Equipment
Ingredients
Produce
- 1 broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
- 2 yellow bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 3 garlic, minced
Meat
- 450 g italian sausage, casings removed
Pantry & Dairy
- 340 g rigatoni pasta
- 15 ml olive oil
- 50 g parmesan cheese, grated
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 g red pepper flakes
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 801 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbohydrates
- 84 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 944 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 16 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 86 mg
- Potassium
- 990 mg
- Calcium
- 253 mg
- Iron
- 6.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 104 mg
- Phosphorus
- 491 mg
- Zinc
- 4.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 65 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 231 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 106 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.88 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.80 mg
- Niacin
- 14.1 mg
- Folate
- 292 mcg
- Water
- 270 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare all vegetables: chop the broccoli into bite-sized florets, slice the yellow bell peppers and onion, and mince the garlic.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil over high heat.
Add the rigatoni to the boiling water and cook for 9 minutes, or until just shy of al dente.
During the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking time, add the broccoli florets to the boiling water to blanch them.
Carefully scoop out 120ml of the starchy pasta water with a liquid measuring cup and set aside, then pour the pasta and broccoli into a colander to drain.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned and reaching an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Add the sliced yellow bell peppers and onions to the skillet with the sausage, cooking until they are softened and lightly caramelized.
Stir the minced garlic and red pepper flakes into the vegetable and sausage mixture, cooking until deeply fragrant.
Pour the reserved pasta water into the skillet, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to create a light pan sauce.
Add the drained rigatoni and broccoli to the skillet, tossing vigorously to coat everything evenly in the sauce.
Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, season with salt and black pepper to taste, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Using the pasta water to blanch the broccoli saves time, reduces dishwashing, and slightly flavors the water, which in turn flavors the pasta.
- Do not discard the brown bits, known as fond, left in the pan after cooking the sausage. Deglazing with hot, starchy pasta water lifts this concentrated flavor directly into your sauce.
- For a richer and creamier finish, vigorously stir in a small 15g knob of cold unsalted butter right at the end along with the Parmesan cheese.
- If you prefer a milder flavor profile, use sweet Italian sausage. For more heat, choose hot Italian sausage and double the red pepper flakes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The pasta may absorb moisture as it sits.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze in portions. Broccoli texture will become much softer upon thawing.
Reheating: Microwave covered with a damp paper towel, or reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water to revive the sauce.
Troubleshooting
Pasta sauce is completely dry or ingredients are clumping together.
Cause: Not enough pasta water was reserved, or the heat was left on too high when assembling the dish.
Fix: Stir in warm chicken broth or warm tap water one tablespoon at a time over low heat until the sauce loosens and coats the pasta smoothly.
Prevention: Always reserve at least 240ml of pasta water before draining to ensure you have extra if needed.
Cultural Context
The combination of sausage and peppers is a beloved staple of Italian-American street festivals, particularly the Feast of San Gennaro in New York. By adapting this classic pairing into a pasta dish and incorporating broccoli, it transforms from a casual street food into a balanced, hearty, single-pan meal that embodies the pragmatic evolution of immigrant cooking.
