Rapini with Sausage and Pasta is an elegant Italian classic and one of my all-time favorite pasta dishes! Savory Italian sausage is cooked with garlic and a touch of red pepper flakes, then combined with tender rapini (broccoli rabe), orecchiette pasta, and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. It’s the perfect dish for a busy weeknight and easy to prep ahead of time for entertaining guests.
Simple And Sensational Pasta
This orecchiette pasta with Italian sausage and rapini is a twist on a classic from Puglia and a favorite in our household for years! The slightly bitter greens paired with savory, deeply browned sausage bits, heaps of garlic and red pepper flakes create an irresistible balance of flavors.
As for the pasta, the choices are limitless but orecchiette is a clear winner here—the deep little pockets capture all the flavorful bits in every bite. The trick is to allow the al dente pasta to finish cooking in the garlicky sauce, which is thickened by the starchy pasta cooking water and a pile of grated parmesan cheese.
We all know a quick pasta dish is a no-brainer for busy nights. But it is a major bonus when it’s high in protein, filled with good-for-you greens, and packed with loads of flavor. You’re going to love this one!
For more quick pasta dishes, try this ridiculously good Broccoli Pasta.
What Is Rapini?
If you’ve never cooked with rapini, this dish will be a wonderful introduction. Also known as broccoli rabe, rapini is a leafy green vegetable with small broccoli-like buds, and slightly bitter-tasting thin stalks and leaves. Despite its name and appearance, it’s more closely related to turnips than broccoli.
As for how it tastes, it has a slightly bitter bite, somewhat similar to kale, but with a sharper, tangier edge. Blanching helps tone down the bitterness, and once blanched, I like to cook it until it is tender and silky and reaches an almost butter-soft point. Delicious.
You can find rapini in the produce section of most major grocery stores, especially those with a well-stocked selection of fresh greens. Farmers’ markets will usually sell it during the late spring and summer months.
A Few Notes On The Key Ingredients
- Italian sausage: Sausage and rapini are a match made in heaven. Any variety of sausage will work here but I like to use Italian sausage which adds a lot of flavor to this dish. I typically buy a mild chicken or turkey Italian sausage but pork is more classic and even tastier. Spicy Italian sausage would be great but I add a lot of red pepper flakes so I stick with mild sausage. Tip: This pasta dish does not call for a lot of extra spices or flavorings so I like to really brown and crisp the sausage until it’s super crumbly. This not only ensures the sausage releases a lot of its flavor but the crumbled bits will distribute evenly throughout the dish.
- Broccoli rabe (rapini): Look for fluffy bunches with bright green leaves and firm stems for the freshest quality. If your broccoli rabe got a little wilty in your crisper drawer, you can revive it by soaking it in a really large bowl filled with cold water for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Pasta. Orecchiette, which translates to little ears, is the traditional Pugliese shape to use in this dish. Cavatelli is a similar shape that will also work great here. If you can’t find either of those shapes, a small shell pasta or small penne will be fine.
- Parmesan Cheese: For best results, use a good quality chunk of parmesan cheese that you grate yourself. Pre-grated cheese will not have as much flavor. I like to use a microplane to grate it really finely grated so it melts into the creamy sauce easily. If you don’t have a microplane, use the smallest holes of a box grater.
- White wine – Any dry white wine such as a Pinot Grigio will work here. If possible, use one you love that you’ll also enjoy with your dinner. If avoiding alcohol, use a splash of pasta water to deglaze the pan.
Variations
I don’t like broccoli rabe —> Use broccolini or kale instead. Simply give it a rough chop, add it to the browned sausage and sauté it for 1-2 minutes or until it has started to wilt and soften. Then, proceed with the recipe. You can also use broccoli and treat it just as if you were using broccoli rabe; blanch then sauté in pan.
Make it vegan —> This rapini pasta will be just as good with a plant-based sausage. Use a vegan parmesan cheese, or a bit of nutritional yeast.
Make it gluten-free —> It might be hard to find a gluten-free orecchiette pasta but any small pasta shape will work. I quite like all the Rummo gluten-free pastas and they have a good variety of small shapes.
How To Prepare Rapini
To prepare rapini, start by trimming off the tough ends and chopping it into smaller pieces to ensure even cooking and a more pleasant texture. Blanching it in boiling salted water for about a minute helps reduce its natural bitterness while preserving its vibrant green color.
Blanching also softens the stems and jump-starts the cooking process. While this may seem like an extra step, it super quick and convenient because we’re using the same pot of boiling water for cooking pasta.
