Description
Creamy Sausage Broccoli Pasta is a cozy stovetop dinner with browned ground sausage, tender shells, broccoli, Parmesan, and a silky cream sauce. It comes together in 45 mins and makes a hearty weeknight meal with just enough lemon and pepper to keep every bite bright.
Ingredients
Sauce
- ¾ cup half and half
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
Sausage/Pasta, etc.
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground sausage, hot, sweet, or mild
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon softened cream cheese, optional but recommended
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ lb medium shell pasta
- 3 cups broccoli, fresh or frozen
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
For topping
- Red pepper flakes
- Freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- Mix the sauce: Combine the half and half, chicken broth, hot sauce, Dijon, soy sauce, onion powder, oregano, basil, parsley, and garlic salt in a large measuring cup and set aside.
- Brown the sausage: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook for about 7 mins, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and cooked through, then transfer to a plate.
- Deglaze the skillet: Turn off the heat briefly, then add the white wine to the same skillet and return the heat to medium. Scrape up the browned bits and simmer for about 4 mins, until the wine reduces by half.
- Make the roux: Add the garlic and cook for 1 min, then melt in the butter. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 mins, stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell is gone.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the shells in salted water until tender. Add fresh broccoli during the last 3 to 5 mins of cooking, or thawed frozen broccoli during the last 2 to 4 mins, then drain well.
- Finish the sauce: Add the sauce mixture to the skillet in small splashes, stirring after each addition until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, then stir in the cream cheese and Parmesan until melted. Add the pasta, broccoli, sausage, and lemon juice, then toss until coated and finish with red pepper flakes and freshly cracked pepper.
Notes
- Use chicken broth instead of dry white wine if preferred.
- Thaw frozen broccoli before adding it to the pasta water so it heats evenly.
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly than packaged grated cheese.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently with a splash of broth, milk, or half and half because the sauce thickens as it sits.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Cuisine: Italian American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 690 kcal
Keywords: sausage broccoli pasta