SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS PASTA WITH BROCCOLI

Sausage and Peppers Pasta With Broccoli image

The classic Italian combination of sausage and peppers creates a satisfying and easy weeknight meal when combined with pasta. Broccoli is a fantastic nutritious addition that adds texture and cooks up quickly, or you can opt for broccolini or broccoli rabe if you want a more assertive vegetable. Sweet Italian pork sausage is used here, but there's no need to feel tied to the recipe: Substitute with spicy Italian sausage for extra heat, use chicken-apple sausage for a healthier take, or swap in fresh chorizo or breakfast sausage to turn this dinner into brunch.

Provided by Kay Chun

Categories dinner, easy, lunch, quick, weeknight, pastas, main course

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
1 pound broccoli, cut into 1 1/2-inch florets (about 4 cups)
2 medium yellow bell peppers (12 ounces), cored, seeded and thinly sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and pepper
1 pound rigatoni
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces), plus more for serving
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Steps:

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat using a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the broccoli, peppers and garlic to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until they soften and begin to brown, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain the pasta. Return the pasta and reserved cooking water to the pot over low heat. Add the broccoli mixture, cooked sausage and its accumulated juices, 1/2 cup Parmesan, the lemon juice and red-pepper flakes and stir vigorously until liquid is slightly thickened and saucy, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the pasta with additional Parmesan for sprinkling on top.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 981, UnsaturatedFat 30 grams, Carbohydrate 99 grams, Fat 48 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 41 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 1080 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams