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Meat, Busy evenings

Sausage and broccoli pasta

Sausage and broccoli pasta is a complete dinner for 4 people, ready in 30 minutes and rated very easy, at about €2.30 per serving. The trick is cooking the broccoli right in the pasta water and saving a bit of that starchy water to bring the sauce together with the parmesan.

Tonight, a one-pan dinner in twenty minutes, with pasta, crumbled sausage, broccoli and a little parmesan.

Sausage and broccoli pasta
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.30
Calories per person
710 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

This dish combines well browned crumbled sausage, short pasta that catches the sauce, and broccoli that softens and breaks down a bit in the pan, turning everything a light green. Parmesan brings the salt the dish needs, while garlic and a pinch of chili flakes wake up each bite without making it spicy for kids.

It is the kind of dinner you make on a Tuesday when you have half an hour before everyone gets hungry. One pan, one pot, no separate sauce to prepare. Kids recognize the pasta and sausage, and adults like that the vegetables are already built in.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Short pastaoften in the pantry 350 g
  • Red pepper flakesoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Fresh sausages 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Broccoli 500 g
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Dairy

  • Parmesan 50 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the broccoli into small florets and bring the pasta water to a boil.

    Slice the stems thinly too, they are just as good as the florets.

  2. Remove the casings from the sausages and crumble the meat into a hot pan with the oil. 8 min

    Break up the meat with a fork, it browns better in small pieces.

  3. Cook the pasta in salted water, adding the broccoli for the last three minutes. 10 min

    Save a cup of the cooking water to help bind the sauce later.

  4. Add the minced garlic and chili flakes to the sausage during the last minute of cooking.

    Add the garlic at the very end so it does not burn.

  5. Drain, toss the pasta and broccoli with the sausage and a splash of cooking water, then sprinkle with parmesan.

    Mash a few broccoli florets right in the pan, they turn into a light green sauce.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick short pasta with ridges, like fusilli or penne, they hold onto the sausage bits and the green sauce much better.
  • Do not drain all the pasta water, save a cup before you do, that starchy water gives you a creamy texture without any cream.
  • Let the sausage get really brown before adding the garlic, those browned bits at the bottom of the pan flavor the whole dish.

The variations

  • Swap the fresh sausage for plant based sausage crumbles for a vegetarian version, the rest of the recipe stays the same.
  • Use frozen broccoli florets if you are short on time, drop them straight into the boiling water without thawing first.
  • For younger kids, blend part of the cooked broccoli with a little cooking water into a smooth green sauce, it goes down easier.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with lemon dressing
  • Crusty bread to mop up the sauce
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

This dish keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, just add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the sauce. Reheat in a pan or the microwave, stirring halfway through.

Questions about this dish

Can I use pre-cooked sausage instead of fresh sausage?

Yes, cut it into small pieces instead of crumbling it and just brown it for a few minutes. It is slightly less tender but still full of flavor.

Can I make part of this dish ahead for a weeknight dinner?

You can cook the crumbled sausage with garlic ahead of time, then reheat it when you mix in freshly cooked pasta and broccoli. This way you are not doing everything at once at the last minute.

What cheese can I use instead of parmesan?

Pecorino or a well aged comté both work great here. Pick a cheese that grates easily and has enough character to season the dish.

How do I make this milder for kids who do not like spice?

Just leave out the pinch of chili flakes, the dish keeps plenty of flavor from the garlic and browned sausage. You can also add a pinch only to the adults' portions.

How long does it take to make a sausage and broccoli pasta?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a sausage and broccoli pasta?

About 710 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a sausage and broccoli pasta cost?

About €2.30 per serving, or €9.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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