Orecchiette with sausage, broccoli and fennel

Name: Orecchiette with sausage, broccoli and fennel
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings

Posted: 09/01/2026Updated: 19/06/2026

Browned sausage, tenderstem broccoli and fennel seeds tossed with orecchiette and coated in a creamy anchovy and Parmesan sauce.

Active prep: 10 minutesActive cooking: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

Adjust servingsServings

8 Pork sausages
250 grams Tenderstem broccoli
40 grams Parmesan, grated
3 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Chilli flakes
2 Anchovy fillets
1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
50 millilitres Dry white wine
300 grams Orecchiette
1 Lemon
1 handful Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons Olive oil
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Remove sausage meat from casings and pinch into small pieces.
Cut the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the broccoli for 1–2 minutes until just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the same pot of water, cook the pasta until just al dente. Reserve some pasta water (plus extra if not using white wine).
In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat then add the pieces of sausage to the pan. Fry until browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon (5–7 minutes). Remove and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium and add the anchovy fillets. Let them melt into the oil (about 30 seconds).
Add the thinly sliced garlic, fennel seeds and chilli flakes, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Return the sausage to the pan and deglaze with the white wine (or an equal amount of pasta water) and reduce the liquid by half.
Add the blanched broccoli and stir for another 2–3 minutes so they become slightly softer and absorb the flavour.
Remove from the heat and add the cooked pasta, Parmesan and a splash of the reserved pasta water.
Toss until the pasta is evenly coated in a creamy sauce, adding more pasta water as needed.
Season with black pepper, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Add salt only if needed.
Serve with more grated Parmesan and fresh parsley (if using).

Helpful notes

Cooking tips

Chill the sausages before removing the casing: It makes it easier to squeeze out the meat cleanly without it sticking to your hands.
Pre-slice the broccoli stems before blanching. They take slightly longer to cook than the florets, so cutting them smaller ensures even tenderness.
Let the sausage pieces fry for 1–2 minutes before moving them. This helps with caramelisation and depth of flavour. Cook the sausage in batches if necessary as overcrowding can cause it to steam.
Cook the pasta slightly under al dente before adding it to the pan because it will finish cooking in the sauce. Also don’t add too much water as this will dilute the starch needed in the pasta water to form the sauce.
A few splashes of pasta water at a time as you toss helps control consistency and avoid a watery sauce.
Add the lemon juice carefully as too much acidity can thin or curdle the emulsion with cheese.
Stir in Parmesan off the heat to prevent clumping and ensures it melts smoothly into a creamy sauce.
Toss continuously while finishing to emulsify the sauce and coat the pasta evenly.

Alternative ingredients

Use whatever sausage you like. A sweet or spicy Italian sausage are good alternatives. More commonly found sausages such as Lincolnshire or Cumberland can also be used.
You can also replace the parmesan with pecorino if you prefer a softer, creamier but sharper sauce than the nuttier and sweeter flavours of the parmesan.
You can use regular broccoli, though tenderstem broccoli is preferred for its sweeter flavour, more tender texture and smaller florets. Traditionally, broccoli rabe (cime di rapa) is used, which is leafier and noticeably more bitter.

Storage instructions

Refrigeration: Store leftover portions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Freezing: You can freeze the pasta for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Ensure the pasta has cooled completely before freezing to minimise the formation of ice crystals. Be aware that freezing the cooked pasta will result in deterioration of the texture.

Re-heating instructions

If re-heating from frozen, ensure it has fully defrosted. Whether that is overnight in the fridge out in the microwave on the defrost setting. My preference is to re-heat on the stove as re-heating in the microwave can cause the oils to separate.

Stove: Re-heat sausage and broccoli pasta on the stove over medium heat. Add a little water to prevent the ingredients from drying out.

Nutrition and dietary facts

Per serving:Calories: 678kcal (30%), Protein: 34.2g (57%), Fat: 35.8g (45%), Saturated fat: 12.2g (81%), Carbohydrates: 63.6g (23%), Sugars: 4.8g (19%), Fibre: 5.1g (17%)

NOTE: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.