The rustic, flavorful single dish perfect for bread, sandwiches, and savory pies
Stir-fried broccoli rabe with sausage in a pan is a classic of Roman cuisine: a simple and flavorful single dish, perfect to enjoy with bread or use as filling for sandwiches and rustic pies.
Some dishes come almost by chance, when you already have something good in the pan and decide to “take a step further”.
That’s how, after stir-frying the broccoli rabe with garlic, oil, and chili pepper, the idea often arises in Rome: let’s add the sausage.
The result is one of those rustic dishes that smell like home, Sunday lunch, and impromptu sandwiches with still warm bread. The broccoli rabe remains soft and slightly spicy, while the sausage releases its flavorful fat that envelops everything and makes every bite irresistible.
It’s perfect as a single dish, but also as filling for focaccia, sandwiches to take to work, or rustic pies to prepare in advance.
Few ingredients, zero complications, and lots, lots of taste.
If you love this dish, on the blog you can also find the version Roman-style stir-fried broccoli rabe with garlic, oil, and chili pepper, perfect for a vegan variant.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs broccoli rabe (or turnip tops)
- 4 sausages
- 2 cloves garlic
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- chili pepper
- salt
- 1/4 cup white wine (or broccoli rabe cooking water)
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Pan
Step-by-step Procedure
Detach the stems and pull down the larger leaves, leaving only the tender parts.
If the last part of the stem is tough, peel it slightly with a small knife.
Soak everything in cold water and wash them well.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the broccoli rabe for 5–10 minutes, until the stems are tender.
Drain them with a slotted spoon and save some of the cooking water: it will be needed later to keep the dish soft.
In a large pan, pour plenty of extra virgin olive oil, add: finely chopped garlic, chili pepper.
Sauté over low heat until the garlic becomes golden and fragrant.
Add the broccoli rabe to the pan, season with salt if needed, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Cut the sausages in half or into large pieces and add them to the broccoli rabe.
Let them brown well, turning them, until they release their fat and take on color.
Deglaze with white wine or add a ladle of the broccoli rabe cooking water to keep everything soft and juicy.
Let it flavor for another 5–7 minutes, until the sausage is well cooked and the sauce envelops the vegetables.
Zia Debby’s Tips
Sausage in half, not slices
Cutting it into large pieces prevents it from drying out too much and allows the fat to better flavor the broccoli rabe.
Wine or water?
Wine gives a more rustic and fragrant note, cooking water keeps the flavor more “vegetable-like”. Choose based on the effect you want.
Leftovers?
The next day it’s perfect inside a sandwich or as filling for a quick rustic pie.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use pre-cleaned broccoli rabe?
Yes, but if you clean them yourself and lightly peel the stems, they remain more tender and flavorful after cooking.
Can I freeze this dish?
Better not: broccoli rabe tends to become mushy and sausage loses texture. It’s perfect to consume within 1–2 days in the fridge.
