Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage from Barefoot Contessa is a hearty and tasty pasta recipe. Orecchiette pasta, Italian sausage, broccoli rabe, and a significant amount of Parmesan cheese are combined in this dish. This recipe is perfect for a special occasion or a simple family dinner. In addition, it takes less than an hour to prepare and serve. Prepare to enjoy a hearty and delicious lunch.
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💓 Why You’ll Love This Barefoot Contessa Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe And Sausage
- It’s a tasty and hearty supper that can be made in just one pot.
- The combination of the peppery sausage and the slightly bitter broccoli rabe results in a flavor that is both nuanced and pleasant.
- The dish is simple to prepare and works well as a main course for a busy weeknight.
- Orecchiette pasta has the ideal form for grasping onto the broccoli rabe and sausage that is served with it.
- Your diet will benefit greatly from the addition of additional leafy greens if you do this.
- The recipe works wonderfully both for serving a large number of people and for making food preparations for the upcoming week.
- The next day, when you eat the leftovers, they have the same mouthwatering flavor.
What Is Barefoot Contessa Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe And Sausage Recipe?
Orecchiette pasta, Italian sausage, and broccoli rabe are tossed together in a sauce flavored with garlic and Parmesan cheese and prepared according to the recipe for Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage from the Barefoot Contessa’s cookbook, “The Barefoot Contessa.” After the sausage has been fried in a pan, it is subsequently combined with sautéed garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Finally, it is tossed with cooked pasta and broccoli rabe that has been steamed. The recipe is finished with some grated Parmesan cheese and, if desired, some extra crushed red pepper flakes.
What Is Orecchiette Pasta?
Little ears is the Italian translation of the name for the pasta shape known as orecchiette. Made from durum wheat semolina flour and water, this pasta shape hails from Puglia in southern Italy. Orecchiette have a concave form that is ideal for trapping sauces and small pieces of food, and are roughly 3/4 of an inch in diameter with a slightly thicker rim and a thinner core. Sauces featuring fresh vegetables, garlic, and olive oil are common accompaniments.

🍝 Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/2 cup good olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound orecchiette pasta
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
How To Blanch the broccoli Rabe For Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe And Sausage?
For the dish for Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage, the blanching process for the broccoli rabe is as follows:
- It is important to remove any dirt or debris from the broccoli rabe by rinsing it in cold water.
- Start the cooking process by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In the meantime, fill a large dish with ice water and set it aside.
- After the water has come to a boil, add the broccoli rabe and blanch it for two to three minutes, or until it has turned a vibrant green color and the stems have become just little soft.
- Take the broccoli rabe out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon or tongs, and then immediately place it in the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the color.
- After the broccoli rabe has been allowed to cool, transfer it to a colander to drain, and then use your hands to gently squeeze out any extra water. The recipe can now proceed with its preparation using it!

🔪How To Make Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe And Sausage
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Cook the sausage, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until it’s browned and fully cooked. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a bowl, leaving the fat in the skillet.
- Add the olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Add the broccoli rabe to the skillet and season with salt. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the broccoli rabe is tender.
- Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 9 to 11 minutes or until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.
- Add the pasta to the skillet with the broccoli rabe and sausage. Toss everything together, adding enough of the reserved pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts, and serve hot.
💭Recipe Tips
The following are some helpful hints and suggestions for creating the Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage recipe from Barefoot Contessa:
- Blanch the broccoli rabe before sautéing the broccoli rabe, it is best to blanch it for a few minutes in water that has been brought to a boil and salted. This helps to remove any bitterness and makes the broccoli rabe more soft.
- Employ either sweet or hot Italian sausage you have the option of using either sweet or spicy Italian sausage in this recipe, depending on which kind of sausage you like. Use sweet sausage instead of regular pork sausage for a dish with less kick.
- If you don’t have any beef broth, you may substitute it with chicken or vegetable broth. If you don’t have any beef broth, you can substitute it with chicken or vegetable broth.
- Take careful not to overcook the pasta can easily become mushy if it is cooked for an excessive amount of time. Cook the orecchiette until it is al dente, which means it is just tender enough to bite into.
- Save part of the pasta water before draining the pasta, set aside some of the pasta water for later use. If the sauce gets too thick, you can use the water from the starchy vegetables to dilute it.
- Instead of pre-shredded cheese, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the finest flavor. This will ensure that the cheese melts evenly throughout the dish.
- Adapt the seasoning to taste before serving, give the dish a taste and make any necessary adjustments to the seasoning. You can season the dish to taste with additional salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes.

