Have you tried any Beyond Meat products yet? Their hot Italian sausage is my favorite product that I have tried. Its incredibly accurate. Could easily win over any meat eater. Its full of flavor and and the texture is spot on. So I decided to recreate my favorite pasta dish. Rigatoni with Sausage and Broccolini
Rigatoni with Sausage and Broccolini isn’t the original Italian classic. Its tradionally orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe. But my husband doesn’t like broccoli rabe- its a pretty bitter green that is definitely not for everyone.
So, as a compromise I used broccolini which is a tall slender type of broccoli in the place of broccoli rabe. It doesn’t have the same bitter bite, but it’s still delightful and probably more of a crowd pleaser than broccoli rabe. But, if you love broccoli rabe, by all means, use it here!
Choosing the Right Pasta
I chose rigatoni over orecchiette for this recipe because its my favorite short cut pasta. And because I like to cut the broccolini in about the same lengths as the pasta, making the Rigatoni with Sausage and Broccolini easier to eat.
But, feel free to use whatever your favorite short cut pasta is here. Penne or cavatappi or even bow tie will work. But, don’t use the long cut pasta types. Save the long cuts like spaghetti for a different recipe.
Choosing the Right Plant-Based Sausage
I haven’t tried this Rigatoni with Sausage and Broccolini with any other plant based sausage, and I don’t recommend that you do, either. Beyond Meat’s sausage is unlike any other plant based sausage that I have tried. And while I really like other brands -like Field Roast’s italian sausage– I don’t think they would shine in this application.
Beyond Meat’s Hot Italian is the best plant-based sausage I’ve ever had. And I have always loved italian sausage. So trust me. Seek out Beyond Meat.
Make sure you use a really large skillet that has a lid here so you can still move everything around even when the pasta is in the skillet with everything else. And definitely top this Rigatoni with Sausage and Broccolini with some vegan parmesan in you have it on hand. I recommend Follow Your Heart or VioLife!
Rigatoni with Sausage and Broccolini
Ingredients
- 1/2 Box Rigatoni
- 2 Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausage Links
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1 Large Bunch of Broccolini, or 2 small bunches cut into 2 inch long peices
- 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 Cup Vegetable Stock
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Zest
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with salt and cook rigatoni to al dente.
- Remove the casing from the sausage links. Add the sausage to a large skillet over medium heat. Break into chunks with a wooden spoon. After a minute, add the garlic. Saute until sausage is cooked. About 4 minutes.
- Add broccolini to the sausage and garlic and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place a lid on the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add vegetable stock to deglaze the pan, then add lemon zest and crushed red pepper flake and lemon juice.
- Add cooked pasta to the pan and cook everything together until most of the liquid from the pan has mostly evaporated. Serve.
Let me know how this recipe worked for you and is there is anything you’d like to see me make next!
