In a season of busy, I find one of the greatest gifts I can give to myself is to minimize clutter and keep our home in order. This means immediately putting dishes in the dishwasher when we’re done eating, taking empty containers to the recycle as soon as they need to go, and not only folding the laundry, but putting the clothes away instead of leaving them in the basket to pick through all week. Keeping the house organized helps me feel some semblance of order when things don’t go as planned, as can often happen when you find yourself traveling every other weekend or hopping from event to event.
That’s why I like this recipe. It’s simple, uses real ingredients we almost always have on hand, and only requires 1 pan. It’s also a complete meal that only requires a plate and a fork to eat so clean up is a breeze.
The ground meat (be it sausage, beef, turkey or venison) gets browned with the onions then removed to make room for the pasta.
I cook the penne risotto style using chicken stock to infuse flavor while stirring constantly to draw out the starches helping to develop a creamy texture. If you haven’t cooked pasta with stock, you’re in for a treat. It adds so much richness to the dish, you may never use water to cook noodles again.
When the pasta has a few minutes left, I add the broccoli to cook with the pasta along with a can of diced tomatoes. Everything gets finished with a handful or two pf parmesan cheese and some chopped parsley.
This recipe is flexible and lends itself to so many variations. You can completely omit the meat for a vegetarian meal or swap out the broccoli for a vegetable of your choice. Give it a try and tell me about it in the comments below!
One Pan Sausage and Penne with Broccoli
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
- 1 Lb Ground Sausage or Beef
- Salt (If using sausage, you can omit or add very little)
- Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Oregano
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tsp Rosemary
- 12 Oz. Whole Grain Penne Pasta
- 2 1/2 – 3 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 Can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 Broccoli Floret, Chopped
- 1 Cup Shredded Parmesan
- Handful of Parsley (Optional)
Heat a large pan or large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent. Add the meat to skillet and break it up with a wooden spoon. Add the oregano, garlic powder and rosemary plus additional salt and pepper to taste (be cautious if you’re using sausage, as many varieties have plenty of salt already added) Cook until completely browned then remove the meat and the onions and set aside. Add the pasta to the pan and a cup of the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly and adding more stock by the half cup until it’s absorbed. After 6 minutes, add the broccoli and the diced tomatoes and continue to stir, adding stock as needed for 6 more minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Add the beef and onion mixture back to the pot along with the parmesan cheese and stir until everything is combined and the cheese is melted.
