This Italian Spaghetti and Broccoli Rabe dish (a.k.a. brocoletti) is made with sauteed broccoli rabe (in olive oil, garlic and lemon juice) and mixed with al dente spaghetti. It’s a delightful vegetarian Italian pasta dish made with simple ingredients!
If you like sauteed broccoli rabe, you’re going to LOVE this spaghetti and broccoli rabe pasta dish! It’s full of flavor and comes together quickly for a filling, yet nutritious, pasta dish.
Broccoli rabe is one of my favorite green vegetables. It’s a versatile, easy side dish for Italian meals.
It tastes great alone, with pasta or on an Italian pulled pork sandwich!
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There is something magical about aroma and taste of garlic cooking in olive oil! Growing up in an Italian household (both my parents were Italian immigrant), it was a scent I smelled often coming from the kitchen.
I grew up to associate it with something good was on the stove and made for me with love!
When I was a young girl, my mom used to pull over on the side of the road and walk up to a big open field with a plastic bag and knife. She’d come back in ten-fifteen minutes with the bag filled with broccoli rabe.
If you’re Italian like me, you know about broccoli rabe but, you may not know how good it tastes with pasta.
Broccoli Rabe
Broccoli RabeBroccoli rabe is a leafy, dark green, cruciferous vegetable with a slightly bitter taste. It is typically 8-9 inches long with 1/2 inch wide stems, leaves and small buds that resemble broccoli, all of which are edible.
However, I trim one inch or so off the bottom of the stems when I buy a bunch at the grocery store.
To make this recipe, feel free to use bucatini, tonnarelli, or linguine pasta. It’s often made with orecchiette pasta, which is translated to “little ears.” It’s the disc shaped pasta. It can also be made with gnocchi.
I like my spaghetti and broccoli rabe with a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
Italian Spaghetti and Broccoli Rabe
Ingredients
*The full printable recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
- spaghetti
- broccoli rabe
- garlic cloves
- extra virgin olive oil
- lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes (optional)
Summary Instructions
First, begin to cook pasta al dente. Meanwhile, cut and clean the broccoli rabe. Then, boil the broccoli rabe until the stems are tender. Drain it.
Sautee boiled broccoli rabe in olive oil, garlic and lemon juice for a few minutes. Add salt and black pepper.
Then, add the drained pasta to the sauteed broccoli rabe and stir to coat the pasta. Viola! It’s simple and quick!
For this recipe, you can mince the garlic, smash and chop the garlic or cook it in whole cloves and remove it afterward (or eat it.)
What to serve with Italian spaghetti and broccoli rabe
Easy Oven Baked Italian Sausage Recipe goes great with spaghetti and broccoli rabe.
Chicken cutlets would be great with it too.
Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Grilled Balsamic Chicken Breast
Serve it for an easy pasta dinner for Meatless Monday or any busy weeknight.
It’s an Italian pasta dish food suitable for Vegans too. Nonetheless, you’re going to love this broccoli rabe and spaghetti pasta dish made with simple ingredients.
You may also like:
Sauteed Rapini with Garlic and Lemon
Gnocchi Broccoli Rabe and Italian Sausage
Broccolini with Pasta and Goat Cheese
Easy Italian Sauteed Broccoli and Asparagus with Parmesan
Easy Escarole Sauteed with Garlic Recipe
See more ITALIAN recipes.
Easy Spaghetti with Broccoli Rabe Italian Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 1 lb broccoli rabe
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped or minced or whole
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- dash red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- First, begin to cook pasta al dente. Add 1 tbsp of salt to 2 quarts of water. Cook spaghetti al dente (about 10 minutes.) Set timer. Test a piece before removing. Drain in colander.
- Then, begin to boil water in a medium pot for broccoli rabe.
- Meanwhile, while still wrapped in the wire band from store: cut 1 inch from bottom of the stems. Cut the bunch in half lengthwise and each half in the middle to make 4 equal length parts. Put in water and let it sit a few minutes. Drain.
- Next, boil the broccoli rabe for about 10 minutes or until the stems are tender. Drain water.
- Then, to a large skillet on medium high heat: Add extra virgin olive oil (1/3 cup) garlic (4 cloves (minced or smashed and chopped) and heat for 30-40 seconds. Then, add lemon juice (1 tsp) and red pepper flakes (dash) if using. Add broccoli rabe and cook uncovered for 5-10 minutes.
- Next, add the hot, drained spaghetti to the skillet and stir to coat the pasta with the sauteed broccoli rabe and it's oil.
Notes
Did You Make This Recipe?
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That sounds tasty. Thanks for your comment and rating.
Added some prosciutto it was wonderful!!!