Need to get dinner on the table but don’t feel like truly cooking? This Broccolini & Sausage Pasta will accomplish that mission. Six ingredients, just under 30 minutes & uses the most basic of cooking techniques. Can you boil water? Great! Can you turn your oven on? Even better. Can you add ingredients to a pan & turn them over after a few minutes? Of course you can! That’s how easy this recipe is! You’ve got this!
The star of this recipe is the sausage. Now if you follow along, you know these are plant based sausages, as that’s all we eat at Chomping at the Pic. Plant-based meat substitutes have grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years. While the industry is booming, I’ve still really limited by intake of these products as they tend to have a high amount of sodium (salty is not my thing). However, I saw these Italian Garlic & Fennel Sausages from Field Roast & had to try them. They taste amazing! Sure, they contain a larger amount of sodium than I normally consume but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t just the right thing for this recipe. Quick & easy sometimes requires a store-bought, prepared item. It doesn’t make a dish any more or less good (or bad for that matter). All things in balanced moderation right? Especially when they are this tasty!
Broccolini, broccoli rabe, broccoli? What’s the difference? I think we all are familiar with broccoli at this point. It’s a member of the cabbage family & tends to have a mild bitter, grassy flavor. Broccolini is often thought to be baby broccoli. Guess what, it’s not. It’ a hybrid of broccoli & Chinese broccoli. It is still part of the cabbage family & is even milder than broccoli with a hint of sweetness. Broccoli Rabe on the other hand is a member of the turnip family & has a bitter taste to it. They will all work in this recipe with cooking times varying slightly based on which you choose. Have fun with it! Use your favorite or try something new!
Speaking of variety, pasta options are endless. Shapes, sizes & now the ingredients themselves can make standing in the pasta aisle a lengthy experience. I chose these cute little rings called Anelli. Use whatever you have on hand. It all works! All of it! Gluten free, made with legumes, tall, short, ridges, holes. Seriously, all of it works!
Need some more quick & easy recipes. I’ve got you covered…
Roasted Broccoli & Kale Ricotta Toast
Roasted Carrots with Mint Pesto
Broccolini & Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 bundles broccolini sub broccoli rabe or broccoli (about 2 cups)
- 2 links Italian Garlic & Fennel Sausage
- 1 cup uncooked pasta of choice
- 1/3 cup grated vegan parmesan cheese
- 1 lemon
- 2-3 tsp olive oil
- optional: crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° & line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Trim the ends of the broccolini & remove any extraneous leaves. Arrange on baking tray & drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
- While the vegetables roast, bring a medium pot of water to boil & add desired amount of pasta. Cook until just ready following your pasta brand's recommendations for cooking time. Drain & set aside.
- Cut the sausage links into bite-size rounds. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a teaspoon of olive oil & add the sausage to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Reduce the heat to low & add the pasta & broccolini to the pan with sausage. Add half of the grated parmesan cheese & a squeeze of lemon. Cook for about a minute, tossing well to combine.
- Plate the dish with an additional sprinkle of parmesan cheese, squeeze of lemon & optional crushed red pepper flakes.