I also like cutting rapini into smaller pieces which makes it easier to eat, especially in pasta dishes. The long, thick stalks and leafy texture can be unwieldy if left whole, so chopping ensures a better balance of flavors and textures in every bite.
How To Make Rapini With Sausage And Pasta
- Blanch the rapini: Roughly chop the broccoli rabe. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the rapini, and cook until bright green, 1–2 minutes. Using a spider skimmer or sieve, transfer it to a colander to drain. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Bring the same water back to a boil (it will be green—this is fine). Cook pasta until very al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Cook the sausage: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, 5–7 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 30 seconds.
- Deglaze the pan: Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute.
- Combine ingredients: Add the rapini, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 3 minutes. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of pasta water.
- Finish the dish: Add pasta and ½ cup reserved pasta water, tossing to combine. Cook over low heat for 1–2 minutes until the sauce comes together, adding more pasta water if needed (the pasta absorbs a lot, so you may use the full cup).
- Serve: Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan, and adjust seasoning. Divide among bowls and top with extra cheese.
Expert Tips
- If you like your pasta al dente like me then undercook it by 1 to 2 minutes so it can finish cooking in the pan.
- Reserve that pasta water! Aside from the wine, the starchy pasta water is the only liquid used to make a bit of a sauce so don’t forget to save it.
- Taste for seasoning. This recipe doesn’t call for a lot of salt because some sausages can be very high in sodium. That said, the pasta and the rapini can be a little bland so make sure to taste the final dish and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not going to lie, rapini can be a bit of an acquired taste because much like kale, it has a slightly bitter, earthy flavor. However, when blanched and tossed with garlic it can be downright addictive.
If you can’t find rapini, you can use curly or Lacinto kale. Simply rinse it and chop it into bite size pieces. You can skip the blanching and add it at the same time as the pasta. You can also use broccoli or broccolini but these will also benefit from a quick blanch.
Once the orecchiette, rapini and sausage are combined in the skillet, it is best to serve immediately. However, you can cook the component of this dish ahead, then toss together with the final steps just before serving. To do this, cook the al dente pasta up to 2 hours ahead; blanch and drain the rapini up to 2 hours ahead; sauté the sausage and garlic up to 1 hour ahead (or store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours). Don’t forget to save the pasta water!
This pasta with rapini and sausage is delicious for days! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. I often eat it cold like a pasta salad but you can reheat it gently in a skillet with a splash of water until warmed through.
More Quick Pasta Dishes To Love
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Thank you!~Sandra
Rapini with Sausage and Pasta
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe, rinsed and stems trimmed
- 12 ounces small shaped pasta, such as orecchiette or cavatelli
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed (I use chicken sausage)
- 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- ½ cup dry white wine (see notes)
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Roughly chop the broccoli rabe and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the rapini and boil until bright green, about 2 minutes. Leaving all the water in the pot, use a spider skimmer or sieve to lift the broccoli rabe out of the pot and place it in a colander to drain. Set aside.
- Bring the same pot of water back to a boil (the water will be green from the rapini and that's OK). Add the pasta and cook until very al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than the package instructions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until deeply browned and crumbled, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Pour in the wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the blanched broccoli rabe along with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 3 minutes, until the rapini is very tender. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of pasta water.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together and cook over low heat for 1–2 minutes, allowing the sauce to come together. If needed, add more pasta water, a little at a time, to keep the sauce loose. Tip: Pasta absorbs liquid quickly, so ensure there’s enough sauce pooling at the edges of the pan. You may need the full cup of pasta water.
- Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper, if needed. Divide the pasta among shallow bowls and top with extra Parmesan before serving.
Notes
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- White wine – Any dry white wine such as a Pinot Grigio will work here. If possible, use one you love that you’ll also enjoy with your dinner. If avoiding alcohol, use a splash of pasta water to deglaze the pan.
- If you like your pasta al dente like me then undercook it by 1 to 2 minutes so it can finish cooking in the pan.
-
- Reserve that pasta water! Aside from the wine, the starchy pasta water is the only liquid used to make a bit of a sauce so don’t forget to save it.
-
- Taste for seasoning. This recipe doesn’t call for a lot of salt because some sausages can be very high in sodium. That said, the pasta and the rapini can be a little bland so make sure to taste the final dish and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Recipe originally posted February 2017, now updated with new photos and more helpful information.
Joani C
Loved this recipe Rapini with sausage, garlic, broccoli Rabe, pasta & crushed red pepper flakes. Always wanted to try broccoli Rabe but didn’t know how to cook it. Thanks to you now I do. Great meal with some 🔥 to it.
Sandra Valvassori
Fantastic – so happy to hear this! Rapini is so delicious and it’s so fun to try new things. Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed it!