Any way you slice it, weeknight cooking is tough. Even when you’ve meal planned and pre-shopped, those few hours before dinner makes it on the table always feel like a mad dash. Having an arsenal of dishes that are quick and easy to prepare is a must if you want to make it through the week without ordering takeout or succumbing to another bowl of Frosted Flakes.
My husband and I are all about a beginning of the week tilapia filet when it’s Sunday night and we realize we once again forgot to defrost anything. But the weeknight dish we both always look forward to is my Sausage-Broccoli Pasta. It requires just four ingredients, is packed with tons of flavor, and takes fewer than 30 minutes to make. We eat it just about every other week, but my husband still requests that we have it more. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that he’s said on multiple occasions that it’s my best dish. But for the sake of honest journalism and to prove to you that this dish really is that good, I’ll set my ego aside.
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What Ingredients Go Into Sausage-Broccoli Pasta
Pasta (I’ve used angel hair, linguine, spaghetti, and orecchiette, so really any shape will do)Italian Sausage (I’m partial to a hot variety, but mild will work)BroccoliGarlic
You’d be surprised at how far four ingredients (plus salt and olive oil, which are kitchen staples that don’t contribute to the ingredient count) can go in terms of flavor. The secret is that every ingredient packs an intentional punch.
Since there’s no “sauce” in this dish, the garlic and olive oil have a big role to fill—so don’t skimp on either. I’ve never measured either ingredient, but I always air on the side of more instead of less. I use at least 8 to 10 cloves of garlic, if not a whole head, every time I make this dish. And I add olive oil to every step of the cooking process, from cooking the garlic to stir-frying the broccoli to finally adding the pasta at the end. I recommend using an olive oil that’s high enough quality that you’d want to dip a crusty hunk of artisan bread in it.
The other ingredient that pulls double duty in this dish is the Italian sausage. Both your protein and a major source of flavor, be sure to pick one that has plenty of spices and can give your pasta a little kick. I’m partial to Aldi’s Hot Italian Sausage Links. It does require a little extra work to remove the sausage from their casings, but it’s well worth it for the depth of flavor. If you can only find a mild Italian sausage, consider adding a couple dashes of red pepper flakes to account for the loss of spice.
How To Make Sausage-Broccoli Pasta
Start by boiling about a half a box of pasta. This isn’t an exact science, but typically half a box of pasta is enough for both my husband and I to have generous portions for dinner, then take leftovers for lunch for the next day or two. Be sure not to overboil the pasta, as it’s going to cook a little longer with the rest of the ingredients at the end. You want to go for al dente or slightly under.
Cut one head of broccoli into small, thin florets. I prefer for my broccoli not to have any crunch in this dish, so cutting it into small pieces (about 1/2 or 1/3 the size of what you think of as bite-sized) helps to make sure everything cooks quickly.
Peel and thinly slice 8 to 10 cloves of garlic. It seems like a lot. It’s not. You could probably use more, but I usually give up by the time I get to 10. This is the most time-intensive portion of the recipe, but well worth the investment.
Add garlic and lots of olive oil to a pan. Let cook on medium heat for a couple minutes, then add broccoli and more olive oil. Once broccoli starts to get soft, remove sausage from casing and add it to the pan, breaking down into small crumbles using a wooden spatula. Once both are cooked, add pasta and more olive oil. Toss everything together, top with Parmesan cheese, and serve.
The next time you’re scrambling to think of dinner on a Thursday night, pull this easy recipe out of your back pocket and prepare to have a new favorite on your hands.
Another 4-Ingredient Pasta To Try
And if you’re looking for other simple, low-fuss, pasta dinners, this easy 4-ingredient recipe is another favorite.
Dining and Cooking