Broccoli Rabe Pesto & Sausage Pasta

An updated version of a classic Italian pasta dish made MY way 🤌

Let me introduce you to pasta with broccoli rabe’s cooler younger and hip cousin!! ✨🥦 Instead of the classic simple sautéed broccoli and sausage pasta, I transform the broccoli into a creamy and zesty PESTO and toss it together with pan fried crispy sweet sausage bits….are you drooling yet? Because I am!!

The pesto adds such a unique element to the dish, introducing both new flavors and texture. For many, broccoli rabe (also know as rapini) can be too bitter and strong of a flavor. However, in this version, thanks to some amazing add in ingredients such as toasted pistachios, lemon zest, and creamy mascarpone cheese - the broccoli surrenders its bitterness and offers up such an amazing flavor.

The other amazing part of the dish is that you can make the pesto in advance and even cook the sausage, so when you’re ready to eat you just cook the pasta and toss it all together!!!! But, even if you want to do it all in one go, the recipe will only take you around 30 minutes and that’s a win in my eyes.

Now let’s dive right into the recipe!!

Broccoli Rabe Pesto & Sausage Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Broccoli Rabe, tough ends removed and the rest chopped into 1 inch pieces (pick around and keep some of the broccoli florets whole in a separate bowl)

• 1/2 cup parmigiano cheese, grated

• 1/4 cup pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp lemon zest

• 2 tbsp mascarpone cheese

• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and crumbled

• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

• 1/2 bulb fennel, finely chopped

• 1 lb pasta of choice (I LOVE orecchiette here)

Step 1: The Pesto