Casarecce Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

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Casarecce pasta with sausage and broccoli is a brilliant, simple weeknight dinner that is balanced, flavorful and features this fun pasta shape!

So, my husband loves Costco. Picture this: clothed from head to toe in Costco apparel, sipping a sparkling water from the 7 cases he bought on sale from Costco, lounging on the patio furniture purchased from Costco and snacking on the Jalapeno Lime tortilla chips from Costco. 💀💀💀

Needless to say, we are a Costco family. And not going to lie, I also have a strong affinity for Costco. The stellar quality produce, organic meat and dairy, the NATURAL CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER and a whole variety of reasonably-priced pantry staples. (if you want to see an example, you can check out my Costco haul here!)

And one of my favorites to snag from Costco is the variety pack of organic pasta. This 6-pack of pasta includes three types: penne pasta, gemelli pasta and casarecce pasta. All three are short pasta noodles and made from organic durum wheat semolina. This is what first introduced me to casarecce pasta and it has quickly become one of my favorite pasta shapes.

What is casarecce pasta?

Originating in Sicily casarecce is a shortcut twisty pasta that appears rolled up on themselves. The noodles have curled edges and a groove down the middle.

You can use it with virtually any type of sauce like a tomato-based arrabiata or marinara sauce, homemade pesto, meat sauces, creamy cashew sauce or alfredo sauce.

For today’s weeknight dinner spectacular we’re featuring casarecce pasta with a pasta sauce simply made from the oil from sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic, lots of fresh parmesan and starchy pasta water.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• Ratios: alright y’all let’s talk ratios. How many times have you made a pasta recipe and it’s like too…pasta-y? I know you know what I mean. For this meal we’re including protein and veggies in equal proportions so for every one pasta noodle you also get a bite of yummy Italian sausage, sun-dried tomato and broccoli.
• Simplicity: this meal requires a pot to boil the pasta, a skillet to sauté the sausage and veggies, fewer than 10 simple ingredients and less than 30 minutes. #winning
• Leftovers: you know when you haven’t even finished eating dinner and you’re already excited to eat leftovers tomorrow? Yeah… that’s this pasta. Italian cuisine is a staple around here because it’s not only delicious (duh, pasta) but it’s wonderful for meal prep/leftovers!

What you will need:

Casarecce pasta: Okay I think the easiest place to find this cut of pasta is Costco in the Garofalo variety pack. You can also find it in the pasta aisle of the grocery store or buy it right here online.

Mild Italian sausage: feel free to use chicken or turkey sausage or even shredded rotisserie chicken for protein. Chickpeas would be a great vegetarian option!

Broccoli: adding bulk, fiber, water and nutrients to the dish, broccoli pairs perfectly! You could use other fresh vegetables like asparagus, spinach, kale or whatever suits your fancy.

Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil: I like to get the julienned sun-dried tomatoes from Trader Joe’s since they are already sliced. If not, find them in the canned vegetable aisle of the grocery store. Make sure to get the ones in oil because we use some of that oil in the recipe!

Extra virgin olive oil: this is another Costco staple for me, the Kirkland variety is ranked really high in quality on consumer reports! (good price too)

Garlic: fresh chopped garlic adds incredible flavor to this pasta recipe

Red pepper flakes: pepper flakes add just an undertone of irresistible spiciness but if you’re sensitive to spice you can definitely leave them out.

Parmesan cheese: okay I know I’m being a diva here but puh-leeease buy a block/triangle of parmesan and freshly grate it. It is 928734x better than the wee little grated sticks of parmesan in the tub.

Dry white wine: pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and Riesling are all good options for deglazing the pan and scraping up all those delicious bits. If you don’t keep wine on hand or don’t want to buy a bottle just for the recipe you can use chicken or veggie broth.

Fresh herbs: finish the dish with a sprinkle of fresh basil or parsley.

How to make:

First, chop your broccoli into small florets. I like the broccoli pieces really quite small so they cook quickly and make this meal easy to eat, snagging up a lil baby floret with each tasty bite.

