This Broccoli Sausage Pasta is one of my favorite weeknight dinners. Easily mix protein, veggies and pasta into a delicious dish that adults and kids will love.
If you are looking for other easy pasta dishes, try this asparagus lemon garlic pasta or this creamy tuscan chicken pasta.
20 minutes
Extremely easy
Quick Look: Broccoli Sausage Pasta
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 👩🍳 Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 🕖 Total Time: 20 minutes
- 🍝 Servings: 4 servings
- ⚡️ Calories: 576 calories per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cooking Method: All on the stovetop
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: Chicken sausage, broccoli, and pasta
- ⭐️ Difficulty: Very easy! Great for a quick weeknight dinner
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Kayla left this 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“This is so yummy!! And easy!! Made this after a day of traveling because I wanted something homemade but with a veggie and also cozy. Will definitely be making again!”
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 20 minutes – This broccoli sausage pasta only has 5 minutes of prep time and only takes 15 minutes to cook. Dinner will be ready and on the table in hardly any time at all!
- Easy to reheat for leftovers – This broccoli sausage pasta dish is just as tasty for leftovers. You could even make a double batch for meal prep.
- A satisfying and hearty meal – With a good mix of veggies, carbs, and protein, this pasta dish will keep you full for hours.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients you need to make this broccoli sausage pasta. For a full list of ingredients and amounts, please head to the full recipe.
- Pasta – I like the orecchiette, sometimes called little ears, pasta shape for this recipe but feel free to use whatever you prefer or have on hand. Fusilli or farfalle are other great choices. Cook pasta al dente so that it has a nice bite when mixed with the other ingredients.
- Broccoli Florets – If you want to make this recipe even easier, you can buy pre-cut fresh broccoli florets. You can even use frozen broccoli, but it will cook very very quickly so I would cook separately and mix in at the end.
- Chicken Sausage – I like to use Italian sausage in this dish but you can use whatever flavor you prefer.
- Heavy Cream – Heavy cream helps make the deliciously creamy sauce which is a huge contributor to the comfort factor of this dish.
If you are looking for another pasta dish to try, try this stuffed shells with meat or this penne alla vodka.
How to make Broccoli Sausage Pasta
Step 1: Boil water for the pasta and cut up all ingredients for the dish. Saute the garlic and sausage.
Step 2: Cook the sausage until browned and add butter, heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
Step 3: Cook the broccoli and then transfer the cooked pasta and broccoli into the skillet with the chicken sausage and sauce.
Step 4: Toss to combine and pour in the reserved pasta water. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Mad’s Expert Tips for the Best Broccoli Sausage Pasta 🍝
- Use pre-cut broccoli for a quicker prep time– save a little bit more time in the kitchen by using pre-cut broccoli florets.
- Don’t skip the reserved pasta water – this starchy water makes such a difference in the consistency of the sauce versus using fresh water!
- Keep a close eye on your pasta – don’t be afraid to pull a piece of pasta out to try and see how done it is! You will want it a little under cooked though since it will finish cooking once everything is mixed together.
If you’re looking for more chicken sausage recipes, try this chicken apple sausage sheet pan supper or this sheet pan sausage and peppers.
Recipe FAQs
What type of pasta works best?
Short and hearty pasta shapes like orecchiette, penne, or fusilli pair well with the broccoli florets and cut up sausage.
Can you make it creamy?
Yes, this recipe uses heavy cream and butter, making it creamy and extra delicious.
Can you make it in one pot?
Because the pasta needs to boil in water, this recipe requires one pot and another pan to cook all other ingredients.
Storage and reheating
Allow this broccoli sausage pasta to cool completely. Then, store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
You can reheat it on the stove but just add a little bit of water and parmesan cheese to refresh the sauce.
Try this pasta with pancetta and peas next for another family-friendly weeknight pasta!
Other Easy Pasta Recipes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
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Recipe
Broccoli Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry pasta – I like orecchiette shape for this recipe – reserve ⅓ cup pasta water.
- 12 oz broccoli florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 12-16 oz Italian seasoned chicken sausage
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Boil heavily salted water for pasta. While the water comes to a boil, mince the garlic, cut the sausage into ¼” thick slices, and cut the florets into small pieces.
- When the water gets close to boiling, heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add the garlic to the pan, saute for just a couple minutes and add the sausage to the pan.
- Drop the pasta in the pot to boil and continue cooking the sausage until browned. Add butter into the skillet and toss until melted. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the heavy cream and grated parmesan cheese. Mix until evenly combined.
- When the pasta has 2 minutes left to cook, reserve ⅓ cup pasta water and add the chopped broccoli to the boiling water. Transfer the cooked pasta and broccoli into the skillet with the chicken sausage and sauce.
- Toss to combine and pour in the pasta water. Continue cooking for another minute or so and then serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Recipe Notes
- Save a little bit more time in the kitchen by using pre-cut broccoli florets.
- Don’t skip the reserved pasta water! This starchy water makes such a difference in the consistency of the sauce versus using fresh water!
- Keep a close eye on your pasta and don’t be afraid to pull a piece of pasta out and try it to see how done it is! You will want it a little under cooked though since it can finish cooking once everything is mixed together.
- This recipe can be made gluten-free by just switching to gluten-free pasta. Just follow the package instructions for cooking time.
- You can use any other type of sausage such as pork sausage, turkey sausage, or vegetarian sausage as a substitute for the chicken sausage. You can also use ground sausage.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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