Description
This One-Pot Lemony Pasta with Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, and Burrata is a vibrant Italian-American main course combining tender pasta, savory Italian sausage, and slightly bitter broccoli rabe, all brightened with fresh lemon and finished with creamy burrata cheese. It’s a comforting yet fresh meal that comes together quickly using a single pot, making cleanup easy and the flavors meld beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 12 ounces short pasta (such as orecchiette or rigatoni)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe (trimmed and chopped)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 8 ounces burrata cheese (torn into pieces)
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain and set pasta aside.
- Brown Sausage: In the same pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked, about 6–8 minutes.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the browned sausage and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook Broccoli Rabe: Stir in the chopped broccoli rabe and cook until wilted and tender, about 3–4 minutes.
- Combine and Sauce: Return the drained pasta to the pot, then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and a splash of the reserved pasta water to create a light sauce. Stir to combine, adding more pasta water if needed.
- Season: Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- Finish and Serve: Top the pasta with torn burrata cheese and garnish with fresh basil or parsley before serving.
Notes
- If broccoli rabe is too bitter, blanch it in boiling water for 1–2 minutes before sautéing.
- Kale or spinach can be substituted for broccoli rabe if preferred.
- Both mild and spicy Italian sausage varieties work well in this recipe.