In a large stainless-steel skillet over medium high heat, add a swish of olive oil and brown the Italian sausage. Whenever you’re browning meat, make sure to leave her alone for a bit. She needs time to really caramelize and brown and that can’t happen if you’re stirring constantly, ya feel me?

Once the sausage is fully cooked through and has some nice color remove it to a paper-towel lined plate. Toss in the broccoli florets, making sure to coat them with the bit of fat left in the pan from the sausage. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until bright green and crisp tender.

Add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil and the garlic and toss together, sauteing for 1 minute until fragrant and irresistible. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Scooch the veg to the side and deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up all those glorious bits on the bottom of the pan (refer to video!)

Cook the casarecce pasta according to package instructions. If you’re using the variety from Costco, boil for 11 minutes until al dente. Wait until the last minute of cooking time and use a liquid measuring cup to reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. (you want to do this near the end when the water is starchiest!)

Add the sausage and cooked pasta to the skillet. Add the parmesan cheese and pour the pasta water over the cheese, encouraging it to melt into a yummy sauce. Toss everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with fresh basil and dig in. So much flavor!

Variation Ideas:

Here are a few ideas on how to make this recipe work for YOU and your fam.

• Make it gluten-free: simply sub in a gluten-free pasta type. I love using chickpea pasta for a protein and fiber boost or this brown rice pasta.
• Make it kid-friendly: this meal is really easy to serve deconstructed for picky eaters. Set aside a little bit of the cooked casarecce noodles and toss with a bit of butter or olive oil. You can quickly blanch a handful of the broccoli florets in the pasta water while the pasta is boiling so they have plain steamed broccoli instead of mixed with the other foods. Set aside some sausage and serve the meal as plain pasta, broccoli with butter and seasonings and sausage.
• Switch up the veg: this would be great with some chopped asparagus, kale or spinach in addition to or instead of the broccoli.

What to serve with this Casarecce pasta:

This meal is easily satisfying on it’s own but it’s never a bad idea to add an amazing side salad like the Baty House Salad or this simple arugula salad. And of course, the whole family will love a loaf of garlic bread.

If you love this popular pasta recipe you’ll also love these easy pasta recipes:

Spaghetti Arrabiata

Roasted Rainbow vegetable Orzo

Burst tomtato burrata pasta

FAQs

Watch how to make this recipe:

Really hope you all enjoy this one, let me know when you make it!

Casarecce Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

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• Author: Erica
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

A delicious fusion of casarecce pasta, Italian sausage, tender broccoli and the rich flavors of sun-dried tomatoes and garlic make for a fuss-free, super satisfying weeknight dinner!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1lb mild Italian sausage
• 10oz broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil + 2 tablespoons of the oil
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup dry white wine like pinot grigio or Riesling
• 3oz parmesan, freshly grated (about 1 cup)
• 10oz casarecce pasta
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• Fresh basil, for serving

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Instructions

• Chop your broccoli into small florets. I like the broccoli pieces really quite small so they sauté quickly and don’t overcook.
• In a large stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and brown the Italian sausage. After the meat is broken apart, let is sit for several minutes without touching so it has the chance to really brown and caramelize.
• Once the sausage is fully cooked through and has some nice color remove it to a paper-towel lined plate. There should bit a bit of fat remaining in the pan, toss in the broccoli florets, making sure to coat them with a little bit of fat. Sauté for 3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil and the garlic and toss together, sauteing for 1 minute until fragrant. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Scooch the veg to the side and deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up all those glorious bits on the bottom of the pan (refer to video!)
• Cook the casarecce pasta according to package directions. If you’re using the variety from Costco, add to a large pot of boiling salted water and boil for 11 minutes until al dente. Wait until the last minute of cooking time and use a liquid measuring cup to reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. (you want to do this near the end when the water is starchiest!)
• Add the sausage and cooked pasta to the skillet. Add the parmesan cheese and pour the pasta water over the cheese, encouraging it to melt into a yummy sauce. Toss everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with fresh basil and dig in.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
• Calories: 541
• Sugar: 3.4 g
• Sodium: 917 mg
• Fat: 20.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 62.3 g
• Protein: 24 g
• Cholesterol: 36.8 mg

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