Orecchiette with Spicy Italian Sausage and Rapini
SERVES: 4
When I’m craving immediate comfort, this is a go-to dish. A luscious bowl of pasta layered with bold Southern Italian flavors — spicy sausage, bitter greens, sharp Pecorino, garlic and the gentle warmth of crushed red pepper.
Though its origins lie in Puglia, this dish has claimed a permanent place in our home kitchen. When it appears on a menu, my husband rarely passes it by. And over the years, I’ve made it my own, returning to it often — especially on evenings when we need something both easy and satisfying.
We love its robust flavors, but it’s also wonderfully adaptable to your own taste. With some minor changes, you can tone down — or amp up — the heat, as well as temper rapini’s bitter edge. And the best part is this dish comes together quickly — think thirty minutes start to finish — which, after a long day, may be the most comforting thing of all.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound orecchiette pasta
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
1 pound rapini (broccoli rabe), stems trimmed, washed, dried, and roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2/3 cup Pecorino Romano, freshly grated, plus more for serving
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes; plus more for serving
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Rapini flowers for garnish (optional)
METHOD
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the orecchiette and cook, according to package instructions, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and fully cooked and no longer pink in the center — about 7–10 minutes.
Add garlic and chili flakes to the sausage and cook until fragrant and the garlic turns golden. Increase the heat to medium-high and deglaze with white wine, gently scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Let simmer for about 30 seconds, allowing the wine to reduce slightly and emulsify.
Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the chopped rapini and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Depending on your pan, you may need to add the greens in batches. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add the drained orecchiette to the skillet and toss gently to combine, gradually adding reserved pasta water until a silky sauce forms and clings to the pasta — you may not need all of reserved water. Turn off the heat and fold in the grated Pecorino.
To Serve
Divide among shallow bowls. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a shower of Pecorino and, if you have them, rapini flowers for a delicate, peppery garnish.
Serve with extra Pecorino and crushed red pepper.
Buon Appetito!
NOTES
If rapini’s bold edge is too much for your taste, blanch it briefly in salted boiling water before sautéing.
Spigarello or broccolini can be used for a gentler flavor although you’ll lose a bit of that signature bite.
To soften the heat, use a lighter hand with the crushed red pepper or swap in a mild or sweet Italian sausage for the spicy.
Parmigiano-Reggiano can step in for Pecorino, lending richness with a slightly milder finish.
Orecchiette, with its little ear shape, perfectly cradles the bits of sausage and greens, but cavatappi or penne will work in a pinch.
Pasta water is non-negotiable as it’s the key to bringing the sauce together and achieving the velvety texture.
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Wine Pairing
A crisp, mineral-forward white wine like Verdicchio or Greco di Tufo balance the richness of the sausage and cheese while standing up to rapini’s bitter edge. If you prefer red, reach for something rustic and unfussy — a Negroamaro, Primitivo di Manduria or Montepulciano d’Abruzzo all work well.
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