broccolini pasta dish and found this one to be much easier to make and the sauce more flavorful. Make sure you use good quality sausage as it is a major factor in the taste of your dish. I also agree with others who thought there was a little too much pasta. I held one cup back and thought that was the perfect amount. This will be a frequent dinner in our house! Yum!
Whole family loved it. Only thing I would change is the recipe makes ALOT. I would cut pasta in 1/2. I was only making for 2 and we have a ton of leftovers!!
Absolutely love this recipe! I’ve been making a recipe like this for quite sometime, and now I’ve mastered it.
*My only tip is to add pasta per dish, so it doesn’t get soggy and absorb all the sauce.*
I make this at least 2-3 times a month. Kids LOVE it. Sometimes I serve for casual Sunday dinner with guests and ALL ask for the recipe. I make it just as recipe says but I do typically let the sauce simmer a bit longer as I get everything else together. Also maybe a few extra red pepper flakes.
This recipe is in my regular dinner rotation. It is one of my favorites! It is quick, hearty, and delicious. Sometimes I cut back on the olive oil a bit. I buy the bulk Italian sausage so I don’t have to remove from the casings.
My husband (of 33 yrs) actually thinks I am a good cook ever since I’ve been making your recipes (about 3 yrs)! I LOVE this recipe but my hubby does NOT like broccoli so I substituted broccolini and he now likes it too! Thank you!!!
This recipe is a winner. It’s fast, easy, and delicious.
This has become a weekly staple in our house! Delicious every time!
My husband raved! Said we are never going out to eat again if I cook like this. Restaurant quality. Had to use Asiago as my store was out of Pecorino. Delicious! Definitely making this again.