Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage and Broccoli

Just a quick and healthy middle of the week pasta recipe. Stay strong, stay healthy, stay delicious!

Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage & Broccoli
(Serves 4)

• 1 small onion – diced
• 4 garlic cloves – minced
• 1 lb cherry tomatoes -halved
• 1 lb spicy Italian sausage- casings removed
• 1/2 lb penne pasta
• 1 Broccoli head cut into florets
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 10 fresh basil leaves – torn
• Sea salt & black pepper to taste

1. Heat up the olive oil in a heavy bottom skillet and add the sausage breaking it up into chucks with a flat end wooden spoon. Sear until golden brown on all sides then transfer to a plate.

2. Add the minced onion to the sausage drippings wt a pinch of sea salt and sauté stirring often until they begin to caramelize.

3. Add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for about 30 seconds then stir in the tomatoes. Add the sausage back to the pan and cover with a lid. Let them simmer together until the tomatoes burst and release their juices- about 5 minutes .

4. Meanwhile cook the penne pasta in salted water according to the instructions on the package, reserving 1 c of the pasta water.

5. Steam the broccoli florets until al dente, still with a little crunch to the bite then add it to the pan with the sausage. Stir gently to combine and adjust seasonings. Add in the penne pasta to coat In the sauce . If needed at this point add some of that reserved pasta water to loosen up the sauce.

6. Remove from heat and serve sprinkled with the fresh basil on top.

Tagged as: Pasta with Broccoli, Pasta with Italian sausage, Penne Pasta