Orecchiette with Rapini and Sausage

This Orecchiette with Rapini and Sausage recipe is a must-try for home cooks. Its savoury flavours with Italian sausage and vibrant rapini with a crisp breadcrumb topping make it a dish you’ll want to make again and again. 

Orecchiette, pronounced “oh-reck-ee-ET-ay,” means little ears in Italian, and their unique shape makes them perfect for catching flavorful sauces and bits of vegetables.

Italian specialty shops line up these distinctly domed little pastas, each with a cup-like center that makes them perfect for catching chunky sauces and bits of vegetables. 

As you toss the pasta with the sausage and vegetables, all those delicious flavours nestle into their little cups, ensuring every bite is packed with savoury goodness.

In this classic pasta dish, rapini, also known as broccoli rabe, brings its distinctive slightly bitter flavour, while the Italian sausage adds richness and savoury depth. 

Garlic and extra virgin olive oil bind everything together, creating a satisfying rustic sauce. Then finished with freshly toasted breadcrumbs for a deliciously crisp topping.

This is the kind of recipe I love most. It’s simple, hearty, and full of comforting flavours that make everyone feel at home and eager to enjoy.

Let’s get cooking!

Ingredients for Orecchiette with Rapini and Sausage

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this flavorful pasta with rapini and sausage. From the savoury Italian sausage to the slightly bitter rapini and the crisp toasted breadcrumb topping, all creating a delicious flavour combo.

Orecchiette Pasta: Orecchiette, with their small, cup-like shape, are perfect for this recipe, capturing little bits of sausage and rapini sauce and making sure you get a little of everything in every bite.

Italian Sausage: Italian sausage adds a rich, savoury flavour to the dish. Whether you choose mild or spicy sausage or even fennel sausage, it’s entirely up to you. Once crumbled and browned, it adds a wonderful caramelized taste and pairs beautifully with the bitterness of the rapini.

Rapini: Also known as broccoli rabe, rapini is a staple in many Italian kitchens. These bitter greens with tender stems bring a distinctive flavour to the pasta, creating a wonderful balance to the richness of the sausage and olive oil.

Red Bell Pepper: Red bell peppers add natural sweetness and vibrant colour to this pasta dish. As it cooks along with the sausage, it becomes tender and slightly caramelized, adding another layer of goodness.

Onions: Sautéed onion adds subtle sweetness and depth to any sauce.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is always an important part of a simple pasta dish. It helps to bring all the ingredients together, creating a tasty base for the pasta.

Red Chilli Pepper Flakes: A sprinkle of red chilli pepper flakes adds just the right amount of heat. Adjust the amount based on whether your chosen sausage is mild or spicy. Or leave it out altogether if you prefer a milder pasta.

Salt & Black Pepper: Simple seasonings, but essential. After all, what’s a dish without salt and pepper?!

Freshly Toasted Breadcrumbs: The crowning touch! Freshly toasted breadcrumbs add a wonderful golden crunch to the tender orecchiette and vegetables. They’re a simple addition in making this rustic Italian pasta extra special.

How to Make Pasta with Sausage and Rapini

1 – Start by heating a little olive oil in a sauté pan.

2 – Add the fresh breadcrumbs with a dash of salt and pepper and toast the breadcrumbs until golden brown. It should take approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Stir continuously so the breadcrumbs don’t burn. Set aside.

Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Add the rapini in the last 5 minutes of the pasta’s cooking time and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

Continue below while the pasta cooks:

3 – As the pasta cooks, heat 1/3 cup of olive oil in a large pan. Add the sausage, minced garlic, onion, red pepper and chilli flakes. Cook, stirring and breaking up the sausage meat with a wooden spoon until browned.

4 – Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of water, and add the drained pasta with rapini to the sausage mixture.

Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir well to release any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. (There is lots of flavour there) Add a little more if needed. You’ll note that the sauce becomes a little creamier when you stir in the pasta water.

Transfer the sausage and rapini pasta to a large serving pasta bowl and top with the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Plate and serve the individual servings with a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of the toasted breadcrumbs and pass the grated cheese around.

On a busy weeknight, this is the kind of recipe I love bringing to the table. It’s so simple, yet special enough to make everyone linger a little longer while enjoying a comforting, memorable meal with even better company.

I love to serve it with some crusty bread, a side salad, and a glass of vino for all the makings of a deliciously satisfying Italian meal.

Buon Appetito!

If you make this recipe, remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

This recipe was originally published August 5, 2018, and republished October 5, 2026, with updated content and photos.