This pasta recipe is quick and delicious and the flavor from the sausage is really key. (Just a heads up that you'll need to reserve a little of the pasta cooking water, so keep that in mind BEFORE you drain the pasta.) Chicken sausage is usually leaner than pork, so when making this with chicken sausage, I like to add butter or olive oil before serving.
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Add the broccoli for the last 4 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water in a cup, then drain the pasta and broccoli.
Meanwhile, warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, break up with a wooden spoon, and cook until fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes. If there seems to be more than about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan, you can drain some off.
Stir the broccoli and pasta into the pan with the sausage. Stir in the 1/2 cup pasta water and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add the butter or olive oil if desired.
Serve warm with salt, pepper, and additional Parmesan to taste as desired.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Grated Parmesan tends to have way more flavor than shredded, so get grated if you can.
Wash, dry, and chop your broccoli into florets and store it in an airtight container such as a quart-size mason jar up to 3 days ahead. Or, use precut broccoli florets from the produce aisle.
Use whichever shape of pasta your kids prefer, such as shells, rotini, farfalle, ziti, or elbows.
Add more flavor by adding 1 tablespoon tomato paste to the sausage in Step 2. You can also top with olives, feta cheese, or fresh basil or parsley.