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Orecchiette with Italian Sausage and Broccoli served in a white bowl and garnished with crushed red pepper flakes
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Orecchiette with Italian Sausage and Broccoli

This orecchiette with Italian sausage and broccoli is a quick, easy and filling dinner that your family will love.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword easy dinner recipes, pasta
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 598kcal
Author Elizabeth

Ingredients

  • ½ tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 pound Mild Italian Sausage casings removed, or use bulk sausage
  • 2 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoon Butter
  • 2 tablespoon Flour all purpose
  • 2 cups Whole Milk
  • 2 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese grated
  • 12 ounces Orecchiette Pasta cooked to package directions for al dente
  • 1-2 tablespoon Kosher Salt for the Pasta Water
  • 10 ounces Frozen Broccoli cooked to package directions, drained
  • Crushed Red Pepper for serving

Instructions

Prep Work

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
  • Remove the sausage from its casing and tear into small pieces, or use bulk sausage.

Make the creamy sauce

  • Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the sausage, stir, breaking up large pieces using a wooden spoon or a spatula. Cook the sausage for approximately 4-5 minutes, until browned, stirring frequently.
  • Lower the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
  • Add the butter to the skillet, when the butter melts add the flour and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring almost constantly.
  • Add the milk, and Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Stir, while gently scraping up any bits off the bottom of the skillet, continue stirring until the ingredients are combined.
  • When the sauce comes to a simmer, cover the skillet and cook approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the sauce at a simmer, if it starts boiling too vigorously, lower the heat.

While the sauce cooks make the orecchiette pasta and the broccoli

  • Drop the pasta in the boiling water. Cook the pasta to package directions for al-dente. Remember to salt the water and to stir frequently.
  • Before you drain the pasta, reserve about a cup of the cooking water, we'll use it later. Drain the pasta.
  • Cook the frozen broccoli to package directions. I use the lowest cooking time on the package, minus one minute. Drain the broccoli well.
  • While the pasta is still hot and steaming, add it to the creamy sausage sauce.
  • Add the broccoli and about a ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir well until the ingredients are combined and coated with the creamy sausage sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more of the reserved pasta water and stir well.
  • Taste the pasta; add salt, if needed.
  • Serve immediately with crushed red pepper and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 666mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 555IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2.1mg