🍴 What To Serve With Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe And Sausage?
You may serve orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage as a main dish or as an appetizer with a simple salad and some crusty bread on the side. The entrée would pair nicely with a light and refreshing side salad, such as a mixed greens salad with a citrus vinaigrette or a fennel salad. You could also enjoy this dish with a glass of red wine, specifically a Chianti or Sangiovese.
The following actions need to be taken in order to properly store any leftover orecchiette, broccoli rabe, and sausage:
- Let the spaghetti to reach room temperature before serving.
- Place the leftovers in a container that can seal tightly or a plastic bag that can be sealed again.
- Put the bag or container in the cold part of the refrigerator.
- The maximum time that leftovers can be kept fresh in the refrigerator is four days.
- The leftovers can be frozen for up to three months if they are stored in a bag or container that is freezer safe and then placed in the freezer.
- To defrost leftovers from the freezer, place them in the refrigerator and allow them to thaw there overnight.
🌡️ How To Reheat Leftovers
You can reheat your leftover Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage in a number different ways, including the following:
- Microwave: Put the unused pasta in a container that is safe for the microwave, cover it with a lid or a wrap that is safe for the microwave, and microwave it on high for one to two minutes, stirring it halfway during the cooking process. Check the temperature and continue heating in the microwave for increments of 30 seconds until it reaches the desired temperature.
- Stovetop: Reheat the pasta in a saucepan on the stovetop by placing it over medium-low heat. The addition of a splash of water or broth to the pan and the subsequent covering of it with a lid will assist create steam, so preventing the pasta from becoming dry. While waiting for the pasta to reach the desired temperature, give it a stir every so often.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pasta in a dish that is safe for the oven, cover it with aluminum foil, and bake it for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is fully heated. It is also possible to add a splash of water or broth to the dish in order to assist in preventing the pasta from becoming dry.
Before serving the pasta, make sure to check its temperature with a food thermometer to confirm that it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. This is true regardless of the cooking method that you pick.
What is the difference between broccoli rabe and broccolini?
Although they share some visual characteristics, broccoli rabe and broccolini are actually two distinct vegetables. Broccoli rabe, sometimes referred to as rapini, is a bitter green vegetable. It features dark green leaves and skinny stems covered in little clusters of green buds that look like broccoli florets. Italian cuisine makes liberal use of broccoli rabe in dishes including spaghetti, sautés, and soups.
Are All The Parts Of Broccoli Rabe Edible?
Absolutely, you can eat every part of the broccoli rabe plant. In the kitchen, everything from the leaves and stems to the little florets is put to use. However, because the lowest section of the stem is sometimes fibrous and stiff, it is typically removed before the vegetable is cooked.
Can I Make This Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe And Sausage Ahead Of Time?
Orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage can be made in advance. Though the pasta will retain some of the sauce even after reheating, the broccoli rabe may lose some of its brilliant green color, so you may need to alter the seasoning and add additional liquid. The pasta and sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to three or four days if stored separately in airtight containers. When ready to serve, cook the pasta and sauce individually in a saucepan or microwave.
Barefoot Contessa Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe And Sausage Nutrition Fact
- Serving size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420
- Total Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
- Sodium: 580mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 48g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Sugars: 3g
- Protein: 19g