Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe The Perfect Italian Pasta Recipe

You’ll love this recipe because it’s easy, comforting, and nutritious. Plus, we’ll show you how to transform it into a satiating high-protein vegetarian meal by adding plant-based sausage. Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian and vegan diet.Don’t have time to read the full blog post? JUMP TO RECIPE HERE!

What are Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe?

Orecchiette with broccoli rabe video

Ingredients & Substitutions for Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

How to Make Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe

Serving Suggestions

Storage & Make Ahead

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Like most other Italian dry pasta types, orecchiette is suitable for a vegetarian and vegan diet as they are made with durum wheat flour, water, and without eggs. This orecchiette with broccoli rabe recipe will remind you of our Broccoli pasta and Kale pasta, two creamy, flavor-packed pasta dishes you guys loved! Like many of our other pasta recipes, this, too, will help you eat more veggies in a delicious, comforting, and simple way. Think of our cherry tomato pasta, tagliatelle with lentil bolognese, pasta e fagioli, hummus pasta, and pasta alla Norma. They are all delicious, wholesome and easy-to-make pasta dishes suitable for a hungry family. The broccoli rabe in this recipe, also known as rapini or cime di rapa in Italian, is a nutritious leafy green vegetable whose flavor will remind you of sautéed kale and broccoli. Here, we sauté rapini in olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes to soften its texture, remove the bitterness, and transform it into a delicious pasta sauce. We’ll also show you how to add plant-based sausage to boost the protein content of this dish, turning it into a tasty, complete, and satisfying meal with the perfect balance of texture and taste.

Orecchiette Pasta

You can find orecchiette in most supermarkets in dried form. They are made with durum wheat flour, water, and without eggs, and like most types of dry Italian pasta, are suitable for a vegetarian and vegan diet. Substitute fusilli, rotini, trofie, conchiglie, farfalle, and rigatoni for orecchiette.

Broccoli Rabe

You can use fresh or frozen broccoli rabe or rapini. Substitute broccoli florets for broccoli rabe. In this case, I’d recommend checking out our broccoli pasta recipe.

Extra virgin olive oil

We use extra virgin olive oil to cook the broccoli rabe and make the pasta sauce. Substitute regular olive oil for extra virgin.

Red chili peppers

Orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe is mildly spicy. You can use a finely chopped fresh red chili pepper for spiciness. Substitute red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for the fresh chili pepper.

Garlic

Fresh garlic. Crush it for a mild garlic flavor. Mince, grate, or press it for a more pronounced garlic flavor.

Salt & Black pepper

We recommend sea salt or kosher salt for the sauce and pasta water. Black pepper is to add character to the plant-based sausage.

Plant-Based Sausage

The traditional Italian orecchiette recipe with broccoli rabe adds anchovies for a rich, savory flavor. We prefer to add sausage to increase the protein content of this pasta dish and turn it into a main meal. We use plant-based sausage that we find in our local supermarkets. This way, we keep the saturated fats in check while adding nutritious plant-based protein.

Italian breadcrumbs

Apulia was a poor region where people couldn’t afford parmesan cheese imported from northern Italy until modern days. The locals relied on breadcrumbs toasted in extra virgin olive oil (abundant in the region) and garlic to sprinkle on pasta. We think that’s a delicious way of adding flavor and crunch while keeping the recipe dairy-free, so we recommend it. Substitute grated parmigiano reggiano, pecorino romano, or vegan parmesan cheese for the breadcrumbs.

Lemon juice (optional)

Lemon juice is optional. A squeeze on top is welcomed to add some freshness, but know that this is not common in the original Italian recipe.

Clean the broccoli rabe

Note: Skip this step if your broccoli rabe is already washed and ready to use or frozen. Trim and discard the thicker stems of the broccoli rabe. Rinse the leaves and florets with water to remove dirt and chop them into smaller pieces.

Sauté the broccoli rabe

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Add peeled and crushed garlic and a finely chopped red chili pepper. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the broccoli rabe. You might have to do that in batches if your pan is not large enough. Season with salt, add 1/2 cup of water, cover with a lid, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the broccoli rabe is tender.

Boil the pasta

While the broccoli rabe cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the salt, then the pasta. Boil uncovered as per package instruction minus one minute.

Prep sausage & breadcrumbs

Note: Plant-based sausage requires cooking separately because it gets soggy if cooked with vegetables. To a non-stick pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and a crushed clove of garlic. Peel the plant-based sausage, then break it into small bite-sized pieces. Add it to the pan, season with black pepper to taste, and sauté on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until browned outside. Set aside on a plate. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and a clove of crushed garlic. Add the breadcrumbs and sauté on medium-low heat for two minutes or until golden. Stir the bread crumbs mixture often with a wooden spoon. Tip: You can skip this step by substituting grated parmesan or vegan cheese for the breadcrumbs.

Toss the pasta with the veggies

Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, drain the orecchiette and add them to the broccoli rabe. Add 1/2 cup of reserved pasta cooking water and finish cooking on medium heat while stirring for about a minute or until there’s no more water in the pan. You can add more extra virgin olive oil if you wish. Make it a complete and nourishing meal by topping it with plant-based sausage and toasted breadcrumbs. Optionally, add a squeeze of lemon juice. When cooking the sausage in the same pan with the broccoli rabe, the sausage absorbed the cooking water and was too soggy for our taste. Cooking it separately with olive oil, garlic, and black pepper makes it crisp and gives it a meatier bite.

How to cook pasta?

You’ll need a large pot of salted water as follows:

8 ounces of pasta (230 grams): cook pasta in 2 quarts of boiling water (8 cups or 2 Liters) with 1 tablespoon of salt (15 grams). Serves 2 – 3 people. 12 ounces of pasta (340 grams): cook pasta in 3 quarts of boiling water (12 cups or 3 Liters) with 1 ½ tablespoons of salt (21 grams). Serves 4 people. 1 pound of pasta (450 grams): cook pasta in 1 gallon of boiling water (16 cups or 4 Liters) with 2 tablespoons of salt (30 grams). Serves 5-6 people.

Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 36 hours. Freezer: We don’t recommend freezing orecchiette with broccoli rabe. Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or on a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil.