Sausage and Rapini pasta – 5 Ingredient Recipe
Simple and flavorful pasta where golden-browned sausage meat meets the tender bitterness of rapini, enhanced with garlic and chili flakes. A quick recipe, perfect for a comforting dinner ready in 30 minutes.
A classic recipe from my repertoire for years—and for good reason!
I love the simplicity of this dish, which can be adapted to your taste. If rapini has too strong a flavor for you, you can swap it for broccolini. And if you like it spicier, just increase the amount of chili flakes. The pasta is also up to you—I went with conchiglie, but orecchiette would be great too. And be sure to choose good-quality sausages that aren’t too dense—this will make all the difference in flavor and texture!
Why make this recipe?
-
A complete and quick meal – Ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
-
Big on flavor – Savory sausage, the bitterness of rapini, and the heat of chili flakes all come together beautifully.
-
Super versatile – Swap the veggies or pasta to suit your preferences.
-
Lighter than you think – Rapini is high in fiber, and the dish is less rich than a creamy pasta.
-
Always impressive – Rustic yet elegant, perfect for hosting without the hassle.
-
Italian-style simplicity – Few ingredients, lots of flavor.
Note: To lighten things up, use poultry or vegetarian sausages, and reduce the oil to 1 tablespoon.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup (250 ml) of pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, remove the sausage meat from its casing. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the same pan. Cook for 1 minute, just until the garlic is fragrant. Deglaze with the white wine or a splash of pasta water. Stir in the chopped rapini, cover, and cook for about 3 minutes, until the rapini has wilted.
Season with salt and pepper, then put back the sausage to the pan. Add the drained pasta, along with a bit of the reserved cooking water if needed to help bring everything together. Mix well in the pan, then turn off the heat. Finely grate the Parmesan and lemon zest directly over the pasta.
Serve in pasta bowls. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with more Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.
SO good.
Bon appetit and enjoy!
You can also leave us a comment and share your experience with this recipe.