Linguine with Sausage and Broccoli
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Author Notes: The night before Christmas, my sister, Abs (who’d just had a baby a month earlier, mind you), insisted on whipping up a home cooked meal for the rest of the family. Forget the fact that she was planning to roast two ducks and a ham the next day!
She said we were having pasta, vowing that she had a tried-and-true recipe that was even easier than going through the "hassle of picking something up." I was convinced she was just being a good hostess. But then I watched her prepare the pasta -- linguine and sweet Italian sausage enveloped in a savory, unctuous sauce of garlic, stock and white wine, finished with a little butter -- and was impressed not only by how deftly and speedily she pulled it all together, but by the flavor punch packed by this simple dish.
A few weeks ago, I had a go at it myself, subbing in hot sausage for some of the sweet and adding a handful of fresh broccoli for color and crunch. My husband and I gobbled it up, and now I have my sister to thank for what's definitely earned a regular spot in our dinner rotation. - merrill
Serves 6
- 1 pound italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 fat cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock (low sodium)
- 1 pound linguine
- 1 1/2 cup small broccoli florets
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- Remove the sausage from its casings and break into small chunks. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pan with high sides over medium-high heat. When it’s smoking, add the sausage and sauté, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned – about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and keep warm on a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic to the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the garlic is softened and fragrant (do not burn it). Add the wine and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by about two thirds, then add the chicken broth and return the sauce to a boil. Reduce until the sauce is dark and somewhat syrupy, 7 to 10 minutes.
- While the sauce is reducing, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Fill a small saucepan with about ½ an inch of water, salt it generously and set it over high heat. When it begins to boil, add the broccoli and stir once. Cover the pot and cook the broccoli until just barely tender, a minute or two. Drain the broccoli and set aside.
- Add the thyme leaves to the sauce and then remove from the heat while you cook the pasta. Once the water is boiling rapidly, add the linguine and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Reserve about a cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and set over medium-low heat. Fold gently to distribute, and then add the butter and a little of the pasta water, tossing to coat. Add the reserved sausage, broccoli and Parmesan and toss again gently, adding enough pasta water to make the sauce silky but not watery. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary. Serve immediately, passing the Parmesan at the table.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
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9 days ago Hark
Fantastic recipe. Super easy week night fix and great way to use the broccoli that keeps showing up in my CSA bin.
4 months ago zingyginger
Since this recipe was posted, I've been making it almost every week on a weeknight. Several times I've simplified this to only 3 ingredients: sausage well-seasoned with fennel (1 hot and 1 mild), a package of frozen broccoli florets and a pound of pasta. It never fails to please. Thanks for this recipe, Merrill!
4 months ago merrill
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
You're very welcome!
4 months ago ECMotherwell
In a kind of flip of Merrill's Christmas-time experience, I made this for my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and brother after a family memorial service and funeral. In our rather shell-shocked state, this dish was was so perfectly warm and comforting that it honestly made us all feel better. Everyone had seconds, lingering over the table, and both my mother and sister requested the recipe. It really is the most wonderful comfort food. Thank you, Merrill!
4 months ago merrill
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
I'm so sorry for your loss -- glad to hear this simple pasta offered a bit of comfort.
4 months ago ECMotherwell
Oh my gosh, thank you for you kind words, and truly, thank you for the recipe. It is just wonderful!
over 1 year ago Arrxx
good with rapini too.....
over 1 year ago klord
Thanks for the delicious and easy recipe. I made it last night with sweet Italian turkey sausage and a couple of handfuls of frozen peas rather than broccoli because that's what I had on hand. Added a few shakes of red pepper flakes for spice.
about 2 years ago sasha_luka
Just tried the recipe tonight but without white wine. Also, I substituted some ingredients - asparagus and peas - it was delicious!
over 2 years ago zingyginger
Still not seeing the fix but I made this last night and it was delicious without it. Serves me right for blindly buying all the ingredients and not reading through the recipe first though, lol. Anyone want some thyme?
over 2 years ago merrill
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
Whoops! Fixed it on the blog page but not this page -- should be good now.
over 2 years ago Meag
Being new to cooking in general, this seemed like an easy enough dish for me to try out - and it was. Fantastic meal - really flavourful. Just a question - where does the thyme come into play? Thanks for sharing!
over 2 years ago merrill
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
Just fixed the recipe to include it. Sorry about that!
over 2 years ago EatDrinkLyon
I made this last Friday and it was delicious. I didn't have broccoli, so I used fennel instead. Was just as good!
Thanks Merrill and welcome back!
over 2 years ago merrill
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
Thanks, and so glad you liked it!