This Italian sausage and broccoli rabe is made by pan-frying sausage and sautéing broccolini with oil, garlic, and pepper flakes. A simple and easy weeknight meal.
Adapted from Melissa Hamilton | Christopher Hirsheimer | Canal House No. 8: Pronto | Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2013
In this Italian sausage with broccoli rabe, as with most rustic Italian suppers, frugality and practicality come together in a spectacular yet simple collision of tastes that requires little fuss. It’s barely a recipe and more like a this blueprint for weeknight salvation.–Renee Schettler Rossi
Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
- Quick Glance
- 25 M
- 45 M
- Serves 4
Ingredients
Email Grocery ListIngredients sent!
Send Grocery List
Email the grocery list for this recipe to:
Is required
Is required
- For the Italian sausage
- 1 coil Italian sausage (1 1/2 to 2 pounds) (or substitute links)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Scant 1/4 cup cold water, plus more as needed
- For the broccoli rabe
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe* (rapini) or broccolini* (see * below)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup cold water
Directions
- Cook the Italian sausage
- 1. Prick the sausage in a few places with the tip of a sharp knife to keep the casing from splitting as it cooks.
- 2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy, large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and almost all of the water, cover, and cook until the sausage begins to brown on the bottom, about 15 minutes.
- 3. Carefully turn the sausage over and, if the skillet is dry, add a splash more water. Cover and continue to cook until the sausage begins to brown on the other side, about 10 minutes.
- 4. Uncover and keep cooking until the water evaporates and the sausage is well browned and cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. (The sausage will brown quickly once the water evaporates. You can nudge the sausage a little here and there during cooking to be certain it doesn’t stick to the skillet.)
- Cook the broccoli rabe
- 5. Meanwhile, trim the thick stems from the broccoli rabe or Broccolini and discard or reserve for another use. Rinse the broccoli rabe or Broccolini and shake off any excess water.
- 6. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook just until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe or broccolini, a generous pinch salt, and the water, cover, and cook, turning the broccoli rabe or broccolini as it begins to wilt, until it’s tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes.
- 7. Uncover and cook until the water evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes. Drizzle with oil and season to taste with salt.
- Serve the Italian sausage and broccoli rabe
- 8. Pile the sausage and broccoli rabe together, either moving everything to a skillet and taking that to the table or transferring everything to a platter. Serve warm. (Any leftovers work marvelously when chopped and tossed with freshly cooked pasta.) Originally published May 14, 2014.
*What You Need To Know About Broccoli Rabe
- Broccoli rabe. Rapini. Broccoletti. Broccolini. Pretty much the same thing. Just a public service announcement in case you’re wondering “brocco-what?!” as you wander the produce aisles of your grocery store.